This year we have created 6 ‘baubles’ and a gift box  centered around what Christmas means to me. The artworks feature symbols of people, meeting circles, camp/home and water because I am lucky enough to head to the ever beautiful Gumbaynggirr Country each year and its healing offerings of both freshwater and saltwater are a feature of the festive season for me and my mob. My artwork also includes kangaroo tracks to symbolise my family heading home - because kangaroo is one of our clan totems.

Buying Blak is increasingly a conscious and powerful choice, and the impact of your decision has a far greater remit that you might think. By choosing to purchase from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander businesses, you can contribute to empowering Indigenous communities, preserving cultural heritage, and promoting economic growth, employment and long-term wealth generation for First Nations mob.

If you have had a conversation with the Wingaru Team lately, we probably pointed out that we wrote a book. Not just any book, a book written exclusively in our language, Dharug dhalang. The language is simple, the pages are beautiful and the story is one of connection. All in all, it is a pretty cool thing to have put together. Even if we do say so ourselves!

September is National Biodiversity Month in Australia; it’s the perfect opportunity to connect with Country, celebrate the incredible biodiversity of this land, and raise awareness of the crucial role we play in protecting it. 

 Home to approximately 700,000 species, Australia is one of the 17 countries in the world that is considered ‘mega diverse’ by the United Nations. Since many of these species are not found anywhere else in the world, conserving our remaining biodiversity is crucial, not only for the health of the entire planet, but to maintain stability in the global economy, and to safeguard future generations of people on earth.

Book Week, with its theme of Reading Is Magic, seems to have arrived super-fast this year, but what a theme!

For me the magic lies in the worlds that are discovered through reading. From a Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspective, books by First Nations authors are an opportunity to share and explore our powerful stories and culture, and show them to the world.

The NAIDOC Committee have done it again! This year’s NAIDOC theme is not only well-timed, it is the perfect opportunity to reflect on last year and regroup after the disappointing referendum result. It’s time, too, to gather momentum so that we can keep Australia moving forward towards equal justice, and equal rights, no matter your heritage. In other words, it’s time to stoke the fires and keep them burning bright!

Figures show that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children are more likely to need early intervention services – such as speech therapy, occupational therapy and physical therapy – than other children, and the gap between First Nations kids (24%) and non-Indigenous kids (10%) is significant.

Figures show that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children are more likely to need early intervention services – such as speech therapy, occupational therapy and physical therapy – than other children, and the gap between First Nations kids (24%) and non-Indigenous kids (10%) is significant.

This year, the theme for Reconciliation Week (held every year 27th May – 3rd June) is ‘Now More Than Ever’ and while it is still a few weeks away so might not be on your radar yet, I want to talk about the theme and what it means for teachers – because it’s an important one.

It wouldn’t be Easter without Easter craft! Easter craft will look different in every classroom and this year we have a new basket to add to our collection of Easter craft for you to consider. If you are a subscriber we also have a super cute bilby ear activity for you - check it out in the additional resources section of the dashboard.

As dedicated educators, we strive to instill curiosity and critical thinking in our students, constantly hunting for tools and strategies that encourage students to utilise enquiry skills, develop sound research practices, and exercise their developing critical-thinking skills. Critical thinking is one of the many important things children learn at school; when it comes to Aboriginal perspectives, it is one of the most important skills we can nurture.

Including First Nations languages in your classroom is a great way to include and embed Aboriginal culture throughout your teaching program. It’s fun to learn new words and phrases, and it helps keep our languages alive, encouraging students to understand Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander language as part of the oldest continuous culture on earth.

And just like that 2024 is here! I love the start of a new year and the potential it holds. The fresh start, an opportune time to establish a new approach or focus, and the calm to put the learnings of the previous year into action.

Christmas! Can you believe we are here already! Term 4 has just weeks to go and while I am freaking out about how fast this year has gone, I am also so relieved that a break is just around the corner. This year we are headed north for a few weeks to spend time on amazing Gumbaynggirr Country. Saltwater healing here I come!

That’s not really a surprise given my life-long love of books. I have always enjoyed poring through a book; reading the stories; studying the pictures and illustrations; appreciating the paper feel and smell…. I am one of those people who refuse to switch over to a digital reader, preferring to buy the real thing despite having run out of room for them years ago.