Three staff from Warners Bay High participated in the Kumaridha Local AECG Connecting to Country workshop. The program ran for 3 days and focused on different areas such as respect, cultural sites in the area and community.
The staff visited then Petrified Sisters at Swansea Heads, where they heard from uncle Nolan Simons and took part in an OCHRE and bush tucker site tour. They also visited the ‘Miromaa Language Centre’, where they listened to a very passionate presentation led by Daryn McKenny and Terry Lee about the importance of holding onto traditional language. The camp at Wollombi provided a chance for staff to observe traditional cave paintings, watch a Corroborree, learn traditional weaving techniques and listened to local stories.
Staff Comments
To be immersed in a sacred site within the area that we live and teach gave us an opportunity to make a local connection to Aboriginal perspectives within our own classrooms.
Watching the Corroborree performed by Roo Faulkner and three male students from Cardiff High School provided a very moving ending to an emotional inspiring day.
Due to the practicality woven into each session, we were able to visualise in an authentic manner how we would apply ideas and resources to our individual teaching areas.
Story contributed by Lisa Curran from Warners Bay High School. Story published in 2017.Connecting to Country is a robust program that we all felt very fortunate to be a part of, and I encourage all teachers and adults who work with young people to participate if they are given the opportunity. A big thank you to the local AECG for their organisation.