National Reconciliation Week
St Anne's represented at Sorry Day ceremony
Every May 26 in Australia, National Sorry Day reminds all people of the nation to remember the mistreatment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. During the 20th century, Indigenous children were forcibly removed from their families to be “assimilated” into white Australian culture. They are known as the “Stolen Generations.”
Some staff and students from St Anne’s College attended the Sorry Day ceremony at Monash Park in Shepparton, where we witnessed a survivor from the Stolen Generation share her moving life story. It was one of courage, determination and resilience. Thank you Aunty Faye. Please see below for some student reflections about the Sorry Day ceremony.
- Leonie Drummond, Koorie Education Worker
I really enjoyed this Sorry Day ceremony. It made me understand exactly what happened when this incident occurred. I was also very proud of Aunty Faye for telling her story! It was such a hurtful and traumatising time for her but she still got up and talked about it.
- Ava Rosella, Year 9
On Wednesday last week I was lucky enough to be able to attend the Sorry Day ceremony. I feel that Sorry Day is not only important to Indigenous Australians, but all Australians. It is a good way to acknowledge the history of children being stolen, which caused destruction, pain and sorrow to Aboriginal families who were affected. I think that it's a good way for the families to try and heal as well as current and future generations to know about this event.
- Jayda Kennedy, Year 8
Students involved in reconciliation journey
St Anne's College students participated in National Reconciliation Week (NRW) activities as part of their distance learning program this week. NRW runs from May 27 to June 3 every year. These dates commemorate two significant milestones in the reconciliation journey – the successful 1967 referendum and the High Court Mabo decision.
NRW celebrates 20 years this year. Each year there is a theme and this year's theme is More than a Word - Reconciliation Takes Action 2021. NRW is a time for all Australians to learn about our shared histories, cultures and achievements, and to explore how we can contribute to achieving reconciliation in Australia.
NRW began as the Week of Prayer for Reconciliation in 1993 (the International Year of the World’s Indigenous Peoples) and was supported by Australia’s major faith communities. The Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation launched Australia’s first NRW in 1996, then in 2000, Reconciliation Australia was created to continue to provide national leadership on reconciliation. That year, about 300,000 people walked across Sydney Harbour Bridge as part of NRW, to show their support for reconciliation.
- Leonie Drummond, Koorie Education Worker
Children create map to mark Reconciliation Week
This week the Foundation children completed an activity for Reconciliation Week during distance learning. The children discussed that it is a time for all Australians to learn more about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and histories, share that knowledge and help us grow as a nation. The children watched a clip, Playschool Acknowledgement of Country, and made a map of Australia using natural materials such as stones, leaves, sticks and sand or other materials such as Lego.
- Jasmin Buha, School of Wonder Learning Mentor
Reconciliation embraces all cultures
As part of their distance learning tasks this week, Years 1 and 2 children completed a Reconciliation Week Italian art activity, acknowledging the importance of family and respect between all of us and our Indigenous friends. The children traced their own hands, one symbolising the Italian flag and one the Aboriginal flag. The centre of the hands included the words più di una parola (more than a word) and rispetto (respect). The children then created their own Aboriginal-style design for the background, including as many family member words in Italian as they could.
Scuola Italiana students who were on site last week for their regular after-school Italian language classes took the opportunity to have a photo with St Anne's College's new Aboriginal artwork by Troy Firebrace, displaying their own Reconciliation Week artwork.
- Linda Alampi, School of Wonder Languages Learning Mentor
Aboriginal art and prayer inspire Year 7s
Year 7 students were asked to watch a video of an Indigenous artist creating an artwork as part of a Reconciliation Week prayer. They watched the video and listened to the prayer. This was to inspire the designing and creating of their own artwork.
- Marian Segrave, School of Innovation Learning Mentor
