Be Brave. Make Change at St Joseph’s Regional College, Port Macquarie
A heart-warming celebration of National Reconciliation Week was held at St Joseph’s Regional College, Port Macquarie. (Week 6 2022)
National Reconciliation Week is a time for all Australians to learn about our shared histories, cultures, and achievements and to explore how each of us can contribute to achieving reconciliation and accepting the invitation inherent in the Uluru Statement from the Heart.
Schools across the Diocese answered the call to ‘Be Brave. Make Change,’ the theme for this year's National Reconciliation Week. A challenge to all Australians to be brave and tackle the unfinished business of reconciliation so we can Make Change for the benefit of all.
St Joseph’s Regional College, Port Macquarie, marked the start of National Reconciliation Week with an uplifting assembly that focused on a magnificent hand-painted cross, created by talented Visual Arts teacher and proud Bundjalung woman, Ms Toni Howard. This beautiful Indigenous design incorporated many items to symbolise significant landmarks and the journey through school that students will take. It will be a wonderful centrepiece for the College for years to come.
The dedicated Indigenous Education team at St Joseph’s Regional College planned a week of outstanding activities to strengthen relationships between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and non-indigenous peoples. This year, the team focused on creating an interactive view of our shared history and a celebration of the vast achievements of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.
At the College Yarning Circle, the Indigenous team created an extraordinary interactive experience for students with an outdoor ‘Reconciliation Walk’. Students went on a journey recognising symbols and discovering 26 key dates and significant events in our shared history.
‘Our reconciliation walk was a necessary educational experience to understand the difficulties facing Indigenous Australians during settlement and our need for reconciliation,’ said Year 12 student Jonah.
Students were also invited to create a ‘Be Brave. Make Change’ artwork that will be displayed in the library and will then find a permanent home within the College. The staff were overwhelmed by the involvement of students in this and other activities throughout the week.
The week concluded with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students guiding their peers and staff through an Indigenous timeline of Australia from the Dreamtime to the present and a barbecue that raised money for The Indigenous Literacy Foundation.
‘An enlightening experience that can hopefully help others understand the struggle Indigenous people faced due to white settlement. It was fun and engaging,’ said Year 12 student Harry.
The St Joseph’s Regional College Indigenous Education team is to be congratulated on their dedication to providing students and staff with a rich experience of our past and encouraging further reconciliation to unify our future.
