Sorry Day: Tuesday, 26th May

We commemorated Sorry Day 2026 with a whole school assembly, run by our fantastic Student Ambassadors Kaede, Ivy, Louie and Hector. Students shared their own Acknowledgement of Country, speeches about Sorry Day’s history and their personal reflections (see below). David Wells, our principal, also spoke about Sorry Day and National Reconciliation Week’s call to action.

Under the musical direction of teacher Simon Dooner, the 4/5/6 students sang "Our Song", composed by acclaimed Yorta Yorta soprano and composer Professor Deborah Cheetham Fraillon AO. With the powerful lyrics, "a song is not just a song, it's our way home," the piece reflects her deeply personal journey of using music to reconnect with her Indigenous heritage.

These students also performed “Parrwang Lifts the Sky”. Again, composed by Professor Deborah Cheetham Fraillon AO, this song is based on a traditional creation story from the Wadawurrung people. The tale follows Parrwang, the magpie, as she convinces the Great Council of Birds to lift the blanket of darkness from the land and bring the first dawn.

After these two performances, all students sang “Beds are Burning”, by Midnight Oil, led by teachers Erica Pringle and Simon Dooner. Being the official song for this year’s Reconciliation Week, the track is a powerful call for all Australians to commit to truth, justice, and land rights.

Students then planted hands in the school grounds. These hands symbolise our commitment to building a better future where First Nations People and their allies walk together.

Thank you to the many community members who were able to make time to join us for our assembly.

Here are the Acknowledgements of County and speeches that the students gave at Assembly:

Yilkari's Acknowledgement of Country:

Mossy river rocks stand strong near the gushing water. You can hear the chirping birds in the wind. Medicine of our old people flows through the water, I feel a deep connection. I breathe in and out the fresh air of our Country. Our language can never be silenced. I'm a proud Yorta Yorta, Gundjitjmara and Noogar girl and I respect the placeholders of this Land the Wurundjeri people.

Let's not forget but remember, this is and always will be, Aboriginal Land.

Louie's History of Sorry Day:

National Sorry Day, or the National Day of Healing, happens every year on the 26th of May and is commemorated around Australia.

The event remembers the Stolen Generations and the poor treatment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people by the governments of Australia.

The Stolen Generations were the children of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples who were taken away from their families.

Because of this, many communities were separated, language and culture was forgotten and lost and people were very hurt.

On the 26th of May 1998 the first national Sorry Day was held. One year before on 27th of May, 1997, the Western Australian government issued the first apology to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Then 11 years later the Australian government apologised when Kevin Rudd announced his apology on the 13th of February, 2008.

Although the government said ‘sorry’, there are still many families who continue to feel pain and sadness because of how they and their families were affected during the stolen generations.

Without changing actions or policies, sorry is still just a word.

But there are many things we can do to help! Things like acknowledging country, standing up for people, and working for a better future. Also, by learning Woi-wurrung at school you are bringing culture and language back to life.

Hector's Reflection of Sorry Day:

Burndap Yirrum barring, good morning. Narranick Hector. Before I start, I would like to acknowledge the elders of the Wurundjeri community, past and present and all mobs here today.

The word ‘sorry’ in the English language is used to express remorse, ask for forgiveness, or indicate that you wish you had not done something.

In Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, the word ‘sorry’ has a different meaning. It’s not about an individual expressing remorse or asking for forgiveness, it's about a whole community coming together to support each other.

On this day - we come together to learn, to reflect and to stand in solidarity with our community.

To me, Sorry Day makes me feel deeply regretful, even though I am not personally responsible for the actions of the past, I feel saddened when I think about what Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families and communities went through.

I think about being in a big and busy place with my parents and becoming separated from them in the crowd - even if just for a moment - I feel panicked. Thinking about how Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who were separated from their families for years, decades and sometimes for the rest of their lives felt, is almost unimaginable to me.

I think about children being taught that their ancestry was wrong and being forbidden from speaking their language or practicing their culture, it makes me feel angry and sad. Every child should have had the right to grow up surrounded by their community, language, stories, and ceremonies — proud of who they are and where they come from.

On 13 February 2008, Kevin Rudd delivered a powerful apology, which had been blighted by previous members of parliament, to the Stolen Generations, acknowledging the deep harm caused by past government policies. Those policies were shaped by racism and caused lasting pain for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families and communities. This is a truth that must be acknowledged.

I feel privileged to learn about Aboriginal history and culture at school, because many Aboriginal people were denied the chance to learn about their own languages, stories, and traditions. Learning about this helps me understand the past and recognise why respect and truth are so important today.

I know this knowledge will help me later in life. I will meet Aboriginal people and be able to connect with them with understanding and respect — maybe even speaking some of their language and relating to them on a personal level.

I think learning these truths will make me more mature and thoughtful. It will help me make decisions that consider the wellbeing of everyone, not just myself, and encourage me to help create a fairer and more respectful society.

To me, Sorry Day is not about the actual word ‘sorry’. It’s not about expressing remorse or being forgiven. It’s about coming together, reflecting and cogitating on the past, and looking forwards to a brighter, more inclusive future for everyone.

Ngoongodgin

National Reconciliation Week: 27th May to 3rd June

As part of National Reconciliation Week, staff are continuing their learning through professional conversations focused on allyship and what it means to actively support reconciliation in everyday practice. This year’s theme, "All In", highlights that reconciliation is a shared responsibility and requires all Australians to take meaningful, ongoing action.

Students are also engaging in learning about reconciliation in their classrooms, developing their understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories, cultures, and perspectives in age-appropriate ways.

We invite families to join us in this learning by exploring resources on allyship, reflecting on the National Reconciliation Week theme, and sharing conversations at home. Reading picture books by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander authors and illustrators is another powerful way to support children’s understanding and connection.

For more information, please see the display in our foyer.

Anna Baker and Rylee Curran

TeamKids