National Reconciliation Week

National Reconciliation Week, 27 May – 3 June is a time for all Australians to learn about our shared histories, cultures, and achievements, and to explore how each of us can contribute to achieving reconciliation in Australia.

The theme for National Reconciliation Week 2023 is Be a Voice for Generations. This encourages all Australians to be a voice for reconciliation in our everyday lives – where we live, work and socialise. Keep reading to find out how you can get involved with this week and explore inspiring stories from First Nations Australians. 

First Nations Library Cards

Join online and visit your local library during National Reconciliation Week to collect your limited edition First Nations library card. The cards feature artwork by Kabi Kabi artists, Kane Brunjes and Amanda Pitt-Lythgoe.

Get involved

• View the National Reconciliation Week 2023 regional guide for list of events and programs to support throughout the week
• Learn more about National Reconciliation Week with Reconciliation Australia
• Visit the Libraries website for links to First Nations resources
• Explore First Nations stories and resources on council’s Heritage website
• Explore council’s National Reconciliation Week resources
• Discover First Nations resources including languages, exhibitions, blogs and collections available through the State Library of Queensland
• Enjoy a family day out at one of Libraries Story Seats featuring artwork by First Nations children’s authors and illustrators, Gregg Dreise, Bronwyn Bancroft and Hope O’Chin

Books

eBooks

Read these eBooks from First Nations authors:

• The White Girl by Tony Birch
• Catching Teller Crow by Ambelin Kwaymullina and Ezebiel Kwaymullina
• Too Much Lip by Melissa Lucashenko
• Butterfly Song by Terri Janke
• Bila Yarrudhanggalangdhuray: River of Dreams by Anita Heiss
• Flock: First Nations Stories Then and Now
• Taboo by Kim Scott
• This All Come Back Now: An anthology of First Nations speculative fiction

To get started download the Libby apps. Select Sunshine Coast Libraries and enter your member number and passwords.

eAudiobooks

Listen to First Nations voices with these eAudiobooks:

• Jack Charles: Born Again Blakfella by Jack Charles
• So Far, So Good: On connection, loss, laughter and the Torres Strait by Aaron Fa’Aoso
• Silk: Football, Family, Respect by Shaun Burgoyne
• Am I Black Enough for You? By Anita Heiss
• Tell Me Why: The Story of My Life and My Music by Archie Roach
• Johnathan Thurston: The Autobiography by Johnathan Thurston and James Phelps

To get started with eAudiobooks, download the BorrowBox, Libby and uLibrary apps. Select Sunshine Coast Libraries and enter your member number and password.

eMovies

Watch these movies on Beamafilm:

• Sweet Country: When Aboriginal stockman kills white station owner Harry March in self-defence, Sam and his wife Lizzie go on the run.
• The Fringe Dwellers: A young Aboriginal woman deals with racism and culture clash.
• Jedda: In the Australian classic, a young Indigenous woman is caught between two cultures.
• Walkabout: When their father commits suicide, the two city-bred children must contend with the harsh Australian wilderness alone. They are saved by a chance encounter with an Aboriginal boy.
• Storm Boy: Mike, a.k.a. Storm Boy, lives with his recluse father on South Australia’s lonely and beautiful coast. Here his spirit roams with his pet pelican, Mr. Percival.
• Tudawali: Ernie Dingo delivers an outstanding portrayal of Robert Tudawali, the first Aboriginal film star, whose lead role in Jedda is iconic Australian cinema.
• The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith: the shocking Australian classic of racism and revenge.

First time customer, select Add Library Card and enter your member number and password. Create a Beamafilm account, then verify your email address. 

Music

Set up a playlist with these First Nations artists:

• Baker Boy
• Archie Roach
• Christine Anu
• Warumpi Band
• Budjerah
• Birdz
• Thelma Plum
• The Kid LAROI
• Gurrumul
• Mitch Tambo
• Emily Wurramara
• Yothu Yindi

To start streaming music, download the hoopla and Freegal apps, select sign up and choose Sunshine Coast Libraries. Follow the prompts to create account.

Reserve these First Nations picture books

More library resources

Learn more about First Nations people, arts and culture with Britannica Library. Log in with a free State Library of Queensland Membership. Click into ‘Australia in Focus’ or ‘Biographies’.

Listen on the go with these podcasts

• Word Up: Word Up shares the diverse languages of black Australia from Anmatyerre to Arrernte, from Bidjara to Bundjalung, from Nyungar to Ngaanyatjarra, from Yankunytjatjara to Yorta Yorta—one word at a time.
• TalkBlack: Unpacks news, stories and politics from a First Nations perspective and is hosted by GetUp’s First Nations Justice Campaign Director Larissa Baldwin.
• SBS NITV Radio: A national focus on news, events & issues that affect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. Hear interviews, features and community stories from the SBS NITV Radio program.
• Black Magic Woman: An uplifting conversational style program featuring mainly First Nations people from Australia and around the world sharing their stories about their journey to highlight the diversity amongst First Nations peoples and the resilience of her people.
• AWAYE!: Presents diverse and vibrant Aboriginal arts and culture from across Australia.

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