Cape York 2024 Student Immersion

We continue to share the personal reflections and photos from the students who were on this year’s immersion to Traditional Homelands in Cape York. This week we hope you enjoy the reflection from Illaria Giuffrida (Year 10) from our Yellow Group.

For the previous week’s reflections see here.

Carol Bloomfield
Head of Student Wellbeing Programs

Cape York Reflection – Yellow Group

First Homeland – Wurrey

When we arrived at our first homeland in Cape York, called Wurrey, we were greeted by our Traditional Owners, Uncle Bernie and Auntie Cheryl. Both Bernie and Cheryl were extremely welcoming, allowing us onto their land, that means so much to them, sharing knowledge and telling their stories allowing us to gain a deep and intimate understanding on how and why they are so connected with their land and how their ancestors have helped shaped their world. I loved hearing about the local school in Hopevale where Auntie Cheryl worked, how it is run and the systems they have in place to help keep the children in school and finish their education so they can enter the world. I thoroughly enjoyed learning about the traditional language called Guugu Yimithirr language. Uncle Bernie’s dream time story on Old Man Fog really captured my attention. On the property, we had time to swim in the creek where we as a group could further bond together, playing games and having meaningful reflection surrounded by the nature around us.

Second Homeland – Melsonby

Our second homeland, Melsonby, was truly a captivating homeland, in a national park where we visited incredible rock art paintings and where we learnt the meaning behind the art and the stories that are specific to Melsonby. The rock art really fascinated me as it was a large painting and the styles that were used to paint the cave art ranged from using chewed up sticks to chewing ochre. One highlight from my time at Melsonby would have to be working on our community project – painting the mural, directed by Auntie Julie. She instructed us to paint a Rainbow Serpent with a river behind with other animals added that we found symbolic to our trip such as a crocodile and a bee, and then finished off with a handprint signature. I found this homeland different from our first homeland in terms of the facilities, location and elders, at Melsonby we were on a ranger station with working rangers whereas our time at Wurrey was more relaxed and simplistic in terms of facilities such as the ‘loo with a view’.

Remote Australia

I found traveling around remote Australia in Cape York an incredible experience that I would most likely not have experienced if it wasn’t for this immersion. I was able to surround myself with new people in the year below and in my own year who I can now say I have a good and strong connection with. I was in an environment that is not familiar to me but the Elders explaining the area allowed me to gain a better understanding of where I was and how the landscapes change depending on the seasons.

In summary I found this immersion to be a life-changing, unforgettable and an eye-opening experience that seemed to go too fast. From this trip I gained first-hand knowledge and understanding of the Aboriginal people that have been in Australia for tens of thousands of years learning about their connection to culture and their day-to-day life. The memories I have made, the activities that I participated in and the knowledge that I learnt will forever stay with me and will always be an experience that had a lasting impact on me. I hope from this experience I can tell others about my time at Cape York and try and share my understanding of their culture to others who have not gone.

Illaria Giuffrida
Year 10 Student