Aboriginal Education News
Yaama Ngindaay
National Reconciliation Week: 27 May to 3 June
Letters to the Prime Minister
Year 5/6 students are writing to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese about the importance of National Sorry Day in the nation’s journey of reconciliation. The students were very motivated and engaged in their writing about this topic in class. Mrs Stretton was really impressed with all of the children’s active participation especially in how they used language to present a formal persuasive piece of writing.
Here are some snippets of their writing.
I strongly believe that Sorry Day is very important and should be recognised every year… Sorry Day is a day to reflect on how important family is and to be grateful. The Stolen Generations will never be forgotten. (Renee)
Sorry Day is important because we should acknowledge what happened to the stolen generations. (Rebecca)
Sorry Day should be commemorated because we need to respect and acknowledge the culture of the Aboriginal people. (Angus)
Dear Prime Minister…. I am writing to inform you why I think Sorry Day is a very important day. Having Sorry Day is a great way to reflect, remember and learn about how far Australia has come…. Commemorating Sorry Day means we can all feel open to reflect and work towards reconciliation. (Mackenzie)
I think that Sorry Day should be commemorated every year…. I know that after Kevin Rudd officially apologised in parliament it became more clear to the Australian community about what happened and how this was wrong on so many levels. (Eva)
The nation can’t just wipe away and change the past, however we can change the future, so it’s important that we reflect. We need to look back on the tragic things that happened and improve our nation ….. and forge for a better future. (Reid)
The Mabo Decision: 30 years on
2022 marks the 30 year anniversary of the Mabo case, one of the most significant turning points for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in the fight for native title.
Mabo Day is commemmorated on 3 June, marking the end of Reconciliation Week each year.
Most, if not all of us have viewed Behind the News, either as children, parents or teachers. The program has been on the national broadcaster for many years and explains current news items for school students in a way that is concise and easy to understand.
The Mabo Decision of the High Court 30 years ago is a significant event in our history. The following BTN episode gives a good overview of the Mabo case and its implications. Well worth the 3½ minutes of viewing time.
Our school Reconciliation Liturgy on Monday was very prayerful and reflective, and the children were thoughtfully engaged. Even a simple school liturgy is an important step on the Reconciliation journey. Paul Kelly reminds us of this in his song, From Little Things Big Things Grow.
As we conclude our observance of Reconciliation Week 2022, we are reminded of the importance of what we all do, in our own way, for genuine Reconciliation.
Yaluu ngali ngamilay
Phil Taylor
Aboriginal Education Teacher