Message Stick

Yaama,

Wii Gaay learning Hub

The last Wii Gaay Learning Hub for 2024 has been memorable experience and was an amazing opportunity for all students and staff who participated. 

Day 1:  On Monday 4th November, 27  Wii Gaay students, 13 AEA’s & support teachers, 3 Learning Hub facilitators & 3 Armidale Catholic Schools Office staff travelled by train to the National Indigenous Centre of Excellence in Redfern, Sydney for the final Learning Hub for the year. 

Day 2: The 6.00am Bootcamp saw students and staff take in the morning light of the city under the watchful eye of the “Boggy Ninja” - Cruz Morley.  At 8.00am the Literacy, IT and Mathematics Learning Hub’s commenced where students were guided through the '8 Ways of Learning' concepts, focusing on the theme : “Blak Excellence! - Stronger Together”. Students then completed the day with a swim before dinner and finished off their “Wii Gaay journey” on possum skins and crosses in the evening. 

Day 3: 6.00am Bootcamp saw the Wii Gaay Warrior tearing up the oval with more movement and fun. Learning Hubs were again in action with lots of productivity, engaging conversations, inspiring thinking and collaboration. 

The highlight on day 3 was playing basketball with the Redfern - Jarjum College students, which is a Jesuit Primary School for Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Children. Staff rekindled network opportunities with the Jarjum Principal Katherine Zerounian and Cultural Mentor Andrea Adidi. Both of whom were Keynote speakers from the CSNSW Aboriginal Education Conference in Tamworth recently. 

In the afternoon students met First Nation Illawarra Hawks/Australian Boomer player William “Davo” Hickey and Sydney Kings basketballers Tyler Robertson and Keli Leaupepe. Students also  visited the local Redfern community and learnt more about this strong Aboriginal community within Sydney. 

Day 4: The Wii Gaay students headed to Circular Quay to board the Tribal Warrior (Mari Nawi - meaning big canoe). It was a wonderful experience cruising Sydney Harbour, and visiting  Be-lang-le-wool - the Aboriginal name for Clark Island. Here, the students listened to fascinating stories of the Cadigal, Guringai, Wangal, Gammeraigal and Wallumedegal people of Sydney.

Yaluu 

Miss Kim Taggart - Aboriginal Education Assistant