The Uniting Aboriginal and Islander Christian Congress in Tasmania is marking Friday’s National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children’s Day with a double celebration this year.
On Wednesday Tasmanian Congress got in early with a fun day of activities.
At Congress’ Leprena centre at Glenorchy, children took part in face painting, designing and painting t-shirts, completing a canvas of their handprints – for display at Leprena – and traditional dancing with Harley-Jack Mansell.
On Friday there will be a barbecue and other activities beginning from 10.30am until 2pm at Dru Point, Margate, about 20km south of Hobart.
Children’s Day is a chance for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families to celebrate the strengths and culture of the younger generation.
It is also an opportunity for all Australians to show their support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and to gain a better understanding of the importance of culture, family and community to their lives.
Leprena administration assistant Tameeka Jamieson said the local Aboriginal community were invested in giving their children a proud cultural identity.
“If we raise them right they will be the leaders of our country,” she said.
This year Children’s Day recognises the 20th anniversary of the Bringing them Home report.
The report exposed the human rights abuses suffered by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, families and communities through the policies and practices of the stolen generations.
About100,000 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children were removed from their families and put into white foster homes between 1910 and 1970.
Former Uniting Church president and High Court judge Sir Ron Wilson co-authored the report with respected aboriginal activist and former Australian-of-the-Year Mick Dodson.
Comments are closed.