National Sorry Day and National Reconciliation Week
By commemorating Sorry Day at Essendon North Primary School in a thoughtful and respectful manner, the school can play a vital role in educating students, fostering empathy and understanding, and contributing to reconciliation efforts within the broader community.
Commemorating Sorry Day at ENPS provides an opportunity for students to learn about and understand the history and ongoing effects of the forced removal of Indigenous children from their families, known as the Stolen Generations, in Australia.
By learning about the experiences of the Stolen Generations, students develop empathy and a greater understanding of the importance of reconciliation, respect, inclusion and the cultural and Indigenous perspectives.
Students expressed their understanding and reflections on Sorry Day through art, storytelling, videos, readings and other creative and interactive learning experiences about reconciliation.
During Week Seven we celebrated National Reconciliation Week, with this year’s theme Now More Than Ever. This was an excellent opportunity to further engage students in learning about Indigenous culture, shared histories, cultures and achievements and explore how each of us can contribute to achieving reconciliation in Australia. Some examples of learning throughout our school included students connecting to Country by drawing their favourite places in the country, deepening their knowledge and understandings about the importance and purpose of an Acknowledgement of Country and taking action by creating their very own personal Acknowledgements of Country individually or with a partner.
We had a special National Reconciliation Weekwhole school assembly, whereby our fabulous school captains Harry and Saanvi did a marvellous job hosting. Also, Stephanie in Year Five should be commended for sharing her personal Acknowledgment of Country.
Below are some personal reflections from our School Captains, School Council member Josh Briggs-Kelly, and Ms Ryan with Miss Harris and Mrs Mac:
Reconciliation Week is an important week where everyone is reminded about how important it is to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander people.
There are two important dates; 27th May was the 1967 referendum and the 3rd of June was the Mabo decision.
Reconciliation Week is about respecting and strengthening our relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander people as their cultures are a huge part of our national identity. They share a strong connection with family, land, language and culture. - Harry (School Captain)
Reconciliation Week is a time to acknowledge and celebrate the rich history of the Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander people and their culture. It is about connecting Australia and promoting reconciliation and strengthening the relationship between Indigenous and Non-Indigenous people.
Eddie Mabo, famous for the Mabo Case, was a proud Torres Strait Islander. The ‘Mabo Decision’, was a turning point for the recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples' rights, acknowledging their unique connection that they have with the land. This was an important protest that lasted over 10 years, changing the lives of many Aboriginal people. On the 3rd of June, we would like to commemorate the contribution that Eddie Mabo has had on the lives of all Australians of the First Nations People.
As a school, ENPS will continue to learn and respect the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders' history, cultures and traditions for present and future generations. - Saanvi (School Captain)
The word ‘Reconciliation’ is a big one and has a big meaning behind it. Reconciliation happens when people come back together after wrongdoing and commit to healing. In our classrooms, we’ve learned about some of the injustices that have happened to our First Nations people in the past and even continue to happen in Australia today. As a school we acknowledge National Reconciliation Week this year with a renewed commitment to, now more than ever, do better and be better for our First Nations students, families, staff members, and wider community. We also recognise the rich history, culture, and ways of being of our First Nations people that we have so much to learn from and embrace. - Ms Ryan with Miss Harris and Mrs Mac
Hi my name is Josh. I'm currently on the School Council. I'm the other guy with coloured hair and I'm here to talk about what Reconciliation Week and National Sorry Day means to me.
I think Reconciliation Week is a week of self-reflection. We can learn about the past mistakes, change our mindsets, and build a better future where everyone is accepted and treated equally. A step in the right direction is National Sorry Day.
National Sorry Day is a day to say sorry to the stolen generations who were taken away from their families when they were as young as one and two and also to the people suffering from generational trauma because of this.
So take the time to think about how you can help shape a better future. And remember when you think you're doing something small, it’s the 1 percenters who add up to 100 percent. - Josh Briggs-Kelly (School Council Member)
In concluding our special assembly, our brave students Tae (5EW), Taliah (5AJ) and Renata (5LR), Annabelle (3SM) Matiyar (3SM), Valentino (3LD) and Rodrigo (3LD) led our school community in singing the song Blackfella/Whitefella. This commitment of all year levels to learn the lyrics of the song further highlights the spirit of unity and collaboration at ENPS, symbolising the coming together of different cultures and backgrounds in the journey towards reconciliation.
At ENPS we will continue to educate our school community about the Indigenous culture and history, foster empathy and respect, and actively contribute to reconciliation efforts within the school community and beyond.
Take care,
Sharon McWhinney, Louise Ryan, Lana Harris and Rhys McIntosh
Intercultural Coordinator and Marrung Champions