It has been a busy week for IGS during Reconciliation Week. We started the week with 25 of our Year 10 students and 2 staff flying to the Top End of the Northern Territory to participate in on-Country learning with Traditional Owners on their homelands.
IGS Coordinator of Indigenous Partnerships Lucy Howard-Shibuya and Head of Indigenous Education and Stage 6 Aboriginal Studies Teacher Jade Carr said IGS is “incredibly fortunate to be able to forge these partnerships with communities and head out on Country to see life through a different lens, to learn about language, culture and listen to Dreaming stories, and truly learn to listen to, and see the perspectives of First Nations People”.
“There is such beauty and magic in the places we go.”
We can reflect on all that we don’t know and how much we can learn. These students and staff are Being Brave and Making Change.
Every day this week the sound of Yothu Yindi’s Treaty echoed through the corridors, another example of how we are taking a whole school approach to raise awareness and show our commitment.
On Wednesday morning we were lucky to have IGS parent Tim Bishop conduct a smoking ceremony before school at the front gates.
“Students and adults of all ages gathered around to hear Tim sharing his knowledge and encouraging them all to take part and see this ceremony through a new lens,” said Jade and Lucy.
Some of our Early Learners were also able to stop by and partake in the ceremony with their families at arrival time.
“The children were curious about the ceremony and asked questions about how the smoke was produced (with hot coals and leaves over the top, carried in a wooden dish),” said Head of School Early Learning Sarah Herbert.
“Uncle Tim spoke about the smoking ceremony being a way to cleanse our School, and to promote the wellbeing of Aboriginal people and all people on Country. It was a beautiful welcome and helped us feel a sense of belonging as a strong community together.”
The ceremony happened under the new banner of our very own IGS Acknowledgement of Country poster painted by the IGS Indigenous scholars and Wiradjuri artist Bianca Caldwell.
In our first High School Assembly for a long time, we observed Reconciliation Week. Our Red Earth students returning from their journeys on Country with Arrernte and Anangu Traditional Owners shared stories and photos of their experiences staying on the Homelands and learning about First Nations Perspectives.
Year 12 Aboriginal Studies students spoke about and showcased their incredible major works on the eve of the Aboriginal Studies exhibition next Monday.
On Thursday Wiradjuri Astrophysicist Kirsten Banks came and spoke to Year 6 about the galaxy from a First Nations perspective. The kids were fascinated and completely transfixed by the presentation.
The Bibliothèque showcased First Nations writers and stories throughout the week and the primary school ran a Be Brave Make Change poster competition.
Find out about an Early Learning Reconciliation Week activity here.
How are you going to Be Brave and Make Change??
Spotlight on First Nations successes in the IGS community
Miah Walker (Class of 2020)
IGS alum Miah Walker is thriving in her career as a model managed by Priscilla’s Model Management, walking the runway at this year’s coveted Australian Fashion Week, featuring in the runway show for the Indigenous Fashion Projects.
Miah also recently took part in her first magazine spread for Stellar Magazine and the Fashion Week spread for Afterpay Australia.
Chenelle Carr Year 7
Chenelle Carr continues to grace our screens. She began the year with her second hosting of the Kids’ New Year’s Eve Early Night Show for the ABC, alongside co-host Hunter Page-Lochard.
Chenelle now co-hosts the ABC and Department of Education’s collaboration, Know it alls, which sees hosts Adelaide, Chenelle and Marianne take one smart kid and one comedian adult on a fact-finding mission through a unique museum topic.
We’re proud of our Indigenous students and alumni, and thank them and their families for enriching our community.