RECONCILIATION WEEK | Today our College community came together to continue our work towards reconciliation by honoring Reconciliation Week. Gumea Dharawal and Dhurga language custodian, Drew Longbottom from Gadhungal Murring, gave us a beautiful Welcome to Country and led the entire college through a smoking ceremony to honour the ancient tradition and foster harmony. This sacred smoke carries the whispers of the ancestral original custodians of this land and brings us closer to understanding, respect and reconciliation.
Our year 10 students sat with the author of the book Cootamundra Girl, and listened to her interview the subject of the book, Adelaide Wenberg. The students learned about the Stolen Generations through the personal lived experiences of this extraordinary women.
During lunch students contributed to a mass collective chalk artwork using words relevant to reconciliation to decorate our undercover area. The words are significant terms from the Uluru Statement of the Heart, and Dharawal words to learn the importance of keeping language and culture alive.
Reconciliation week provides us with an opportunity to reflect on our shared history, celebrate the diversity of our nation, and move towards healing the wounds of the past. Together, we can build a future based on mutual understanding, trust and equality.
