A MUSICIAN'S petition to teach children more about Indigenous history and culture has attracted more than 36,000 signatures in five days.
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Isaiah Firebrace - who grew up in Victorian Echuca-Moama and stormed into the top 10 at 2017's Eurovision contest - started the change.org petition to the Australian government last week.
"I've got such a passion for Indigenous youth, and education. It's been a dream of mine since I was a kid to see more Aboriginal studies in schools," he said.
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The Gunditjmara artist, whose father is Yorta Yorta, is happy that other people feel the same way as he does.
Firebrace has called for more in-depth Indigenous history classes to be rolled out to all primary and secondary schools.
"I'd like them to be either compulsory subject or electives that go into Aboriginal history, culture, the Dreamtime and the importance of storytelling through art," he said.
"But mainly it would be about the backstory on who Aboriginal people are. I feel like so many people in this country are uneducated about it.
"But there would be a lot for people to love and enjoy about it. It hasn't been done enough."
Firebrace said the deeper people went into that history, the more it would resonate with them.
"I think a lot of people have not had the opportunity to learn this before," he said.
The classes would build on what is already taught in school but give more depth and meaning.
"It would give Aboriginal people more recognition and respect, which is what we all want for ourselves," Firebrace said.
Some people found Indigenous studies controversial, he said, and there would definitely be facts that needed to be addressed in schools about Australia's history.
Firebrace hoped people would understand that they could delve into Indigenous culture and history and still feel proud to be Australian.
"I think a lot of people are afraid because of that gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people," he said.
"This would help us close it. If it starts young and it starts with education big changes will happen."
To view or sign the petition click here.