Cultural News

New - FIRE Carriers & Yr 5 Indigenous Students - Winton Excursion 

Our FIRE Carriers and grade 5 indigenous students visited Winton Wetlands last week.  Here are some student writings about their experience.

The Wetlands was a great experience to learn all about the Aborigional culture! We started with a smoking ceremony then we went on the sculpture walk, looked at the creations that represented Ancestors, totems and special places. We looked at all of the designs and carvings in wood and all of the features and even did a dance! We found lots of scarred trees that were used to make many things such as canoes.

Ella D

We had such fun at the Winton Wetlands! 

First, we met Nikkie. We started with a fire and gathered sticks and leaves. Nikkie asked where we were from and who our parents were and talked about the eight traditional family groups and the Yorta Yorta clans. 

We went on a walk. They had a path shaped like a long neck turtle and had artwork around the turtle shape. After the walk, we went on the big zip line. We were called up to the Education Centre and had oaka painted on our faces. We did some dancing with leaves.

Ruby B and Sienna D

At the Winton Wetlands, we learnt more about our culture and other cultures. We also did cultural dances and we learned that long neck turtles have thirteen squares on their shells. We also learnt about scar trees and saw a three man canoe. Indigenous people can make canoes and other resources out of trees with stone axes.  

Noah W

When we arrived, we began to gather sticks and leaves to prepare a fire for the smoking ceremony which gets rid of any bad spirits that we had brought with us. We went on a walk around Bajjabayaderra (long neck turtle) and looked at indigenous artwork such as:

• A metal possum skin cloak.
• A mob of kangaroos
• A log that had three animals on it, which include:  bjjabayaderra, rainbow serpent and goanna
• Humpy
• A mother lizard with its child inside of her.

After we took a quick food break, we went to the flying fox. We got our faces painted and learned a dance for a ceremony.

Darcy G

On Monday 5/9/22, we went to Winton Westlands near Benalla. We had to hop on the bus at 8:15am. When we got there, we looked for gum leaves and sticks. With the leaves and gum leaves, we made a fire. During the fire, we danced. After we danced, we went to get our faces painted and we played on a flying fox. We then went into a dancing circle and danced with gum leaves. We ate and talked then we hopped on the bus to look at scar trees. Scar trees are trees that Aboriginal people used to carved canoes. We also saw kangaroos. The Winton Wetlands walk was in the shape of a long neck turtle. 

Briannah and Leshaya

New - ASHEfest

The children enjoyed their days at ASHEfest last week. 

Prep to Year 3 attended ASHEfest on Wednesday 7th September at Rumbalara Football and Netball Club. It was a fantastic day to learn about their indigenous culture and share this with their friends. 

The day began with a Welcome to Country, a smoking ceremony and dancers. The children participated in traditional games, face painting, craft, learning about traditional artefacts and jumping on a large crocodile jumping pillow. The children concluded the day by receiving a show bag and a cookie.

The following day, Thursday 8th September, due to the rain, the event was moved to the Shepparton Basketball stadium. The Year 4 to Year 6 students enjoyed traditional games, face painting, craft and learning about traditional artefacts. They also received a show bag and cookie at the end of the day.

We thank all the ASHE Daya students for organising the activities.

REMINDER - Rumbalara Dental Clinic

A reminder to any of our Indigenous families who may like to access the Rumbalara Dental Clinic.

If you have not already registered with the Rumbalara Dental Clinic, and would like your child/ren to access a free dental check up and fluoride treatement, please see Naomi or Amber at the School office. 

The dental staff will visit our School later in the term to complete dental health checks. 

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.