ABORIGINAL 

EDUCATION

Reconciliation Week

Kurri Kurri Community Services Breakfast 

Our JAECG worked with local schools to create a mural that was presented to Kurri Kurri Community Services during reconciliation week. Led by our JAECG President Alliyah Bromell who designed, arranged materials and worked with students to create. A huge congratulations to Hannah Doeland, Chloe Ryan and Lachlan Hancock who all undertook public speaking in presenting the mural to the KKCS, with Chloe providing an Acknowledgement to Country, Hannah telling the story of the mural and Lachlan sharing how the mural was created. 

Cessnock Council Elders Morning Tea 

Our Didge and Dance Troupe performed at the Elders Morning Tea during reconciliation week, which was received with wonderful feedback, as a result, we have been invited to perform at several local schools and a local Early Education service. Alliyah Bromell also presented a reconciliation speech talking about what reconciliation means to her and the importance of our community working together for a better future for all. 

Dream Together  

Our Dream Together program is a busy hub with art and weaving being a keen interest for the girls. Our room is filled with so many beautiful creations. The Dream Together demountable has become a real source of wellbeing to both Aboriginal and Non Indigenous students, with a real sense of belonging in the space. It is great to see our space opening doors to reconciliation with students of all backgrounds popping in and spending some time there. 

Another Shout out to APA - Kurri Kurri Lateral Pipeline project who has allowed us to run a Breakfast club for the girls and friends and the purchasing of art resources.

NAIDOC Week Activities

JAECG News

It’s been a busy term for JAECG and Aboriginal Education so far. Most recently in week 4, JAECG students have represented Kurri Kurri High School at the Kurri Kurri Community centre, presenting a JAECG/AET collaborative mural that was made by 16 local schools when Kurri Kurri High hosted the leadership day in term1. Lachlan Hancock, Chloe Ryan and Hannah Doeland represented our JAECG exceptionally well, with Chloe proudly delivering the acknowledgement of country and Lachie and Hannah explaining the mural process and the story behind it.  

In Week 5, 25 male and female Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders students were invited to attend and perform at the 2024 Cessnock City Council’s Elders morning tea to celebrate Reconciliation Week. Thelma Plum’s song Better in Blak played, while the male students danced, played didge and clapsticks while our girls did the berry picking dance and the willy wagtail dance. It was an exciting opportunity for us to show our pride in our culture through dance and music and show our respect to our elders past present and emerging.  As a result the Dance and Didge group have been asked to perform and run activities at Kurri Kurri Public School, Gillieston Heights Public School, Stanford Merthyr Infant school and Busy Bees Day Care Preston at Cameron Park  for their NAIDOC week celebrations.  

Alliyah Bromell also spoke at this event about her artistic journey and what reconciliation means to her. She spoke exceptionally well and as a result has been invited to run an art day at Nulkaba Public School as part of their NAIDOC week celebrations. 

On Thursday of Week 5, Lachlan, Milla, Alliyah and Koby attended Cessnock high Schools JAECG/AET leadership day, connecting with other schools to develop their leadership skills. 

On Wednesday 19th June, 24 students will be attending the Sydney Opera House to watch Bangarra Dance Theatre’s performance of Horizon. We are all very excited and can’t wait to see where our love for Dance could take us.