NAIDOC Celebrations

Art Mural

Another way Smith's Hill demonstrated their appreciation for Indigenous culture and traditions was through the creation of a dot painting mural - continuing from a previous NAIDOC week at our school. Emily Button in collaboration with the Year 11 Student Cohort were involved in its creation throughout Weeks 5 and 6. 

Monday

The day began with a whole school assembly. During the assembly, Uncle Peter Button (of Yuin and Dunghutti Country) conducted a captivating Smoking Ceremony for the school to initiate our NAIDOC week. See video above.

Smoking ceremonies have been performed by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people for thousands of years to cleanse people and places of bad spirits and to treat sickness. The burning of various native plants produces smoke which has cleansing properties and the ability to ward off bad spirits from the people and the land and make pathways for a brighter future. The Smoking Ceremony is regarded as an important part of connecting people to the country and keeping them safe from the dangerous powers of spiritual beings residing on land and waters. 

Our year 7 Students also lead a lovely rendition of the National Anthem in language, with the whole school then joining for the National Anthem in English. 

For Further Information on the importance of Smoking ceremonies: <https://indigenousknowledge.unimelb.edu.au/curriculum/resources/fire-in-ceremony >.

https://aboriginalincursions.com.au/special-aboriginal-ceremonial-events/smoking-ceremony

A long-standing tradition within our school is to create chalk art murals on the top quad. This time, we added a whale and the iconic rainbow serpent to represent our acknowledgement and appreciation for Indigenous country. However, these beautiful creatures were of a decent size, too much for only our art club students to fill in. That’s where the student body came in! They were invited to express their appreciation for Dharawal country by coming up to the top quad during NAIDOC week and filling in the whale and snake outlines. See above images. 

This was initiated early monday morning and the serpent provided the pathway for the smoking ceremony, as students sat around the chalk outlines. 

Tuesday/Wednesday

Indigenous sports games and the art mural were the focus of these two days during breaks in preparation for the finale of celebrations later in the week.

Thursday

During the first extended break, official matches of the Aboriginal game ‘Buroinjin’' were held on the oval. The traditional Indigenous game has similar rules to Touch Football. The art mural was also nearing completion.

Friday

The magnificant dot painting was completed on a large canvas and is proudly displayed in our administratrion foyer. During the break, the Year 10 and 12 Buroinjin teams went face to face in a high-stakes finale. with the Year 12 team winning 3-0. Congratulations to everyone who participated in these games!

Continuing the Spirit of NAIDOC Week

Our school is determined to ensure that our efforts to acknowledge and appreciate the Indigenous culture and the land we reside on does not stop with just a week of celebration. 

We have numerous ongoing initiatives to continue the spirit of NAIDOC Week and are working in consultation with our community, such as:

Changing House names to Dharawal inspired names

This initiative could benefit the school by not just bringing awareness to, but integrating, Dharawal culture into the Smith’s Hill High School community. Whilst initiatives such as NAIDOC Week celebrate this culture, they are not ongoing, and it is significantly important to have an ever-present acknowledgement and celebration of  Aboriginal culture. Changing the house names with AECG guidance is an opportunity to promote harmony and often-forgotten recognition.  

Indigenous plant garden

Some time in September, we will be receiving native indigenous plants to plant around the school to further the school’s appreciation for the native Australian flora and fauna. 

Outdoor classroom

One of our long running goals has been to establish an outdoor classroom. “Outdoor education not only engages young people with the natural world but also connects them with the intricate, ancient history belonging to it—becoming a dimensional learning experience. When also considering Indigenous peoples’ profound relationship with their land, outdoor education proves to be the perfect avenue for showcasing Australia’s Indigenous history.” (Oeg.edu.au, 2022) The SRC and staff are working continuously to ensure this idea becomes a reality.

Smiths Hill High School is privileged to be able to experience the rich cultural heritage of the Indigenous people of Australia. Let’s appreciate the Indigenous history for longer than a week - it is a lifelong commitment. 

A big thank you to all of the students, staff and contributors who led NAIDOC week to success, and will continue to do so in the future. 

Another massive thank you to Peter and Emily Button of Yuin and Dunghutti Country, for giving our school the chance to experience something as significant as a traditional Indigenous Smoking Ceremony. 

Finally, thank you to Ms Heka, who supervised and facilitated the success of NAIDOC week. We are lucky to have you, Ms.