HUNTER children have listened to a dreamtime story about a crow searching the bush for food in a Newcastle Libraries kids storytime event at Wallsend Village to kick off NAIDOC Week.
Librarian Danielle Hillard read the Clever Crow - written by Nina Lawrence and illustrated by Bronwyn Bancroft - aloud to children, including Rowanne Jeffries' children Rosalee, aged three, and Kastiel, two.
"NAIDOC Week is special to me," Ms Jeffries said.
"Each year when NAIDOC comes around I feel proud when I see workshops at different places.
"I am from Wiradjuri Country. My children Rosalee and Kastiel were born on Awabakal Country.
"I feel it is important for my children to see their culture being celebrated. I am relieved I am in an era that does acknowledge my Indigenous people and our culture."
Wallsend Village centre manager Rhonda Drivas said the centre was also displaying NAIDOC Week artwork by Wallsend Public students.
"NAIDOC Week is such an important time to reflect and celebrate the history, culture and achievements of First Nations Peoples, and recognise them as the traditional custodians of the land," Ms Drivas said.
"We saw this occasion as a wonderful opportunity to partner with local community groups including Newcastle Libraries and Wallsend Public School and celebrate together."
City of Newcastle libraries and learning manager Suzie Gately said stories were integral in building cultural awareness.
"Cultural understanding builds bridges and I think that is really important for us to be a more cohesive society, that we understand and respect everybody has a story to tell and everybody has experiences that are valued."
She said it was important for libraries to hold events in locations where communities gather. "We can raise awareness of and engage with people around the importance of literacy and create opportunities they didn't even know existed.
"The power of words is one of those essential life skills that can really make a difference in people's lives and we find that the libraries are an ideal community space.
"We're not judgemental, it's intergenerational, it's free, but then by taking it out to the community we can then invite them back into where we do most of our early childhood programming."
Newcastle Libraries is hosting a variety of free family events during NAIDOC Week.
All events are COVID safe and compliant.
All sessions are booked out but families can check online close to the time of each event for cancellations.
