Wow what a year!

We have been incredibly busy and active this year in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander education. A recap of events is detailed as under.

AIME started and finished all in the same term. AIME had 3 visits to UOW for AIME days, which were a fun experience for Year 7 students.

We participated in the reconciliation flag walk at Shellharbour, and held a reconciliation liturgy at school.

The NAIDOC assembly showcased St Joey's young men and women who learnt new dances and performed them in front of the whole school. Next year we have been invited to perform at Shellharbour Relay for Life, and the students have been busy learning and practicing new dances.

Visiting Bangarra Dance company in Sydney was amazing experience. We watched a performance about the life of David Unaipon, who was an Aboriginal designer and inventor of the modern shearers tool.

An excursion with Corpus Christi and Holy Spirit was orgnaised to the local significant sites for Aboriginal people of this area. We visited Hill 60 and learnt about the 5 Islands Dreaming Story, visited Coomaditchie Lagoon and community centre then finished the day at Killalea State Reserve. We are planning to do this earlier in the year and take advantage of the warmer weather with a swim at Bushrangers Bay.

Year 9 Food Technology went to the Wollongong Botanical Gardens to learn about bush tucker and medicine.

St Joey's held our first Cultural Day for Year 5 and 6 students. Students learnt how to paint in Aboriginal style, make a fish out of bamboo and raffia and sampled some amazing bush tucker.

This year, all year students have had the opportunity to assist in painting our message sticks that will be placed in the garden at the front of the admin building. They will be finished in 2020 and installed in a new garden space early in Term 2.

The final activity this year will be Didgeridoo making next week, where three students will be making their very own didgeridoo at school.

A final celebration afternoon tea will be held in early December. A brief snapshot of what’s coming in 2020 will be announced.

Many thanks for a wonderful 2019.

Kane Brown

Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander Education coordinator

Jo Ball, Uncle Kevin Butler and Toumanda Fohrman

Aboriginal Education Assistants