Six South Australian Catholic schools have taken home National Story Awards for their performances at the 2022 National Wakakirri Story-Dance Festival.
Wakakirri is Australia’s largest performing arts event for schools with over 180 taking part in 2022.
The program helps schools develop student engagement and wellbeing through participation in the performing arts.
Schools participate by creating story-dances which they perform in live theatres. Schools in remote and regional areas can participate via video.
Congratulations to these South Australian Catholic schools on the national recognition of your excellence in performing arts and raising awareness across these four categories:
National Story Award - Entertainment
St John The Apostle Catholic School, Christies Beach
St Joseph’s School, Hindmarsh
Mary Mackillop College, Kensington
National Story Award - Environmental
Antonio Catholic School, Morphett Vale
National Story Award - Human Rights
St Joseph’s School, Hectorville
National Story Award - Mental Health
Our Lady of the River School, Berri
Participating schools are inspired by the Wakakirri ethos ‘great stories inspire change’ to create and perform story-dances that reflect students’ thoughts, ideas and aspirations.
Antonio Catholic School’s inaugural performance at Wakakirri titled 'Fashion Shouldn't Cost the Earth!' was awarded for raising awareness about an environmental issue.
The performance by a group of Year 5 and 6 students (pictured above and below) was inspired by Pope Francis’ Laudato Si’. They wanted to share the story of how fast fashion is an environmental disaster in developing countries, and offer solutions for the audience.
The story followed a young girl who was shopping for clothing. They showed the life cycle of a piece of fast fashion - from a clothing rack, worn a few times, then placed in a donation bin and shipped to Ghana. It was thrown out, unusable- like so many poorly made pieces of clothing, it doesn’t last. The clothing ends up in our waterways and takes thousands of years to break down because it is not made from a natural fibre. It destroys the natural environment, choking the sea life. In the end, the young girl chooses to put the item of clothing back on the rack.
The students wanted to show that, as consumers, we have the power to make positive choices when we shop. What we buy really matters. Choosing well-made clothing from natural fibres means that the garment has a long life span, and when it is no longer wearable, it is able to be composted.
“The standard of performance and the stories being told by schools this year was exceptional, so national winners should be very proud of their award”, said Adam Loxley, Wakakirri Festival Director.
“After two COVID affected years, it was heart-warming to see students back on stage and we appreciate everyone's efforts, especially the teachers!”
The Catholic Schools Music Festival has wrapped for another year.
Running from September 26 to 29, the annual festival saw more than 2000 students from Catholic schools across South Australia come together to showcase their vast musical gifts.
Now in its 34th year, this year’s music festival was one of mixed emotions for all involved, with two longstanding festival family members saying farewell after many years of dedicated contribution.
