Across Australia, reconciliation has become a familiar word in early childhood education. Many services now display the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags, begin meetings with an Acknowledgement of Country, or include cultural resources in their environments. These actions can be important starting points, but they also raise an uncomfortable question for the sector:
Are we engaging in reconciliation, or are we performing it?
In recent years I have visited hundreds of early learning services through my work with Koori Curriculum, mentoring educators and supporting leadership teams in embedding Aboriginal perspectives. One pattern appears again and again. Most educators genuinely care and want to do the right thing, yet many feel unsure how to move beyond symbolic gestures.
True reconciliation in early childhood education is not about collecting cultural artefacts or adding occasional activities to the program. It is about truth-telling, relationship building and cultural transformation.
When reconciliation becomes performative, it risks reinforcing the very inequities we are trying to dismantle.
What Is Performative Reconciliation?
Performative reconciliation occurs when services adopt visible gestures of cultural inclusion without changing their underlying practices, beliefs or systems.
It often looks impressive from the outside but has little impact on the daily experiences of children, families or educators.
Examples might include:
- Displaying Aboriginal artwork without knowing the artist or story behind it
- Doing a NAIDOC Week craft activity once a year but rarely discussing Aboriginal culture otherwise
- Including an Acknowledgement of Country in the policy but never talking with children about whose Country they are on
- Purchasing Indigenous resources without building relationships with local Aboriginal community members
None of these actions are inherently wrong. In fact, they can be valuable first steps. The problem arises when they become the end point rather than the starting point.
Reconciliation cannot be reduced to decorations, themed weeks or checklists.
Why Tokenism Happens
Tokenistic practices rarely come from bad intentions. More often they come from uncertainty, time pressures or fear of getting things wrong.
Educators may feel:
- “We don’t know where to start.”
- “We’re worried about offending someone.”
- “We’ve done a few activities — isn’t that enough?”
Leadership teams are also navigating increasing expectations from frameworks, policies and accreditation processes. This can lead to a “tick-the-box” mentality where reconciliation actions are implemented simply to demonstrate compliance.
But reconciliation is not a compliance exercise.
It is a relational, reflective and ongoing process.
Red Flags: Signs Your Approach May Be Surface Level
Educational leaders who are serious about reconciliation must be willing to critically examine their own practices. Some warning signs of tokenism include:
Culture appears only during special events: If Aboriginal perspectives are visible only during NAIDOC Week, Reconciliation Week or Sorry Day, it may indicate that culture is being treated as an “add-on” rather than embedded in everyday learning.
Displays without meaning: Walls filled with Aboriginal symbols, flags or artwork but no accompanying conversations, documentation or understanding.
No connection to local community: Services engaging with Aboriginal culture but having little or no relationship with local Aboriginal people or organisations.
Leadership driving everything alone: When reconciliation work sits solely with the director or a passionate staff member rather than being shared across the team.
Children are passive observers: If children are simply watching or replicating cultural elements rather than exploring ideas, asking questions and forming connections.
These red flags are not about blame. They are opportunities for reflection.
The Role of Truth-Telling
At the heart of authentic reconciliation is truth-telling.
Truth-telling means acknowledging the full history of Australia — including colonisation, dispossession and the ongoing impacts for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
In early childhood settings this does not mean sharing traumatic histories in ways that are developmentally inappropriate. Instead, it means being honest about the past and respectful about the present.
Truth-telling might include:
- Learning whose Country your service is on and sharing this with children
- Talking about the diversity of Aboriginal cultures across Australia
- Acknowledging that Aboriginal people cared for this land for tens of thousands of years
- Recognising the resilience and strength of First Nations communities today
When educators engage in truth-telling, they move beyond cultural “celebrations” and begin fostering cultural understanding.
From Activities to Pedagogy
One of the biggest shifts services need to make is moving from doing Aboriginal activities to using Aboriginal ways of teaching and learning.
This is where frameworks such as Aboriginal pedagogies become powerful tools.
Instead of asking:
“What Aboriginal craft can we do?”
We might ask:
“How can we use Aboriginal ways of learning to shape our teaching?”
For example, educators might:
- Use story sharing to pass on knowledge through narrative and conversation
- Encourage children to learn from Country by observing seasonal changes, plants and animals
- Support community links by connecting with local Elders or Aboriginal organisations
- Use visual learning maps to help children see how ideas connect
When pedagogy changes, reconciliation becomes woven into the curriculum rather than sitting on the edges of it.
Reflective Questions for Educational Leaders
Leadership teams play a critical role in guiding authentic reconciliation work. The following reflective questions can help services assess where they are on the journey.
Relationships
- Do we have genuine relationships with local Aboriginal people or organisations?
- How often do we listen to community voices when planning our programs?
Knowledge
- Do educators understand the local Aboriginal context of the land they work on?
- Are we investing in ongoing professional learning rather than one-off sessions?
Curriculum
- Are Aboriginal perspectives embedded throughout the year or only during events?
- Are we exploring Aboriginal ways of learning, not just cultural content?
Environment
- Do the cultural resources in our space have meaning and stories attached to them?
- Are displays curated thoughtfully rather than filling walls with visual noise?
Leadership
- Is reconciliation part of our service philosophy and decision-making?
- Are all educators empowered to contribute to this work?
These questions are not about achieving perfection. They are about cultivating ongoing reflection and growth.
A Framework for Authentic Practice
Moving from tokenism to transformation requires intentional leadership. A simple framework that many services find helpful includes four interconnected elements.
1. Learn: Build cultural knowledge and understanding. Invest in professional learning, read widely, and listen to Aboriginal voices.
2. Reflect: Examine existing practices and identify areas of tokenism. Ask difficult questions about what reconciliation really looks like in your service.
3. Connect: Develop relationships with local Aboriginal community members and organisations. Authentic partnerships provide guidance, accountability and shared learning.
4. Embed: Integrate Aboriginal perspectives across curriculum, environments and leadership practices so they become part of everyday learning.
When these four elements work together, reconciliation becomes a living practice rather than a symbolic gesture.
The Role of Courage
Authentic reconciliation requires courage.
It asks educators to admit what they do not yet know.
It requires leaders to challenge comfortable habits and long-standing practices.
It invites teams to engage in difficult conversations about history, identity and responsibility.
But it is also deeply rewarding work.
When reconciliation moves beyond performance, educators begin to see meaningful changes in their environments, their relationships with families and their understanding of Country.
Most importantly, children grow up in learning spaces where Aboriginal cultures are respected, understood and valued.
Reconciliation Is a Journey, Not a Checklist
No service will ever “finish” reconciliation work.
It evolves as educators deepen their understanding, build stronger community relationships and reflect on their practice.
The goal is not perfection.
The goal is integrity.
When early childhood educators move beyond tokenism and embrace truth-telling, they help nurture a generation of children who understand that reconciliation is not an event or a display — it is a shared responsibility.
And that journey begins with honest reflection and a willingness to listen.
