Most of us would need a Google search to find out that ‘National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee‘ is the expanded form of NAIDOC, however the young people in our SCEA schools are furthering their education each year and learning more and more about the indigenous history of Australia.
At Southern Hills Christian College, the focus was on the colours of the Aboriginal flag: why are the colours of the flag red, yellow and black?
Black – represents the Aboriginal people of Australia.
Yellow circle – represents the sun, the giver of life and protector.
Red represents the red earth, the red ochre used in ceremonies, and the spiritual relation of indigenous peoples to the land.
Students were invited to dress in the vibrant colours of the Aboriginal Flag – Red, Black, and Yellow, or NAIDOC-themed shirts.
During recess and lunch, students got creative with face painting and canvas dot painting and had a taste of some delicious kangaroo stew and damper. Superstar Chaplain, Mrs Hasluck, organised all of the activities, cooked the stew and turned 8 kilograms of flour into a sumptuous damper!
At Northshore Christian Grammar School, the focus was on the land.
Led by an Aboriginal traditional custodian and teacher, students explored the traditional building methods of the Noongar people and learned about the unique shelters known as a ‘mia-mia’.
The current season of the indigenous calendar is Makuru (June-July), and the students worked to create their own ‘mia-mia’ from natural materials made from the local forest.
Students enjoyed both the bush experience and the mia-mia construction with bush materials.
At Beechboro Christian School (BCS), the Pre-Primary students have been learning about the history of indigenous peoples, participating in colouring activities and devising their own ideas for preserving and sharing the stories of indigenous peoples.
The students learned about the slogan “Keep the Fire Burning.”
At Swan Christian College began with a full school assembly with the theme: ‘Keep the fire burning! Blak, Loud and Proud.’ Lunch time consisted of free dress for students with free dress wearing clothing inspired by the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags.
Junior School students also had a special guest, Ngarluma/Yindjibarnd man and Parent Christian Life Committee member Mr Calum Kelly who visited our classes with gifts of boomerangs for our students to paint.
