Keep Left Educates Aussies on the Real History of January 26

Independent PR and creative agency Keep Left has launched an education campaign for First Nations not-for-profit SharingStories Foundation, to encourage all Australians to deepen their knowledge of First Nations history as we approach 26 January. 

The Moment of Truth campaign encourages Australian adults who didn’t get the opportunity to learn the truth about 26 January at school, to educate themselves about Australia’s shared history, so they can make their own decisions during this time of national debate.

To support this, SharingStories is providing free access to a suite of Invasion Day resources on its online education portal, Jajoo Warrngara: The Culture Classroom. These free resources provide an easy way for all Australians to deepen their knowledge of our shared history through the perspectives of SharingStories First Nations community partners. 

SharingStories Co-CEO and Pitta Pitta woman Sharon Williams said, “Truth-telling has the power to heal - however education has the power to create generational change. That’s why we’re encouraging all Australians to take a moment to step back from the debate and take a step toward unity - through education.”

SharingStories is calling on all Australians to educate, contemplate and circulate their #MomentOfTruth via social media in the lead-up to, or on 26 January.

• Educate - Learn the history of colonisation from First Nations voices. 
  
• Contemplate - What it means to be Australian through a shared history that goes back more than 60,000 years. 
• Circulate - Share your #MomentOfTruth and encourage friends, families and teachers in your life to engage with the Jajoo Warrngara free lessons.

Keep Left CEO, Caroline Catterall, said, “We encourage everyone to bookmark the Jajoo Warrngara resources as something you can use not just now, but down the track at work, at home, or with your kids. 

“Research shows most adult Australians have gaps in their understanding of First Nations culture and history but are motivated for this to change for future generations. These resources are a simple and practical way to help facilitate that learning,” said Catterall.

Moment of Truth is the first campaign in a new strategic partnership between Keep Left and SharingStories, with the relationship marking an important step in Keep Left’s Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP). The part pro bono, part commercial engagement has seen Keep Left work with SharingStories on strategic planning for 2023, brand development, campaign development, and campaign activation across the year. 

“Our team will benefit from having access to SharingStories’ knowledge and resources, which will help us greatly while we’re in the ‘educate’ phase of our RAP. While we’re early in our journey as a company we recognise that reconciliation is a continuous cycle of improvement, and our partnership with SharingStories supports that,” said Catterall.

The Keep Left office will remain open on 26 January, with all staff given the opportunity to swap the 26 January public holiday for another day. For those that choose to work on 26 January, there will be a range of educational activities on offer throughout the day.

Five ways to find your moments of truth on 26 January:  

1) Learn/Teach: Access Jajoo Warrngara: The Cultural Classroom, free resources. 

2) Watch: 

• The Australian Wars - https://www.sbs.com.au/ondemand/watch/2067619395917 
• High Ground - Official Trailer

3) Read: Evolve media –  A Short History of the Australian Indigenous Resistance 1950 - 1990, High Ground - Official Trailer,  Day Break by Amy McQuire | Hardie Grant Publishing, Bruce Elder Blood on the Wattle.  

4) Listen: 

• Podcast - AWAYE: Mapping the traumascape - Mapping the traumascape - ABC Radio National 
• AWAYE: One discordant note: the 1938 Day of Mourning - https://m.mixcloud.com/awaye-separatestoriespodcast/one-discordant-note-the-1938-day-of-mourning/
• ‘One discordant note: the 1938 Day of Mourning' on the ABC listen app https://abclisten.page.link/dMdzvqQjAhioQ1zbA 
• AWAYE! on the ABC Listen app - https://abclisten.page.link/P7fjkvhk2RPnXgMW9 
• Speaking Out on the ABC Listen app - https://abclisten.page.link/wkUUXknnN4cy4LF19 
• Frontier Wars - Frontier War Stories 

5) Share: Repost First Nations peoples’ perspectives to amplify First Nations voices.