Traditional Indigenous Games Carnival

As part of the Department of Communities' Learning Earning Active Places (LEAP) Strategy, Health and Physical Education (HPE) teachers were trained in the art of Traditional Indigenous Games (TIG) at a workshop held at Cairns West State School in September 2011. In the training, the teachers learnt about the history of the games, teaching techniques, participation of all students regardless of skill levels and reconciliation.

On Friday 18 November, the HPE teachers, and 600 students from five primary schools in Cairns West, competed in the first Traditional Indigenous Games Inter-school Carnival held in Cairns at Barlow Park.

The Honourable Curtis Pitt MP, Minister for Disability Services, Mental Health and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships attended the carnival to present shields to each school representative.

The TIG program was introduced by the Department of Communities' Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Services (ATSIS), Far North Queensland, in partnership with Cairns Regional Council, PASS Australia and James Cook University.

The participating schools included Cairns West State School, Balaclava State School, Parramatta State School, Our Lady Help of Christians Catholic School and St Francis Xavier Catholic School.

During the carnival participants learnt more about the importance of Traditional Indigenous Games which promotes Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and respect for traditional knowledge and history and encourages healthy activity and reconciliation.

Similar initiatives are planned for Mareeba in December 2011 and in Innisfail and Gordonvale in 2012.

For more information on Traditional Indigenous Games in Far North Queensland contact Mr Norman Ferguson on (07) 4047 5784 from the Department of Communities, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Services.