From the Deputy Principal

NAIDOC Week Assembly and Activities 

We had a brilliant start to term with a NAIDOC Assembly designed and presented by students, for students.  We welcomed our Noongar elders and emerging leaders to the school and shared the morning with Uncle Lester Coyne, Aunty Vernice Gillies, Robbie Miniter and other members of the community who share their wisdom so generously with our school.  As part of the assembly Paige Narkle shared her very personal and moving story of connection to land and culture.  

Paige shared with us: I would be asked to do Welcome to Country in younger years here at school, but I never felt as if it was my right to do it. It was this time last year that I was invited to join a traditional dance group, with which I am still dancing today, and I feel that this helped me a lot with my connection to my culture. Some people find their connection through listening to stories and going out to places, I find mine through the ochre that gets put on my face before dances, the trips we go on to different gigs, going to the lake to collect materials and just getting on stage and dancing.  I used to be scared to open up to my culture and be part of it. Now I could not be happier.   I am now proud to say that I am a 16-year-old Menang young woman from the south of Western Australia. Heal country, heal our nation.  

We also heard stories from some of our Yalari students, who come to us from as far away as Broome and Derby, and who live here at GSG, over 2000km from their own families. How brave!  They told us about their experience of being on country and the way that nurtures their own connection to culture.   Zane, who is in Year Seven shared his own story with us: I come from Broome. The beaches are special to me because I used to go crabbing with my friends there. I have family in Broome and we go to Willie Creek together, we catch catfish, barramundi and sometimes we catch turtle there. We take the catch back to Derby to my Nana and Pop’s house. My cousins come over and we cook them on the fire to share them together. We celebrate being together as a family. As an Aboriginal person going back to country is important. 

We have continued the week with other activities around the school including Aboriginal art classes, damper making and a sausage sizzle.  Thank you to Mrs Naomi Cooper and Ms Rachael Colmer for their support with making this week a great celebration of culture. 

Mrs Emma Franklin | Deputy Principal