Catholic schools across the state have marked National Reconciliation Week 2020, held from May 27 to June 3 each year.
The 2020 National Reconciliation Week (NRW) marks 20 years of Reconciliation Australia working to shape Australia’s journey towards a more just, equitable and reconciled nation.
The theme for this year’s NRW was ‘In this together’, to encourage all Australians to learn about our shared histories, cultures, and achievements and work together to further our national journey towards a fully reconciled country. It is a time to ask ourselves how we can play our part in our own community to support, nourish and respect the culture of our traditional landowners.
“One way to celebrate Reconciliation Week is to listen to Aboriginal voices share their insights and experiences”, said Matthew Jolly, Learning Diversity & Equity Consultant, Aboriginal Education at Catholic Education South Australia.
“The Aboriginal Education Team made this short video with 5 of the 11 Aboriginal Cultural Consultants who work with our Catholic schools…While in lockdown, we asked them to explain why their work is important to Reconciliation”. The video can be seen here.
Year 4, 5 and 6 students at Our Lady of the Visitation, Taperoo did further work with Aboriginal artist Anna Dowling as part of an Artist in Residence program, with a focus on the importance and meaning of the symbols used in Aboriginal art.
Middle School students at Gleeson College, Golden Grove enthusiastically engaged in further learning about our First Nations peoples and cultures, including discovering the difference between a 'hunting' boomerang and a 'fighting' boomerang. The school also celebrated the launch of their Reconciliation Action Plan with a staff morning tea of lemon myrtle cookies and cupcakes!
Students at St John Bosco, Brooklyn Park let their community know that they are ‘In this together’ with a commitment to reconciliation through a street display of colourful hand cut-outs.
St Martin’s Primary School, Greenacres supported National Sorry Day with students dressing up in the Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander colours. They also shared a prayer service over the school PA System led by the Year 6 Justice Group.
At St Joseph’s School, Clare each class watched videos in relation to National Reconciliation Week for inspiration and created chalk drawings all around the school relating to what they learned.
“We had an amazing response to our National Reconciliation Week activities”, said Tim Packer, a Year 4 teacher at St Joseph’s. “We are now planning a cultural day for our ATSI students in conjunction with their parents including some storytelling, fire, cooking, and walking”.
Year 3 students at St Anthony’s School, Edwardstown took the ‘Step it up for Reconciliation’ challenge, walking the 1.14km length of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, or about 1600 steps, in commemoration of the 20th anniversary of the Corroboree 2000 Bridge Walk, where more than 250,000 people marched together in support of reconciliation.
Year 7 and Year 9 Visual Arts students at Blackfriars Priory School, Prospect have been working with Aboriginal artist Chris Crebbin as Artist in Residence to respectfully explore and understand Aboriginal arts and cultural traditions.
“Chris taught me a lot about Aboriginal symbols, and I found it interesting to learn about the Aboriginal culture”, said student Noah Holland.
St Michael’s College parent Mike O’Brien filmed a personal Welcome to Country video that was broadcast across the College. Students held an APY Lands blankets & jumper drive, and Year 3 students made their own NRW2020 poster with this year’s theme of ‘In this together’. Year 6 classes participated in a virtual excursion and discussed issues behind a new film called ‘In My Blood It Runs’, about issues faced by students in remote areas. Secondary students at the College have developed online exhibitions on the Australian civil rights movement.
Kildare College, Holden Hill participated in several activities to mark National Reconciliation Week. Students have missed visits with local Elders and working with Indigenous artists who support students in developing an understanding of Indigenous culture and traditions. As they were unable to come together as a whole College community, a heart-warming virtual liturgy was created in the spirit of reconciliation, and shared with students, College staff, parents and the wider community. See the Reconciliation virtual liturgy here.
The dates for National Reconciliation Week remain the same each year: 27 May to 3 June. These dates commemorate two significant milestones in the reconciliation journey— the successful 1967 referendum, and the High Court Mabo decision respectively.
Thank you to all students, parents and staff for their participation National Reconciliation Week 2020.
Catholic Education South Australia will open a new secondary college in the Riverland region in 2022.
The college will be located in Renmark and will cater for up to 360 students from Year 7 to 12 and build on the quality Catholic education and pastoral care already provided in the four local primary schools.
