Forward 2016 | Page 14

SENIOR SCHOOL

NAIDOC Week

songlines the living narrative of our nation

NAIDOC stands for National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee . Its origins can be traced to the emergence of Aboriginal groups in the 1920s which sought to increase awareness in the wider community of the status and treatment of Indigenous Australians .
The official NAIDOC Week is held in the first full week of July , but for us at Guildford Grammar School it is not possible for us to celebrate at this time due to school holidays . This year we celebrated in Week 3 of Term 3 . NAIDOC Week is a time to celebrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander history , culture and achievements and is an opportunity to recognise the contributions that Indigenous Australians make to our country and our society .
We encourage all Australians to participate in the celebrations and activities that take place across the nation during NAIDOC Week .
This year at Guildford Grammar School , the celebrations started at the Preparatory School with the Boodjar Bidi dance troupe , who performed by the Boat Shed for all the students and staff while a fire was burning to keep us all warm . It was a cold early morning start for the Boodjar Bidi dancers , but their performance was well received by the
Preparatory School students and staff . The dance troupe are becoming more popular in the community , receiving regular invitations from other schools looking to host them .
On Tuesday morning some guests came in and helped us to build our sand mural for the Senior School event . We would like to thank Roni Forrest and Lisa Fieldhouse from the Future Footprints program based at AISWA for their tireless help . The sand mural was made specially for the NAIDOC assembly , as the gathering point for all Senior School students .
The design of the sand mural represented each of the different totems of our Indigenous students . While we only had a few totems in the sand mural , there are many more that could have been added . The students invited their friends to help out with the construction of the sand mural , instilling a sense of acceptance and pride in being a part of the celebration .
I would like to take this opportunity to thank the kitchen and catering staff for their help with the food provided for these celebrations . We had a host of food for staff and students to try , which included kangaroo stew with damper , emu sliders , kangaroo and bocconcini skewers , sticky glazed sausage tasters ( buffalo , crocodile , emu and kangaroo sausages ), native wattle seed and rosella cupcakes and bush tomato scones with cream cheese and chives .
We welcomed Jim Morrison , grandfather of Darnell Morrison ( Wb 12-15 ), to address the assembly about his journey in Aboriginal Reconciliation . Jim has worked in the area of Aboriginal advancement in the Health Department for over three decades . We also enjoyed a speech by Old Guildfordian Dylan Collard ( Ha 07-09 ). Dylan is in his final year of his Law Degree and following this he will continue with his teaching degree , perhaps one day returning to work at Guildford Grammar School . It was a pleasure to have both men speak at our assembly and share their stories .
At the conclusion of the assembly , the Boodjar Bidi dance troupe performed for the whole school , showcasing their dances and inviting their friends and staff to join them in the celebration dance .
It really was a fantastic day and great community celebration for all .
Mr Andrew Beck Indigenous Program Coordinator
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