In This Together-News from AET

Alisha Fox- Aboriginal Education Teacher

Celebrating Reconciliation Week and NAIDOC Week at LNPS

Reconciliation Week ran from the 27th of May until the 3rd of June. Reconciliation Australia’s theme for 2021, More than a word. Reconciliation takes action, urges the reconciliation movement towards braver and more impactful action. Reconciliation is a journey for all Australians – as individuals, families, communities, organisations and importantly as a nation. At the heart of this journey are relationships between the broader Australian community and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

We all have a role to play when it comes to reconciliation, and in playing our part we collectively build relationships and communities that value Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, histories, cultures, and futures

https://www.reconciliation.org.au/national-reconciliation-week/

NAIDOC Week 2021 ran from Sunday 4 July to Sunday 11 July. The NAIDOC 2021 theme – Heal Country! – calls for all of us to continue to seek greater protections for our lands, our waters, our sacred sites and our cultural heritage from exploitation, desecration, and destruction.

Country that is more than a place and inherent to our identity.

Country that we speak about like a person, sustaining our lives in every aspect - spiritually, physically, emotionally, socially, and culturally.

NAIDOC 2021 invites the nation to embrace First Nations’ cultural knowledge and understanding of Country as part of Australia's national heritage and equally respect the culture and values of Aboriginal peoples and Torres Strait Islanders as they do the cultures and values of all Australians.

https://www.naidoc.org.au/news/2021-naidoc-week-theme-announced-heal-country

Reconciliation Week Art Work

Alari, Layla, Carmine, Elissa, Natalie, James, Millie and Marlie completed a piece of artwork representing their understanding of reconciliation. Their artwork was then displayed at the Flinders street Department of Education building for the duration of Reconciliation Week.

Marlie "It's about the past and what's happening and the purpose of Reconciliation Week."

Layla "In Australia we need to come together and show love and kindness for one another."

Millie "Let's stick together and be kind to each other."

Elissa "Always be kind and let's stick together."

Carmine "Everyone is looking at the Aboriginal flag. They are trying to pull it out. Do you know that everyone belongs here?"

Alari "No matter where we are from Australia is home for everyone."

Natalie "We are together."

James "This picture is about people coming together and working towards peace."

A Day on the Karrawirra Pari

On Wednesday, the 30th of June all the students from Lockleys North Primary School spent a fantastic day at the Karrawirra Pari. The purpose was to:

to celebrate Reconciliation and NAIDOC week
to connect with our local environment and consider ways we can look after it and be more sustainable.
to connect with others.

Students walked to the Torrens River and participated in a number of activities including:

Our Big Back Yard program. Students used sticks and logs to create a shelter.
Nature Mandala Art
Observation drawing using our senses
Nature scavenger hunt
Truth telling circle time activity
Searching for numbers, ordering numbers from biggest to smallest and coding
Kaurna language activities
Indigenous Games
Reading the book "Finding Our Heart"
And a cultural awareness session with Jack Buckskin.

"I enjoyed all the activities and walking along the Torrens river. We should do it termly." Yanni

"I enjoyed all the activities, especially making the wardli." Georgio

"I liked being in nature and learning more about Aboriginal culture." Vasili

"I liked building the houses with sticks." Valentina

"I loved the whole day!" Lily

"My favourite activity was making the Mandala art." Clara

"I enjoyed doing the scavenger hunt with Cale. " Elliot

"I liked playing on the playground." Leni

"I enjoyed looking for the birds along the way." Ethan

"I liked listening to Jack. He is a Kaurna man." Maximus

Staff Cultural Awareness Training

On Wednesday, the 30th of June after school LNPS staff participated in a cultural awareness training at the Tiati Wangkanthi Kumangka "Truth Telling Together" exhibition at the Bay Discovery Centre Glenelg.

This is a national award-winning exhibition exploring the true history of South Australia in collaboration with the Kaurna Nation. We learnt about the Letters Patent, colonisation and the Proclamation of South Australia. If you are also looking do increase your cultural awareness understanding you might like to check it out with your children, as well at the Old Gum Tree site at MacFarlane Street, Glenelg North.

For further information:

We would like to thank Julia, the curator of the exhibition for volunteering her time and showing us around the exhibition. It was a very valuable learning experience.