Week 7 of this term was Reconciliation Week and this year we were honoured to have Aunty Averil Dean and her son Lindsay come on Thursday 30th May to share their cultural knowledge with us.  Lindsay also brought along two of his sons for a cultural learning day.  Aunty or Gabbarli (grandmother) Averil is in her mid-eighties, so it was indeed a special opportunity for the Koolungar (children) to spend time with such a senior and respected Elder of our region.

The day was forecast to be very wet, so at the start of the day Class 1 to Class 8 gathered around a special Kaarl (fire) down at the forest campsite for what was planned to be a 20 minute Welcome to Country and Smoking Ceremony.  However, the filtered light of Ngaangk (the sun) came shining through and Gabbarli Averil and Uncle Lindsay were enjoying the ambience so much that they chose to stay down there until morning recess time. 

After we had sung several songs in Noongar language for them, Gabbarli Averil shared stories of her life, including the joys and hardships of her early days at Gnowangerup Mission, her time growing up in Tambellup and her experiences as a trainee nurse in Broome.  Uncle Lindsay shared many traditional tools he had brought and gave the children an opportunity to ask any questions they might have.

It is heartening to see, and noted by the Elders, the mood of respect with which the children listened and participated in such an extended session, especially the younger classes.  Our children through their schooling seem to be naturally responsive to the presence of First Nations Elders, and it is not culturally out of place for them to sit quietly while the Elders share their stories and wisdom.

After morning break everyone gathered in the hall for an artistic activity. After singing the official song of Reconciliation Week 2024, ‘Blackfella Whitefella’ by Warumpi Band, Uncle Lindsay talked about the significance and role of totems in Noongar culture.  He then invited the children to choose for themselves a totem animal or plant that is significant to them.  Classes then took it in turns to paint on a large canvas sheet their chosen totem, while Uncle Lindsay also taught some traditional dance moves to the older classes.