From the Chaplains

The last few weeks at the College have been frantic, and we find ourselves at the midway point of the term. How quickly it seems to pass! A couple of Saturdays ago, I attended a Classical Indian Dance concert (Bharatnatyam) where one of our teachers Mrs Hamsa Venkataramanan and her daughter Vishakha (Year 12) presented their recitals. Dr Sarah Loch was also there with a few other teachers, and we had a lovely evening where I donned my Indian attire and felt very much at home. I was also pleasantly surprised with a warm greeting in the foyer by a few Pymble Junior School students.

It is such a wonderful experience at work to connect with various cultural backgrounds, and when you can find someone who resonates with your own culture, it is truly a precious gift. Hamsa and Vishakha took me back to my childhood, where I experienced Classical Indian dancing of the two genres, Kathak and Bharatnatyam. I learned Kathak but always admired Bharatnatyam with its reflections on Hindu spirituality, which is no doubt the religion of my ancestors. 

Mrs Pearl Thomas (Philosophy and RE Teacher), who sat by my side, felt the enrichment of this experience, and even though it had been a hectic day, the evening brought with these performances a serenity and sacredness that I feel so indebted to Hamsa and Vishakha. The theme of their piece was the complexities of parent/child relationships and an interpretive dance of the Indigenous dreamtime story of the origin of the kangaroo’s pouch.

As we walk towards National Sorry Day on May 26 and the beginning of Reconciliation week, what does it mean for us to be Australians in this time, honouring First Nations people and acknowledging the dark history we feel awkward speaking about, and the truth-telling is the only thing that will set us free. Stan Grant’s exit from the most recent Q+A on the ABC network is enough of a window into the suffering of a First Nations media presenter. 

May blessings and peace be ours today as we seek to build a life of justice and equity for all, respecting elders, past, present, and emerging, recognising these lands were, are, and always will be sacred to First Nations people.

Reverend Punam Bent