Kolbe Catholic College celebrated NAIDOC Week this week. This year’s theme was “For Our Elders”, so we wanted to make this week special not only for them but our whole school community.
NAIDOC Week started off with the Noongar word of the day, the inaugural PC deadly door decorating challenge and the school siren playing the didgeridoo sound. Mr Barry Winmar got our whole school involved in a smoking ceremony, and Noongar elder Miss Vonita Walley raised our Aboriginal flag.
Our whole school assembly was dedicated to our elders through songs, prayer, dance and yarning. Mr Olman Walley, this year’s NAIDOC award winner for Business of the year, welcomed us to Country and Dylan did the traditional dancing. Our students and staff had the opportunity to dance up on stage, but Logan’s little sister, who’s just 5 years old, stole the show.
I enjoyed the traditional dance at the assembly with my sister and the morning tea with the mob. – Logan, Year 12
Our new NAIDOC netball dresses were revealed, designed by three of our Indigenous students (Eva, Leonie and Olivia) and Mr Phillip Walley-Stack, our keynote speaker, challenged us to reflect on our grandparents and shared what his elders meant to him.
“I’m very grateful that I got to share this NAIDOC assembly with our grandparents! Including my great grandmother, she was very proud of how our school respects and learns our culture.” Eva – Year 9
A morning tea was held in the staffroom after the assembly with special guests and elders, catered by our hospitality students and Mrs Donna Williams. There was an afterschool NAIDOC sports event held at Emmanuel Catholic College, for our students to compete in basketball, netball and football.
A morning tea was held for our amazing staff catered by Aunty Barbara Southern to try kangaroo pies, kangaroo sausage rolls, rivermint cupcakes, bush scones, and the resounding favourite, lemon myrtle cupcakes. On Friday, we finished off an awesome week with a friendship lunch.
“This week’s celebrations would not have been possible without the support of everyone coming together to help make it special for all of us to enjoy.” Eva – Year 9
