Aboriginal Education

Reconciliation Week 2024

What an amazing week we have had here at Roselea! This week as a school, all staff and students have come together to learn, to connect and to reflect on Reconciliation Week for 2024. This year, the theme ‘Now more than ever” has been explored and discussed in all classes Kindergarten through to Year 6.  

National Reconciliation Week is a time for all Australians to learn about our shared histories, cultures, and achievements, and to explore how each of us can contribute to achieving reconciliation in Australia. It is a reminder to all of us, that no matter what, the fight for justice and the rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people will and must continue.

During Weeks 4 and 5 in Geography, the children have engaged in learning Aboriginal Perspective. Some of the highlights have been: exploring ‘Welcome to Country’ by Aunty Joy Murphy and Lisa Kennedy.  Respected Elder Aunty Joy Murphy welcomes us to Country with a Wurundjeri Wominjeka (welcome) and beautifully, yet simply, explains the concept of welcoming ceremonies and their significance to First Nation communities across Australia. Warm and vibrant illustrations by First Nations artist Lisa Kennedy, a descendant of the Trawlwoolway People, make this a visually stunning story.

Welcome to Country needs to be heard by every child so that all Australians can understand and respect the cultural importance of a welcome to country.

Exploring ‘Finding Our Hearts’ by Thomas Mayo. This text is about the Uluru Statement written for young Australians. A book about understanding Australia’s past, so we can have a shared future. Children discussed the importance of respecting the First Nations Australian culture and land and examined what we can do as a nation, to show respect. They further discussed and learnt about Uluru and the Uluru Statement and examined the brilliant artworks completed by Blak Douglas.

Muru Mittigar Incursion

This year, we were very fortunate to have Muru Mittigar come into the school to continue the learning with the students. Muru Mittigar is a proud Dharug Aboriginal Social Enterprise in Western Sydney. They offer a school program which has been designed and developed to create a unique opportunity for local schools and their students to participate in an interactive and hands on experience with members of the local Aboriginal community. The children completed the following:

Cultural Talk

Welcome to Country assembly

Bush Tucker

Aboriginal Art

Boomerang Throwing