Reconciliation Week

From Gabi, Assistant Principal

North Melbourne Primary School recognises the significance of National Reconciliation Week (27th May – 3rd June) and Sorry Day. National Reconciliation Week offers us a time to learn about our shared histories as we acknowledge the stories and footprints of our ancestors and country.

Across the school, students learned about the significance of this week and sought to identify actions we can take on our journey towards positive change, understanding, and reconciliation.

Making Possum Skin Cloaks

By Eloise and Ellie

This term we have been learning about Aboriginal life before the Europeans invaded. We learned that Aboriginal people have lived in Australia for over 60,000 years! Life was peaceful, they would hunt and forage for food and would move between multiple camps over the year. Country was important to the Aboriginals - they felt they were a part of Country and Country was a part of them.

One thing, in particular, we learned about was possum skin cloaks. Possum skin cloaks were made of patches of possum fur, with drawings of places, animals, and people on the skin. They were important to Aboriginal people because they were like a diary to them, and as they grew, their possum skin cloaks grew with them.

 We made class possum skin cloaks and we drew plants, landmarks and animals that were unique to the part of Wurundjeri country our school sits on. We used fake fur, material and we drew on it with brown textas. Our cloak feels warm on the fur side and nice and cool on the material side, and feels really comfortable.

 Making the cloaks helped us to connect with and understand Aboriginal culture in a fun and respectful way. 

Reconciliation Assembly

We will have a whole school assembly on Friday 3rd June at 3:15 pm, in which we will acknowledge this significant week. We hope you can join us.

Student work