Last weekend we held our second ever Bush Kindy Camp for Karri Kindergarten children and their families at Nowanup with Noongar Elder Eugene Eades.

On Friday evening, after everyone had set up camp and had a delicious pasta dinner, we all participated in a smoking ceremony, sang songs in Noongar language and listened to a traditional Noongar story around the campfire.

On Saturday morning we made tapping and digging sticks out of Sheoak and Mungart (Jamtree) wood that had been cut by Eugene, did some painting activities with Noongar artist Gwenda, and were visited by two friendly kardas (racehorse goannas). In the afternoon Eugene took us to visit some key sites around Nowanup, including an old disused Gnow (mallee-fowl) nest, a Waalitj (wedge-tailed eagle) nest and six large revegetation circles which represent the six Noongar seasons and the old stories coming back. Some of us managed to walk to the clifftop at the Nowanup entrance just in time for a spectacular sunset. After another traditional story and some more songs, things quickly went quiet as our very tired koolangkas (children) and their very tired parents settled in for an early night.

On Sunday after breakfast, we all packed down our tents and did a big cleanup before gathering at the Meeting Place for a final song and Yarning Circle with Eugene. We ended the camp with a visit to Nightwell, a site of great significance to Noongar people since time immemorial.

Nowanup is an important place of healing and learning, and it is difficult to put into words the enjoyment, rejuvenation and bonding experienced by parents and children over the course of the weekend, however hopefully some of the accompanying images may give a little taste.

Bruce