CELEBRATING FIRST NATIONS CULTURE 

Celebrating NAIDOC Week

Late last term we held a NAIDOC Assembly that featured the talents of our First Nations Torres Strait students who presented a traditional cultural dance. They wore traditional red and white costumes and used traditional kulups, half seed pods held together by string or fibre, that the dancers shook during the performance. 

Jamal-Joseph (JJ) Parsgaard, a Thursday Island Year 8 boarder, gave an excellent talk on his hero, Mr Eddie Koki Mabo and NAIDOC. JJ was the main driving force and motivator for the traditional dance. He helped teach and choreograph it alongside Mr Richard Ketchell, a member of our boarding staff. Sincere thanks to both for their hard work and persistence. A job well done. Thanks also to the St Monica’s students who gave up their time to practise with our dancers, and to Caelan Busbridge-Mamarika for playing the didgeridoo during our Acknowledgement of Country.

Everyone watching the traditional dancing agreed it was excellent, and I’m sure we’ll be seeing more of these students in the future. 

A Thank you for Special Gifts to the College

Saints expresses its sincere gratitude to Mr Mario Sabatino and his sons, Oscar in Year 12 and Victor in Year 10, for providing the funds to buy the cultural and traditional instruments for the College. Special thanks to Oscar who assisted me with selecting and buying each kulup. As well as being traditional musical instruments, they are carefully crafted works of art in the colours of the Torres Strait Island flag. 

The College will always be indebted to the Sabatino family for these wonderful cultural gifts. Many thanks. 

Thanks also to those who participated in and helped prepare the dance.