Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education News
Wii Gaay Report
The last Wii Gaay Learning Hub for 2024 has been a truly memorable experience of learning and amazing opportunities for all students and staff.
Day 1: All aboard - the Wii Gaay Express! On Monday 4th November, 27 amazing Wii Gaay students, 13 deadly AEA’s & support teachers, 3 super Learning Hub facilitators & 3 magnificent Armidale Catholic School Office staff commenced their long adventure together on the train from Armidale, Tamworth, Moree, Narrabri & Gunnedah to the National Indigenous Centre of Excellence in Redfern, Sydney for our final 2024 Learning Hub.
Day 2: The 6.00am Bootcamp saw students and staff take in the morning light of the city under the watchful eye of the “Boggy Ninja” - Cruz Morley, while the rest caught up on the their beauty sleep. At 8.00am the Literacy, IT and Mathematics Learning Hub’s were underway immersed in the 8 Ways of Learning concepts, which guided our students with a deep culturally rich curriculum based learning & focusing on the theme : “Blak Excellence! - Stronger Together”. Students completed the day with a swim before dinner and finishing off their “Wii Gaay journey” on possum skins and crosses in the evening.
Day 3: 6.00am Bootcamp saw the Wii Gaay Warriors backed up and tearing up the oval with more movement and fun. Learning Hubs were again in action with lots of productivity, engaging conversations, inspiring thinking and collaboration.
The highlight on day 3 was playing basketball with the Redfern - Jarjum College students, which is a Jesuit Primary School for Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Children. Staff rekindled network opportunities with the Jarjum Principal Katherine Zerounian and Cultural Mentor Andrea Adidi, who were amazing Keynote speakers from the CSNSW Aboriginal Education Conference in Tamworth recently.
The afternoon students got even better meeting the First Nation Illawarra Hawks/Australian Boomer player William “Davo” Hickey and Sydney Kings basketballers Tyler Robertson and Keli Leaupepe and visiting the local Redfern community and learnt more about this important and strong Aboriginal community within Sydney.
Day 4: The Wii Gaay students headed to Circular Quay to aboard the Tribal Warrior (Mari Nawi -meaning big canoe) ,it was the truly an experience all students and staff treasured as cruised the Sydney Harbour, visiting Be-lang-le-wool, the Aboriginal name for Clark Island, learning about fascinating stories of the Cadigal, Guringai, Wangal, Gammeraigal and Wallumedegal people of Sydney.
This year, we congratulate and farewell the Year 6 students are wish them all the best in their Secondary educational journey:
St. Joseph’s Primary School, Wee Waa: Quinn Towns
St. Mary’s Primary School, Armidale: Wesley Stalhlut
St. Xavier’s Primary School, Gunnedah: Jacob Maughan
St. Edwards Primary School, Tamworth: Louis Fernance, Kiarnee Smith
Holy Trinity School, Inverell: Des Collins & Rory Orchard
St Nicholas Primary School, Tamworth: Lani Allen, Connor Shaw. & Isabella Harding - Brown
Thank you to the amazing ACS staff, Learning Hub facilitators, AEA’s and school staff and families who have supported the Wii Gaay Program this year.
