Reconciliation Week
"National Reconciliation Week (NRW) 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.
The dates for NRW are the same each year; 27 May to 3 June.
These dates commemorate two significant milestones in the reconciliation journey— the successful 1967 referendum, and the High Court Mabo decision respectively.
27 May 1967 On this day, Australia’s most successful referendum saw more than 90 per cent of Australians vote to give the Australian Government power to make laws for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and recognise them in the Census.
3 June 1992 On this day, the Australian High Court delivered the Mabo decision, the culmination of Eddie Koiki Mabo’s challenge to the legal fiction of ‘terra nullius’ (land belonging to no one) and leading to the legal recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the Traditional Owners and Custodians of lands. This decision paved the way for Native Title.
Reconciliation must live in the hearts, minds and actions of all Australians as we move forward, creating a nation strengthened by respectful relationships between the wider Australian community, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples."
(Reconciliation Australia website)
This week our teams have begun some strategic focus around embedding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives into our Together Times. The Blue Team have read the book, 'Stories for Simon' which has supported thinking around 'Sorry Day' (May 26). It can be a very complex process to 'be sorry' or 'feel sorry' for something that you haven't actually personally done. However, exploring empathy for a person or situation builds character and an understanding between things that can be considered unjust or unfair. Teaching these emotional practices early in life can set children up with skills that support collaboration, care, resilience and understanding.
The Green Team have used small world play to explore what it might feel like to have something that you love and treasure taken from you. The responses from the children have been mixed as they explore the history of our nation in a way that is sensitive to their developmental ages.
Over the following weeks we hope that your child will grow an appreciation and respect for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who hold historical knowledge and connection to Country. We look forward to sharing some of our experiences with you and would love to hear from families who might like to enrich our understanding and experiences through resource and/or storytelling.
For our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community families, we acknowledge that Curiosity has the privilege of meeting on Kaurna Country, a place that holds spiritual significance for many. We commit to learning more about the Dreaming Stories, the Song Lines and Country that we meet on and give our respect to the Elders past, present and emerging. We thank you.
A short introduction from the author and illustrator of 'Stories for Simon.' If your family would like to watch this story together and create a 'Sorry Stone' for us to lay in our front entry then please feel free to participate in this and send your stone along next week as we build a place of remembrance - a place for healing to start.
A read aloud of 'Stories for Simon' by Lisa Miranda Sarzin and Lauren Briggs.
Good Shepherds Commitment to Reconciliation
An invitation.....
Next term a group of educators will embark on creating Curiosity's own Reconciliation Action Plan in consultation with Kate Mount, the Reconciliation Consultant for the Association of Independent Schools of South Australia.
We invite any families who might be interested in joining a working group to join us as we focus on strategically taking meaningful and sustainable practices for advancing reconciliation at Curiosity.
If this is something you might be interested in then please email the Director to express your interest.