Natasha Weribone

Bio
Workshops and Talks

Natasha Weribone is a proud Gamilaraay woman, First Nations artist, and the founder of Ganu Gii Creations based in Springfield Lakes, Queensland. She is passionate about delivering cultural education to children in a way that is creative, age-appropriate, and culturally safe.

Although Natasha is just beginning her school-based workshop journey, she has already developed a suite of sessions combining her original books and resources with hands-on activities aligned to the Australian Curriculum. Her goal is to foster inclusivity, pride, and understanding for all students — especially First Nations children — through storytelling, language, art, and culture.

Through her creative business Ganu Gii Creations, she brings together storytelling, art, and education to share meaningful cultural resources with schools, educators, and families.

Natasha is the creator of the Nan & Me children's book series, which gently explores First Nations history, identity, The Dreaming, and belonging. The books provide an inclusive space for truth-telling and are designed to support culturally safe learning in classrooms and homes.

In recognition of her contributions, Natasha was named NAIDOC Trainee of the Year (2022), recognised among the Top 25 Most Influential First Nations People in her region, and was a finalist in the UniSQ NAIDOC First Nations Art Competition.

Natasha offers three different worksops:

Storytelling Workshop – Based on Nan, Why Don’t I Look Like You?

Session – Identity, Belonging & Healing

Target Audience: Prep – Year 6

Duration: 60 minutes

Focus: Understanding identity, kindness, and resilience through story

Session Overview: This session begins with Natasha guiding students through a child-friendly Acknowledgement of Country, explaining its meaning and importance. Natasha then delivers a live reading of her debut children’s book, Nan, Why Don’t I Look Like You?—a story that sparks conversations about Aboriginal identity, skin tone, the Stolen Generations, and cultural pride. Following the reading, students participate in a guided workshop using teacher-aligned resources, including a yarning circle, vocabulary building, reflective art, and a writing activity—all designed for cultural safety and age-appropriate engagement.

Activities Delivered: Book Reading • Yarning Circle (with clapsticks and prompts) • Vocabulary Flashcards (e.g. identity, culture, resilience, healing) • Art Activity (draw someone who supports you) • Writing Prompt (What do I know about my own background?) • Acknowledgement of Country (taught at the beginning)

What’s Included: • Live book reading • Interactive group discussion • Vocabulary flashcards • Printed worksheets for art and writing • Cultural resources (clapsticks) • Optional: Flashcard sets available for purchase

Storytelling with Natasha Weribone

Language Discovery Session – Introducing students to Gamilaraay language

Session - Gamilaraay Language Discovery – Words That Connect Us to Country

Target Audience: Year 1 – Year 6

Duration: 60 minutes

Focus: Exploring Gamilaraay language through storytelling, visual, and games

Session Overview: This session opens with a student-led Acknowledgement of Country, guided by Natasha. Students are introduced to the Gamilaraay language using Natasha’s original A4 flashcards. Each word is explored through pronunciation, meaning, and its cultural significance, with movement-based learning and storytelling to reinforce understanding.

Activities Delivered: Language Introduction & Flashcard Use • Movement Game (call and response using Gamilaraay words) • Memory & Recall Challenge • Cultural Reflection (importance of language) • Prizes (Little Yarnlings notebooks, colouring books) Acknowledgement of Country (taught at the beginning)

What’s Included: • Original Gamilaraay flashcards • Visual and movement learning • Cultural storytelling and discussion • Group activities and prizes • Optional: Classroom flashcard sets available for purchase

Little girl drawing during Natasha Weribone session

Yarnlings Cultural Learning Session – Hands-on art and symbol learning using my Sacred Connections activity booklet

Session: Yarnlings Cultural Learning Session – Exploring Culture Through Creativity

Target Audience: Prep – Year 4

Duration: 60 minutes

Focus: Introducing cultural and stories through Natasha’s Sacred Connections Activity Booklet

Session Overview: Each session begins with a student-guided Acknowledgement of Country. Natasha then introduces key Aboriginal symbols and their meanings before leading a hands-on matching activity and guided creative time using her original Little Yarnlings Sacred Connections Activity Booklet.

Activities Delivered: Symbol Exploration (with visual aids) • Word-to-Symbol Matching Game • Completion of Sacred Connections Booklet Pages • Prizes for participation (notebooks, extras) • Acknowledgement of Country (taught at the beginning)

What’s Included: Printed activity booklet (1 per student – $10 required) • Symbol matching materials • Cultural storytelling • Take-home creative resource • Prizes and optional resource add-ons

Each session includes a child-friendly • Acknowledgement of Country, engaging resources, and cultural reflections designed for students from Prep to Year 6.