Move over Jemima, there’s a new toy on Play School
29 June 2019 at 11:00 am
There’s a bear in there and a chair as well, but now Play School is set to welcome a new cast member: an Indigenous doll named Kiya.
The doll will be introduced on the iconic children’s TV program during NAIDOC week on 8 July, as part of an Acknowledgement of Country special.
Kiya’s casting was announced by Indigenous Play School presenter Miranda Tapsell on Instagram on Sunday.
“How moorditj (good) is Kiya? She’s one of our new Playschool friends all the way from Nyoongar country in Perth. She can be your friend too! Kiya also means hello in Nyoongar language,” the post said.
“I can’t wait for you all to meet her on the 8th of July for our very special Welcome to Country episode for NAIDOC week.”
ABC Indigenous said the special episode will celebrate Indigenous language and culture, with Tapsell finding out where Kiya is from and how to say hello in her language.
Kiya’s dress was designed in collaboration with Noongar artist Kiya Watt and represents a special story about her people and Mother Ocean.
Watt told NITV News she was honoured to have her artwork incorporated into the doll.
“It has been an amazing and humbling experience to be able to share my mob’s story in art form and be able to have it on her dress, so it’s really exciting,” Watt said.
Tapsell and Kiya will be joined by Indigenous presenters Luke Carroll and Hunter Page-Lochard during the episode, which will air at 9am on ABC ME.
