The Kindy students have been learning about Australia’s social and cultural heritage and about how Aborigines traditionally lived on the land here, developing a sense of responding to diversity with respect.
One of the Kindergarten parents, Calum Kelly, obtained permission from the elders of our area to speak to the children. He displayed spears and boomerangs that have been in his family for 400 years and explained that there were about 700 tribes in Australia. He taught some Aboriginal words in both Noongar and his language from the area around Port Hedland.
The students walked to the rear of the College where some parents had kindly left us some branches. Mr Kelly taught the Kindergarten how to make a mia mia which would have been a traditional shelter. Then he made a fire and explained about how fire is important for rejuvenation of the land.
After that the group trekked to the Swanleigh Bridge over the river where we learned how the river not only gives us life but cleanses the land too. Mr Kelly related the river to God who cleanses us from our sins if we ask Him to and washes them all away. What a wonderful morning!
The Kindergarten wishes to express their gratitude to Mr Kelly, the Fairlie and Noack families and parent helpers, Mrs Hoare and Mrs Eva, for all their help in making this incursion so successful.