A strengthening of spirit and culture

What a privilege it is to return to Yiramalay in the midst of the dry, with the sun shining, springs flowing, students taking full advantage of learning on-country and eagerly awaiting the weekend trips to town so they can play and cheer on others in Fitzroy’s football league. I arrived back in Term 2, just in time to see Induction Group 45 graduate. I then spent the next few weeks getting to know our new local students, who are from the Fitzroy Valley and Gapuwiyak, as they transitioned into our Senior Years Preparation Program (SYPP) and our Senior Years Learning Framework (SYLF). We have since seen another group come through and begin to settle into the program and as I write this, Group 47 have just completed Day 2. As I watch these students take hold of opportunities here, I am in admiration of their willingness and courage to try new things, their resilience as they continue to rise to challenges, and their ability to make each other, and the staff, laugh along the way.

The days continue to keep us all busy. This week we began our first Bunuba Language lessons, lead by our TO and Cultural and Community Adviser, Kaylene Marr, and our Cultural Program Assistant, Marilyn Oscar. Whether in Biliga Mayaru or under the Ngiyali trees, the whole school has gathered each morning to learn and practice Bunuba language. These lessons have encouraged our students who join us knowing a variety of languages, to begin to share their language with others. This facilitates a greater sense of pride and a strengthening of spirit and culture. After many years working with Yiramalay in both the Kimberley and Melbourne, my list of highlights is long, and now longer, as I practice my Bunuba greetings, words and phrases each day, with students, staff and my family.

Later in the week, our SYPP students will become broadcasters with Wangki Radio and our SYLF students, who are studying their Certificate II through a Conservation and Environment lens this term, will participate in a Bunuba Dawangarri Community Workshop to discuss the government’s intended management of the water in Bandaralngarri (Fitzroy River). In the days following, students will spend time with Elders learning about the seasons, bush medicine and art. We will finish the week with a colour run led by our Program Activities Coordinator, Rhett, before we wake up on Saturday morning and head to the East Kimberley for camp!

Eliza Barlow, Deputy Principal Teaching and Learning