Dear Parents and Carers

Here are Franklin Primary School we as staff have been having conversations about how we as Teachers can embed Aboriginal culture into our school. My name is Cynthia Howard and I recently started working at Franklin Primary School. I am lucky enough to be the Music Teacher here at Franklin Primary and as I am getting to know everyone we have already engaged in many fun activities.

I also teach at Huonville and Illawarra Primary Schools and in both schools we have engaged in what Country means in Tasmania or the Aboriginal name ‘lutrawita’. We have written songs, and films and I would like to develop this idea at Franklin Primary School also.

Last year at the Derwent Entertainment Centre Southern Primary School Choirs sang the ‘Welcome To Country Song’ in palawi kani, that is in Tasmanian Aboriginal Language and as a custodian of the song which was passed down to me by Dewayne Everettsmith, we would like to teach this song to our Aboriginal Students and then pass the song onto the whole school community.

We are hoping to use this song at Assemblies as a regular part of what we do here at Franklin Primary School. Our Aboriginal students will take a leadership role to passing this song onto all students at Franklin Primary School. We would like to start learning this song within the next few weeks in lead up to Naidoc Week 5^th – 12^th of July. Naidoc week is during our School Holidays, however we will plan around this.

Please note that no student has to participate in learning this song if they don’t want to.

We would really like your support in encouraging your child to be part of this exciting initiative.

If you have any further queries please do not hesitate to contact myself or the office.

Yours in Music

Cynthia Howard - Music Teacher

Franklin Primary School

I acknowledge and pay respect to the Tasmanian Aboriginal Community as the traditional owners of lutrawita/trowunna (Tasmania).