ATSI NEWS

ATSI Newsletter Week 4 Term 2

This term our art teacher, Melissa Thiele, planned a unit of work based on Aboriginal contemporary artist Jimmy Pike’s artwork and used artwork of other Aboriginal artists from a Tarnanthi exhibition at the Art Gallery of South Australia. Students looked at the work objectively, focussing on the elements of the artworks – colour, different types of lines, space and shape elements and the use of colour and used this for inspiration to create their own artwork. 

Jimmy Pike (c1940–2002) is one of Australia’s most famous artists. Jimmy was one of the first artists of the contemporary Indigenous art movement to use vibrant colour instead of more traditional earth tones. His influence over the contemporary Indigenous art movement has been significant and lasting.

The artwork has been displayed around the school in celebration of Reconciliation Week next week. Work by Castle students is displayed in Penney Space and coasters made by Holly and Stillwell students were also displayed in Penny Space during assembly today. Other work is displayed outside Penny Space and in the Resource Centre.

A big thank you to Mrs Thiele, and to Jharni for assisting her, for a wonderful display of student work. 

Day 26th May

National Sorry Day is an annual event in Australia held on the 26th May. It is a day dedicated to remember and honour First Nations Australians who have been mistreated throughout history, in particular the Stolen Generation. Students will have the opportunity to do activities related to Sorry Day next week.

Reconciliation Week

Reconciliation Week is celebrated each year from 27th May to 3rd June. It is a time to celebrate and build on positive and respectful relationships and connections between Australians and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. The 27th May marks the 1967 referendum when more than 90% of Australians voted to count Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people into the Census. It gave the Australian government the power to make laws for these people. The 3rd of June marks the 1992 Mabo Native Title decision. It recognised that the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people had rights over their land and the British did not take them over during colonisation.

Thank you to senior students, Savannah and Lulu, for sharing this information at assembly.

Wear It Yellow Day

Today students and staff were encouraged to wear a splash of yellow and give a gold coin donation for a special fundraiser. The money raised was $160-. The funds will support Children’s Ground, who create First Nations led education tools.