Celebrating Indigenous Literacy Day at SKiPPS

Today, our Year 2 and Year 4 students came together for a very special musical celebration of Indigenous Literacy Day, led by Michael and the talented SKiPPS Orchestra.

Indigenous Literacy Day is a national celebration of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander stories, cultures and languages. Created by the Indigenous Literacy Foundation, it reminds us of the importance of ensuring that First Nations children can see their languages, communities and experiences reflected in the books they read.

As part of this year’s Busking for Change campaign, our orchestra has been learning Shordi Krik, a joyful song and story created by students from Bamyili School in the Northern Territory, together with much-loved Australian performer Justine Clarke.

Our celebration began by watching the wonderful Shordi Krik video. Students first sang along in Kriol, one of the most widely spoken Aboriginal languages in Australia, before joining in with the English version.

Michael then spoke to students about the work of the Indigenous Literacy Foundation and some of the challenges experienced by children in remote Communities who have limited access to books, particularly books written in the languages they speak at home. Students learned why creating and sharing books in First Languages is so important for literacy, identity, culture and connection.

The highlight of the event was a fantastic live performance of Shordi Krik by the SKiPPS Orchestra. With students from Years 1 to 6 singing and playing together, it was a joyful and meaningful way to celebrate First Nations languages and the power of music and storytelling.

A huge thank you to Michael and every member of the SKiPPS Orchestra for creating such a special experience for our students.

Watch Shordi Krik

Families can watch the Shordi Krik song and story video here.

Help us support the Indigenous Literacy Foundation

The SKiPPS Orchestra is raising money through Busking for Change. All funds raised will support the Indigenous Literacy Foundation’s work helping children and families in remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Communities access and create books in the languages they speak at home.

We warmly encourage families who are able to do so to support the orchestra’s fundraising efforts by visiting the SKiPPS Orchestra donation page.

Every donation helps celebrate and strengthen First Nations stories, cultures and languages.