STUDENTS at Tamworth Public School took the first steps toward a better future at their NAIDOC Week celebrations.
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Opened with a smoking ceremony by Kamilaroi man Len Waters, the theme this year is Voice. Treaty. Truth.
And 65,000 years of Indigenous voice rang across the playground with a performance on didgeridoo before the school choir sang Australian favourites in Kamilaroi tongue.
Indigenous Anglican pastor Nathaniel 'Jum' Naden took some time to teach the school children a little bit of language that might help them in the classroom.
"Language is important because without it we wouldn't be able to understand each other," he said.
"This morning I'm going to teach you a little bit of a language I learned while growing up, I'll teach you three words this morning spoken in central South Australia.
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"My aunty grew up on a mission and they weren't allowed to speak any of the native language, everyone spoke English.
"It was extremely hard for her and extremely sad, she couldn't understand anyone unless she learned to speak English."
The children were taught the words, 'Good?' 'Yes' and 'No'.