Reconciliation Action Plan News
Mrs Bridget Jenkins
Reconciliation Camp to lunawanna-alonna/Bruny Island
(RAP Deliverable: Opportunities with Community Local Sites, Events and Excursions)
Last week our middle years Aboriginal boys were offered the opportunity to spend time on country at lunawanna-alonna/Bruny Island. We headed off on Wednesday morning, arriving at Murrayfield Station in time for a fabulous lunch and some settling in time. Afterwards we headed off to Mabel Bay and explored the beach, gathering beautiful pebbles, stones, kelp and driftwood. In the evening we visited Trugannini Point and sat on the edge of the dunes in the increasing darkness and waited for the Fairy Penguins to come ashore. It was very cold but the stars were spectacular and lit up the night sky.
The following day we went on a long walk towards Cape Queen Elizabeth, through areas that were recovering from hot bushfires and up on to the clifftops overlooking the Southern Ocean. Here we were blessed to see a humpback whale out in the bay, which remained there most of the afternoon as we climbed down to the beach to visit the rock arch and black cave. In the afternoon we went fishing back at Murrayfield and Hollie French from Karadi came over to join us for the evening.
On our final day we packed up and went for a very chilly wander along Great Bay and eventually caught the Ferry back to the big island and headed back to school, tired, happy, with no fish but with some great memories and some new experiences.
A big thank you to Mr Jamie Graham Blair, Mr Jake Terhell and Hollie French for making this camp so special.
NAIDOC Week
(RAP Deliverable: Respect with Community Celebrate Days of National Significance)
NAIDOC (National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee) celebrates and recognises the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and provides opportunities for all Australians to learn about First Nations cultures and histories. This year’s theme is Get Up! Stand Up! Show Up! and provides an invitation to all Australians to participate in celebrating the oldest, continuous living culture on earth. Listening to and reading stories that are told by First Nations people is a great way to find out more about the Aboriginal History of lutruwita Tasmania and there are some great storytelling events being held in nipaluna Hobart next week.
Monday July 4 from 4.00pm – 7.00pm (Online Event)
https://www.facebook.com/events/482734690320161/?ref=newsfeed
Aunty Patsy will read her book Sea Country, discuss the book and answer questions. This meeting will be held virtually via Microsoft Teams with communities welcome to join the virtual meeting at the Bridgewater Library with Joselle Griffin - Red Cross Community Development Project Officer.
Tuesday July 5 from 6:00pm – 9:00pm at The Long House, 6 Evans Street, Hobart
Award-winning Tasmanian Aboriginal authors Nathan Maynard and Adam Thompson join Assoc. Prof. Jeanine Leane for a conversation on the vibrancy of contemporary writing by Tasmanian Aboriginal writers. Then seven of Australia’s most exciting poets, including Stella Award winning poet Evelyn Araluen, Jim Everett – puralia meenamatta, Ursula Robinson-Shaw, Meoldy Paloma, Jonathan Dunk, Ann Vickery, and Jeanine Leane will present readings of their work.
Friday July 8 from 5.00pm at Fullers Bookshop, 131 Collins St, Hobart
Join Dave mangenner Gough in the Afterword Cafe at Fullers to celebrate the publication of luwa tara luwa waypa, the captivating story of niyakara’s journey from boy to man, a story of courage and transformation. Dave’s powerful words and Samantha Campbell’s expressive artwork bring to vivid life the ancestral spirit and enduring strength of the palawa people of Tasmania.
NAIDOC Week begins on Sunday July 3 and continues until Sunday July 10. Further information can be found at https://www.naidoc.org.au