Talking Up Our Strengths

Celebrate the strengths and resilience of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures!

Talking Up Our Strengths is a set of 22 evocative, photomontage cards that celebrate the strengths and values of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures. These family snap-style photos show people being ‘strong in culture’. They are designed to foster recognition of what Aboriginal people have done—and continue to do—to nuture pride, identity and resilience.

These cards are conversation triggers for use in different places and different situations. The themes featured on the cards include our children, knowledge, Elders, land, music, health, connection, and our past, present and future.

These cards can be used as visual aids for sharing stories—stories that strengthen pride in culture, and help nuture indigenous children to flourish and grow.

Use these cards:

• as reminders of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander history, cultural richness and shared meanings.
• to focus on celebrations and activities within and between communities.
• to help a group open up and build relationships at the beginning of a workshop or class.
• to help people make connections between more abstract ideas and their lived experience.
• as reminders about the importance of all Australians taking pride in, and respecting, the cultures that have cared for, and been a part of, this land for so long.

Talking Up Our Strengths is a visual feast and catalyst for conversations and storytelling in schools, communities, groups, social work settings, board rooms, family gatherings and back yards. Whether they are spread out across the kitchen bench or on the tables of policy makers and politicians, these cards can be used as tools for reconciliation, social justice and pride in cultural diversity.

Innovative Resources is proud to have published this resource in partnership with the Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care (SNAICC).

(Special note: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people should be aware that this publication contains images of people who have since passed away) 

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