Yaama,

Indigenous Literacy Day. Wednesday 2nd September

Children in all grades at St Kevin’s tuned in to the live broadcast at 2.00pm last Wednesday to view a very special Indigenous Literacy Day celebration presented in collaboration with the Sydney Opera House.

Children listened to a catchy melody sung by Australia’s favourite pop star, Jessica Mauboy - in two Indigenous languages, Tiwi, Mangarrayi, and English. We heard a book reading of Yu Sabi Densdensbad? (Can you Dance?) in Kriol, by Cheryl Lardy and in English by Justine Clarke. This event gave the children a celebratory experience of Indigenous language and literacy. Jessica Mauboy also performed My Island Home, a song about the love she has for her country and its natural beauty.

The children thoroughly enjoyed the broadcast and learned about the importance of celebrating Indigenous languages and the need to keep these alive as they are integral to the cultural identity of our Indigenous people.

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Our Aboriginal students read and discussed this Dreaming narrative which tells the story of Jampijinpa Blue Tongue, who deceives his two sons, and who is in turn deceived by them, with unfortunate consequences.

This narrative offers an important explanation for the presence of the flame-like anthills that can be found in the Warlukurlangu region. Warlukurlangu, a tract of land near Yuendemu in the Northern Territory, has hundreds of anthills that are shaped like the flames of a fire.

The anthills are a permanent reminder of the fire that raged out of control and swept through the country during the Dreaming.

The important message in this Dreaming narrative is that we can cause hurt and distress when we deceive others. Best to stay in respectful relationship with others and good things will follow.

            (Illustration: Giesela)                                          (Illustration: Conor)

Phil Taylor

Aboriginal Education Teacher