Always was, always will be
Acknowledgement of Country
This acknowledgment was written and shared by Zahara at the school Production.
Wominjeka. We would like to start by acknowledging the Wurundjeri Woiwurrung people of the Kulin Nation, on whose land we are performing today, and we pay our respects to Elders, past and present.
The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ culture is the oldest living culture on Earth. It’s over 60,000 years old! For over 60,000 years, on this land, the Wurundjeri Woiwurrong Peoples danced their dances and sung their songs and practised their culture, just as they do today. We hope that we can, one day, walk, dance and sing together, not as a nation divided by our differences, but as a nation united by our diversity. Thank you. Ngoon Ngodgin!
NAIDOC Week: For Our Elders
The 2023 National NAIDOC Week theme is For Our Elders. Across every generation, our Elders have played, and continue to play, an important role and hold a prominent place in our communities and families. They are cultural knowledge holders, trailblazers, nurturers, advocates, teachers, survivors, leaders, hard workers and our loved ones. Our loved ones who pick us up in our low moments and celebrate us in our high ones. Who cook us a feed to comfort us and pull us into line, when we need them too. They guide our generations and pave the way for us to take the paths we can take today. Guidance, not only through generations of advocacy and activism, but in everyday life and how to place ourselves in the world.
We draw strength from their knowledge and experience, in everything from land management, cultural knowledge to justice and human rights. Across multiple sectors like health, education, the arts, politics and everything in between, they have set the many courses we follow. The struggles of our Elders help to move us forward today. The equality we continue to fight for is found in their fight. Their tenacity and strength has carried the survival of our people.
It is their influence and through their learnings that we must ensure that when it comes to future decision making for our people, there is nothing about us - without us.
We pay our respects to the Elders we’ve lost and to those who continue fighting for us across all our Nations and we pay homage to them. In 2023, how will you celebrate For Our Elders?
Source: National NAIDOC
Reconciliation Week
We are continuing our workshops into next term. So far the AWAWB team have run sessions for Preps, Year 3 and Year 6. We'll share more in the next newsletter.
Elveryone is welcome to join our team - we meet in 5B's classroom every Thursday lunch!
Always was, Always will be Student Team
Woiwurrung Word of the Week
Thanks to the KESO team for sharing these Woiwurrung words.
First Nation Events + Resources
(Our school is not affiliated with any of these)
NAIDOC Week For Our Elders Poster
Bobbi Lockyer, a proud Ngarluma, Kariyarra, Nyulnyul and Yawuru artist, born and based on Kariyarra Country in Port Hedland, is the winner of the prestigious National NAIDOC Week Poster Competition for 2023 with her entry, For Our Elders.
“Where there is knowledge there are our Elders. Our Elders paved the pathways for us, taught us our knowledge, our history, they passed down their art, stories and wisdom. Our Elders are the foundation of our communities and role models for our children. With this poster I wanted to showcase how important our Elders are in passing down traditions and culture to our children and future.” said Bobbi.
Download and print your own poster here.
Koorie Heritage Trust's School Holiday and NAIDOC Week Workshops
PARRAWANG LIFTS THE SKY
7 — 8 July, Playhouse
Parrwang the Magpie is thehero in this family operabased on a traditionalWadawurrung story, liftinga blanket of darkness fromthe earth to create the firstdawn. By acclaimed YortaYorta composer and soprano Deborah Cheetham Fraillon AO (Short Black Opera). More info and booking.