Mrs Dann’s Koort (heart) was djiripin (happy) that the Indigenous camp was on again this year and 36 Indigenous students from Year 7-12 attended along with herself, Mr Wheeler, Mr Pickford and Mrs McNulty.
This camp gave us an opportunity to build relationships and trust with staff and students away from the school in a safe environment and to encourage respect and consideration for each other.
The two days were planned to come together with people who run programs in our wider community, experience the outdoors to connect to country and nature for health and wellbeing, disconnect from technology and reconnect with self and others, to improve self-confidence, leadership, social skills and to give things a go and most of all – Make new friends and have fun.
Highlights of the camp included our Horse Sense Leadership Program facilitated by Equus Bonding. This program allowed our students to interact with horses in a passive and safe way, enabling them to develop their interpersonal and communication skills while promoting positive relationships. Thank you to Diannne Huxtable for this amazing experience.
An evening art session led by Mrs Marie McNulty provided the students the opportunity to connect culture and identity with art. Everyone participated in creating a piece that will be the centrepiece of this years’ NAIDOC Week celebrations.
Mr Greg Nannup, a local Indigenous tour guide, walked students through the picturesque landscape of Point Walter, Bicton. Students learned about the local Wadjuk People and the important Dreaming trail that is the Swan River and developed a greater understanding of the connection between Indigenous people and the land. They were able to discover the traditional names of various places and items relevant to the local area. Students were introduced to various bush tools and learned how they were made during a hands-on artefact presentation.
Finally, guest speaker and role model Mr Clive Walley, Associate Professor and National Director of Indigenous Education at the University of Notre Dame Australia, spoke with our students about the importance of education, always trying your best and the value of looking out for one another. His inspirational story as a young boy heading to boarding school and facing adversity was well received by our students. He encouraged our students to take ownership of their learning and for them to grab hold of every opportunity. He reiterated the importance of respect, respecting others, especially teachers and their peers and most importantly themselves.
This experience has created memories and formed strong connections which will stay with our students for years to come.
