HUNTING practice was once a necessity in Aboriginal culture, so, men and boys would play Gorri – throwing a spear at a rolled piece of bark.
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Thousands of years later, both Indigenous and non-Indigenous children played the game together at Coledale Community Centre as part of NAIDOC Week celebrations.
“Aboriginal cultures used to play it with the children to practice their hunting skills,” Fun Fitness 4 Littlies owner Sam Levick said.
Mr Levick has crafted a program of traditional Indigenous games to encourage a return to culture early, that focus on physical ability and the history of the country.
“It’s those little ways of joining our cultures together, those non-Indigenous and Indigenous,” he said.
“It exposes them to something different, for children of this age they start to get an understanding of games for life, rather than just playing Duck, Duck, Goose.
“Gorri is teaching them how to be hunters, and that at one stage people actually had to hunt to get their food, the problem in this day and age is we try and teach children about their culture too late.”
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More than 30 children from Birrelee MACS Childcare Centre and Community Kids Tamworth attended the NAIDOC event on Tuesday.
Coledale Community Development manager Rebecca Butler said the education is helping kids get back to their culture.
“I don’t think people realise the significance, children are coming home and speaking Aboriginal language now because they’re being taught, and it becomes the norm,” she said.
“It’s good to bring community together.”