The Learning Zone

NAIDOC Week 2020

Always was, Always Will Be

St Xavier’s staff and students started NAIDOC week with an assembly and Flag Raising on the Monday morning with visitor Steph Cameron, Welcoming all to Country. 

Each stage participated in a full day of cultural activities throughout the week that included aboriginal art, games and language. 

Year 1 and 2 created 'Rock Stories'. Students used clay, small seeds and sticks to draw and create aboriginal symbols. The symbols tell stories about their culture, relationships with the land, animals etc

Year 3 and 4 created 'Rain Sticks'. Rain Sticks make the sound of falling rain and were used by many indigenous cultures throughout the world. It is played in the belief that it could bring about rainstorms.

Year 5 created sculptures of aboriginal culture out of things found in the natural environment. There are a variety of different scenes created including hunting, gathering, campfires, shelters, corroborees, fishing, canoeing.

Year 6 decorated a stick with coloured wool, twine, raffia and metallic foil. They then collaboratively created a sculpture based on the celebration of the 'stick'. Sticks were used for a variety of  purposes and were an extremely important resource for aboriginal people. The final product was in the shape of a shelter.

Students played a variety of cultural games after talking about how they were traditionally played and significantly important to aboriginal people. Some of these included; Gorri, Keentan and Koolchee.

During the language sessions students participated in fun activities where they learnt the Gamilaraay terms for numbers, body parts, greetings and animals. Some students also had the opportunity to learn about some significant artifacts that are frequently used in Aboriginal life.