Naidoc Week Events

Illustrator Visit

On Tuesday 22 June author and illustrator Jasmine Seymour attended our school and worked closely with several students from Killara High School as well as students from Lindfield Learning Village and Turramurra High School. We also had special guests from Menindee Central School. The students worked collaboratively to identify the key themes in the Uluru Statement From The Heart. It was a special event with students creating a feature wall in the Lion Library to mark the occasion. Many thanks to all the staff involved and to our guests for creating such a memorable day for the students involved.

Reading Challenge and New Resources

The Lion Library has acquired a new collection of fictional titles for all students as well as many study guides especially for our seniors. Students are encouraged to borrow these for study and leisure during the school holidays. The 2021 Reading Challenge continues with Year 10 in the lead! Year 8 is very closely following. Together we have read nearly 600 books. Have a great break and keep reading Killara.

Study Tips

Students are encouraged to make use of the study tips on display around the library. Many students have reported that the useful tips are helping them with their research, general study and essay writing. Alternatively follow us on Instagram @thelionlibrary for event updates and study tip reminders.

Research Lessons for Senior Students

Many senior students have participated in research lessons in the library. Students are made aware of valuable digital and print resources acquired by the library to support them with their academic needs. The resources and links can be found on the school website, Lion Library pages. For more information drop in to the Lion Library and speak to a staff member.

Leading by Listening

Jada Hogg from Menindee Central School came to our school to speak about her experiences living in far west NSW.

Before I start, I would like to acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land that we are meeting on today. I would like to pay respect to the elders past, present and emerging and I would also like to extend that respect to other Aboriginal people here today.

My name is Jada Hogg, I’m a proud Ngiyaampa and Paakantyi girl from far western NSW, a small little town called Menindee. I attend Menindee Central School and I’m here to talk to you about how Menindee Central School is different to any other school.

My great great Nan and Pop lived on the Menindee mission with their family. The Menindee mission was established in 1933. The missions were parcels of land that were allocated to Aboriginal people to live when they were being forced from their lands. These missions were managed by non-Aboriginal managers who handed out rations of flour, sugar, tea, fat, tinned meat. There were strict rules for the Aboriginal people living there of what they could and could not do. They couldn’t speak their language or continue traditions and that has meant a loss of language, culture and traditions across Australia. The Menindee mission was located 12km from town on a sandhill or more accurately a burial site. The housing was corrugated tin shacks with dirt floors. The school consisted of untrained teachers with as many as 60 students to one teacher. The mission was closed in 1949. People from the mission moved to Murrin Bridge or to live on reserve land on the riverbank about 3 km from Menindee. On the Reserve they did not have a manager, but they did not get any rations. My family was one of the two families that chose to stay at Menindee. Menindee Central School was opened in 1871, and children from the reserve attended Menindee school, that is if they were accepted, you might be wondering what I mean by if they were accepted, well I have learned that up until 1972 Principals in NSW schools could refuse the enrolment of any Aboriginal child, this was only 49 years ago.

Of course, in those days getting an education wasn’t so important as survival. The focus was for people to get work, get paid and feed their families. My family were drovers and shearers assisting the stations in and around Menindee move their livestock and shearing their sheep. My great grandmother was a great cook so she was employed at the hotel as a cook. She worked really hard. My great Pop had died and she was left to raise 9 kids so she often had one to three jobs at any one time. My Nan was determined to give her kids a good education and a good life. All of her children attended Menindee Central and each of them gained good high level jobs. My Aunty is now the Principal of the school.

I grew up in southwest Sydney and attended school there. I have always maintained strong connections with my family and the Menindee community. A few years ago I moved to Menindee to live with my aunty because I wanted to go to Menindee school – now my Mother has a position that is located in Menindee and the whole family is now living there.

Menindee itself is isolated it is 1,200 kms west of Sydney, the population and employment opportunities has reduced as a result of people moving away for employment. A lot of job opportunities have dried up just like the Darling River that is dying. We know the Darling River as the Baarka but there have been problems that affect the water resources and ecosystems including salinity, erosion, blue green algae and water quality. Climate change and the threat of drought pose a risk to the availability of surface water. So what was a buzzing community of market gardens and table grape growers is now reduced to a handful of small growers, no table grapes and limited opportunities. Add to this the high unemployment, isolation and general lack of services and the disparities in wealth compared to the cities. Menindee is another small dying town, its decline continues to affect families living there.

Living in Menindee is pretty good, there is a large Aboriginal population who mostly live in the town in Aboriginal housing. While there is not a lot to do in the town, we seem to be always busy, holding events and organising something. Our contribution to the town was organising 3 netball teams to travel into Broken Hill each week to play netball. We also run the local football club and other activities for children. We are isolated but that doesn’t stop us from enjoying things and getting things done. For sport I play netball and afl – I have to travel to broken hill 3 times a week for these. On the weekend we do some typical bush things like motor bike riding, jet skis, horses or we just make our own fun. What I love most is the community support that we get in running these events, everyone pitches in when needed and help each other out.

I am not sure why I wanted to desperately move to Menindee to go to school but I believe that being part of the school gave me a sense of belonging. That is what is created there. My family was only one of four Aboriginal families that attended my school in Sydney, the school population was made up of over 600 non Aboriginal students, Aboriginal students in that school only made up a total of 0.01%. Most of the activities at the school, especially Aboriginal activities were add ons whereas at Menindee it is a part of the whole school experience, over 90% of the children attending the Menindee school are Aboriginal, I fit in and I can be myself. I mentioned above about my great grandparents not being allowed to speak their language or practice their culture but at our school it is embedded within. Language is the basis of our culture, Menindee school is at the forefront of teaching languages in schools. Learning the Paakantyi language strengthens our identity and pride and enables us to better engage in learning. Menindee is a community school and is often the focal point for community activities. It facilitates the voice of the community within the school as well as welcomes elders who often didn’t have the opportunity to attend school to come and engage and pass on their knowledge. Our culture is visible within the school with artworks where children are free to express themselves and their culture as well we have a large presence of Aboriginal staff. At school students are given opportunities to chase their dreams. Things have to be done differently when you don’t have have access to the right tools or people that is needed. I recently completed a 2 week long chefs experience where I was working with chefs from all around cooking traditional foods. I wouldn’t have had this opportunity in a Sydney school.

I am more fortunate than my ancestors – I am being given the opportunity to attend school and gain an education and carve out a career for myself. From being proud of my culture, knowing my roots and the experiences of my people I am sad about the life that they had to live as a result of government polices – for example the stolen generation, the protection policies, the lack of Aboriginal cultural content and respect in schools and workplaces yet they have shown their resilience time and time again this is what makes me so proud.

Jada Hogg

Menindee Central School

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