The South West Aboriginal Land and Sea Council has an announced a new partnership with the ABC's Play School to bring Noongar culture into many Australian homes.
The collaboration, designed to create a platform for Indigenous voices, perspectives, languages art and stories will explore opportunities to develop content and resources across screen, audio and online through Play School 'cast member' and Noongar doll, 'Kiya'.
South West Aboriginal Land and Sea Council (SWALSC) chief executive Vanessa Kickett said partnering with the ABC created an avenue for Noongar culture be shared nationwide.
"Our partnership with the highly respected and long-standing children's program, Play School, is such a wonderful opportunity to share our Noongar culture with children and families across Australia, and around the world," Ms Kickett said.
SWALSC is the Central Services Corporation for the South West Native Title Settlement in Western Australia.
The organisation will engage representatives from the Cultural Advice Committees from each of the six Noongar Regional Corporations to consult with Play School on Noongar history, culture and language, and educational story ideas for Kiya.
ABC head of children's production Libbie Doherty said the organisation is eager to embed Noongar culture into ABC children's original production.
"Play School has such a cherished legacy in Australia. Its songs, stories and focus on learning through play transcends generations," Ms Doherty said.
"We're excited to work with SWALSC to represent First Nations Australians through Kiya on one of our most loved programs."
Kiya first appeared on Play School's 'Acknowledgement of Country' – an episode that highlights the importance of caring for Country together.
While Kiya, which means "hello" in Noongar, is not Play School's first Indigenous toy, she is the first to have a connection to specific country, that being the Noongar peoples from Western Australia's south-west.
