NAIDOC Week is a pivotal time for celebrating the rich history, culture, and achievements of Indigenous Australians. With community events ranging from the National NAIDOC Week Awards and flag ceremonies to family fun days, sports events, and yarning circles, there are countless ways to include children in these festivities.
Embracing Indigenous Culture Through Food
This NAIDOC Week, a fantastic way to introduce your children to Indigenous culture is through traditional cuisine, passed down for thousands of years. Even young children can learn about Indigenous culture, and there are many engaging ways to help them connect with the values of NAIDOC Week. You can involve your little ones in this vibrant culture with storytelling, Indigenous art like dot painting, growing Indigenous plants in the backyard, and enjoying traditional dishes like damper with the family.
Many native Australian plants are rich in nutrients, making them an excellent addition to your family’s diet. Cooking with traditional Indigenous ingredients offers an authentic, hands-on way to teach children about how other cultures use food. Exploring new foods expands children’s sensory experiences, helps them develop a taste for diverse foods, and fosters an appreciation for Australia’s cultural heritage.
Top 5 ways to celebrate Indigenous culture through food during NAIDOC week
Share a Dreaming Story Linked to Traditional Foods: Start by sharing a Dreaming story with your children that is connected to traditional food. This can be a creative and engaging way to introduce Indigenous culture. Follow up with a hands-on activity, such as:
- Visiting a local grocer that sells Indigenous ingredients, where your children can help pick out bush foods like wattle seeds.
- Planting seeds of traditional fruits, veggies, herbs, and plants in your home or community garden. Use the harvest to enhance family dishes like mulberry muffins.
- Taking a family fishing trip to catch fresh seafood and using it to create an Indigenous-inspired meal, such as finger lime scallops.
Create an Indigenous Nature or Bush Tucker Garden: Set up a garden in your backyard with Indigenous plants. These are often easier to grow as they are well-suited to the Australian climate. Consider planting:
- Midyim berries, mulberries, or muntries for sweet fruits that can be added to baking, smoothies, cereal, and yoghurt.
- Lemon myrtle and finger limes to add a citrus flavour to dishes.
- Traditional vegetables like bush tomatoes and warrigal greens to add variety and nutrients to your meals.
Explore Native Plants Through a Local Bushwalk Take a bushwalk and explore the native plants in your area. Research traditional flora and teach your children about the uses of these plants. For example, if you find a wattle tree, explain how Indigenous cultures use wattle seeds to make flour for damper.
Cook Indigenous Recipes or Use Indigenous Ingredients Involve your children in cooking by incorporating Indigenous recipes or ingredients into your meals. Ideas include:
- Using Australian herbs and spices like strawberry gum and lemon myrtle to flavour meats.
- Making jams with native berries such as mulberries or Davidson plums and serving them with homemade damper.
- Mixing bush tomatoes into your pasta sauce or adding warrigal greens to soups or salads.
Share Indigenous-Inspired Meals With Your Community One of the best ways to celebrate NAIDOC Week is to share your experiences with others. Organise a meal with family and friends or bring homemade Indigenous-inspired treats to a local community event. This not only honours Indigenous culture but also fosters a sense of community.
Celebrating NAIDOC Week at MindChamps
At MindChamps, we actively celebrate traditional Indigenous culture and NAIDOC Week in our centres. Food is one of the many ways we introduce children to Indigenous culture. Our educators engage children in cooking activities like making bush tomato scones and no-bake finger-lime cheesecake. Children help pick ingredients from our own veggie gardens, where they learn to grow traditional plants like lily pillies and native basil.
To help you celebrate NAIDOC Week, we’re sharing one of our favourite recipes using traditional Indigenous ingredients. Click here to access our wattle seed & blueberry pancakes recipe. Enjoy it with your family or community and immerse yourself in the rich cultural heritage of Indigenous Australia.