Cultural News - Week 2
Indigenous Education
New - On Country Excursion
On Thursday 6th of November, we are taking our indigenous students from Year 5 and 6 and our FIRE carriers on an excursion On Country. The students will be attending an excursion to Mt Major at Dookie.
We will travel by bus, leaving at 9:15 am and head to Mt Major. We will hike to the lookout and spend time learning about this unique area. We will then have lunch at the park in Dookie before returning to school on the bus by approximately 2pm.
Students will need to be in their sports uniform and wear runners, bring their lunch and snacks for the day and most importantly a water bottle. Please ensure students have also applied sunscreen.
Staff attending are Catherine Dyke and Tahlia Cooper. Our indigenous On Country Excursion to Mt Major, Dookie.
Gather in Courtyard at 9:10 am to catch the bus
9:15 am Bus trip to Mt Major carpark (40 min)
10 am Gather in the Carpark to do Acknowledgement of Country (5 min)
Some Information about Mount Major and our Excursion Day.
The walking trail up Mount Major is called "Mulana nin iyoga," which translates to "Spirit of Stone" in the Yorta Yorta language, highlighting the ancient connection to the land and its rock formations.
The trail passes through parts of a working Sheep farm.
Information panels along the trails and a documentary project help share the significance of the area, its history, and the Yorta Yorta's deep knowledge of its resources.
As we walk along the pathways we will stop and read signs to learn of the areas significance to the Yorta Yorta clans.
We will hike to the rocky area.
The mountain is a focal point for understanding the Yorta Yorta people's connection to Country, a connection that predates European settlement.
We will discuss the Kangaroo grasses and their use to create flour used to make damper.
We will participate in a Prayer – Four Directions Prayer
following the prayer we will continue our hike to the Summit and share the view of the valley below from all angles.
Whilst at the summit we will discuss the area’s use for creating tools with the rocks gathered in this area and Play Uncle Collin Walker and Neville Atkinson’s Yorta Yorta Connection to Country Dookie.
The Dookie region was historically a source of silcrete stone, a key material for making advanced stone tools, and was a vital part of a broader trade network for the Yorta Yorta people.
We will board the bus and travel 10 minutes to the Playground have some lunch, carry out a Reflection Task before travelling back to school.
Workshops
Girls Indigenous Program
Boys Indigenous Program
Acknowledgement of Country
At St Mary’s Primary School Mooroopna we Acknowledge the Traditional people of this land. The Yorta Yorta Nation are the Traditional Custodians of this area and we remember their elders, past, present and future. We remember that the Aboriginal people of Australia will always be the traditional owners of the land on which we gather today. We continue to grow through education and reconciliation to a better future for all Australians.
