Reconciliation in Action

St Paul Lutheran School 

Acknowledgement of Country

At St Paul Lutheran, we acknowledge all First Nations people within our school community. We offer our respects to the Kaurna people and their elders past, present, and emerging and recognise their deep relationships to the land. We recognise that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples are Australia's first storytellers, artists, communities and creators of culture. We appreciate the gum trees, lorikeets and magpies we see on the big park and in nature play and commit to caring for and respecting these lands, just as the Kaurna people have for generations. We promise to protect and nurture the environment, ensuring it remains a safe and welcoming space for all. Always was, always will be Aboriginal land.

This semester, the Connect group has been meeting weekly to explore the concept of Totems, which hold deep cultural significance for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Totems are natural objects, plants, or animals inherited by individuals or groups that define roles, responsibilities, and connections to Country and community.

The children discussed their own totems with their families and shared their stories with the group. Using air-dry clay, they then created beautiful representations of their totems, now displayed in The Burrow. 

In addition to this cultural learning, the group has been busy in our Native Australian Garden, harvesting herbs and using them to cook dishes like Warrigal Greens and Saltbush Damper. We’re looking forward to ending the term on a sweet note with a Lemon Myrtle cake!

It’s been a rich and fun semester of connection, culture, and creativity.

Submitted by Natalie Whalan