SCEGGS Stories of Immersion in Indigenous Australia
We hope you enjoy reading a range of reflections about Stories of Immersion in Indigenous Australia from the students this week. For the previous week’s reflections see here.
Reflections from the Cape York Immersion (Red Group)
At the conclusion of the 2023 Cape York Immersion, I was overwhelmed with emotions of two opposing extremes, utmost sadness, and a newfound appreciation for the world I often take for granted. In all the Red Earth pre-departure meetings I attended at SCEGGS, it is sure to state that I could never have imagined the rich, beautiful, fun, and unique nature of the Cape York Immersion. It is almost an experience of such specialty, that it can never be explained to someone who did not attend themselves. Both the Melsonby and Binthiwarra Homelands were more welcoming, comforting, and enthusiastic than any set expectations, and the Traditional Owners’ ability to open their land up to us is an act deserving of the highest admiration and respect. As someone who believed that 10 days away may have been challenging, all the Elders created a home away from home for every one of the students, as I recall writing in my journal, “It’s weird to feel homesick from a place you have only stayed at for four nights”.
The Cape York Immersion enriched my appreciation of Indigenous Australian culture to a vast extent, and it is in having participated in the variety of activities provided, that I am capable of seeing a bigger picture of the magnificently diverse, thousands of years old Australia, one that can never be expressed fully in a classroom. One of the key concepts of the Immersion that I took away was the vitality of the sharing of culture amongst Indigenous communities, to ensure that it remains present and interwoven amongst Australian society. On our last night at Melsonby Homeland, many of the Traditional Owners expressed that they believe the only way forward for reconciliation is the passing down of traditions, language, and storytelling. After this was said, I was finally able to grasp an understanding of Indigenous Peoples and the ever-present bond between themselves and their culture, a pillar in which their lives revolve around. Thus, moving forward, I believe that I will have a newfound appreciation for the complexity and importance of Indigenous Australians’ cultural practices, as these serve as the root of their personhood. The most striking moment of the Immersion was at the end of our stay at Binthiwarra, in which Mel, a Traditional Owner asked us to be her voice. As soon as she said this, I thought to myself, how upsetting is it that a grown woman, a mother, a teacher, must ask us, 15–16-year-old school children, to be her voice in society. I truly believe that her raw honesty speaks volumes and is a testament to the continuous need for reconciliation, which is constantly left disregarded. I am forever thankful and blessed to put faces to the names of Bulla, Joe, Julie, Ginger, Valmay, Quandra, Billie, Rayden, Monique, Mel, Alex, Rylie, Tai, Junior, and Caleb and will from hereon carry their stories and knowledge that they shared with me forever. Cape York Immersion 2023 is the epitome of a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and the relationships I had the privilege of forming on Country will be ones which I cherish for my lifetime.
Cassandra Davies
Year 10
Reflections from the Cape York Immersion (Yellow Group)
The Cape York Immersion was one of the highlights of my time at SCEGGS. It has benefitted me in so many ways and given me an unforgettable experience filled with learning and fun. My understanding and knowledge about Indigenous Australians, and their customs and traditions has grown exponentially, which wouldn’t have been possible without going on the Immersion. This trip has changed my perception on the way I view life and provided me with more insight into the beautiful culture here in Australia. I am extremely grateful to have been able to experience this opportunity and will treasure the memories forever.
The first homeland we visited, Yungee Bush Camp, was beautiful, and brought us all so much joy and knowledge. Dez and Estelle (the traditional owners) were extremely welcoming and taught us about their connection to the land, and their life experiences. The children at Yungee Bush Camp showed us traditional dances and did many of the activities with us. Our way of giving back to the community was to do a community project, where we painted the inside of their house, as well as helped construct a new shower block for future campers. This was a fun project and a great way to give back to the community. Our knowledge of Indigenous Australians’ connection to land and family is something we learned over our time at Yungee Bush Camp, something learnt firsthand, that you can’t simply experience by reading a textbook. When our time at Yungee Bush Camp came to an end it was bittersweet, sad to leave, but excited to share our newfound knowledge.
Loggy Crossing was our second homeland. There, we were taught about the importance of music in connection between family, the land, and the history of Hopevale. The traditional owners gathered us around the campfire whilst they performed beautiful songs about the history of their land and experiences. This created a special connection between all of us, as the music as a form of story telling was passionate and heartfelt, increasing our connection to the community. The goodbye from Loggy Crossing was tear filled, but once again, we were excited to share our experiences back home.
Coming back home, I am now reflecting on the valuable lessons and knowledge that this trip brought me that I will forever be grateful for, such as Indigenous Australians connection to the land through dance, music, and stories, as well as the importance of family. Another huge takeaway from the trip will be the friendships I made across my group. Now, going forward I will keenly spread the knowledge I have learnt and discuss my incredible experience with others, and work towards a better future for Australia.
Phoebe Ruffa
Year 10
Reflections from the Top End Immersion
The importance of listening and learning about Indigenous culture and history is something I believe to be so incredibly crucial, and I am so beyond grateful for being able to have had the opportunity to have had meaningful conversations and to have created special connections with everyone I met in the Top End and Cape York region. I know that a lot of my peers and I are striving for a world where recognition is made with indigenous culture and their historic sovereignty, we know that this is the first step for reconciliation. In saying this, going on immersion to indigenous homelands and experiencing culture and conversations on their terms and on their land is something that I think is so important as a step towards reconciliation. Engaging myself in thoughtful and nuanced discussions and learning about First Nations, history, culture, and current events is something I have always been interested in and something that I believe everyone in Australia should actively engage themselves more in.
One important thing I have consistently learnt from going to various indigenous homelands and communities in Australia is the importance of actively engaging yourself in culture and appreciating the beauty in the art, the music, the waterways, and the land. In Indigenous culture, stories and teachings are passed down through art and music and I loved the opportunity to learn through weaving or even listening to Brendon playing the didgeridoo. The values in indigenous culture of listening, allowing for a balance in voices, appreciation for the land, and for seeing yourself not as an owner but as an occupant and one of the many parts of the land is something that we, and even the whole world, can learn from right now in a time of unsettling political affairs. Appreciating this beautiful culture I think acts as a tangible step towards recognising, reconciling, and building genuine connections with Indigenous Australia.
Nauiyu is a small and peaceful community nestled on the banks of the Daly River. The Malak Malak people are the traditional owners of the land and have continued to care for the land for thousands of years. The Malak Malak land claim was formally lodged in 1981 which in turn improved health, education and established local government services. We engaged in multiple activities in Naiuyu and saw beautiful landscapes. The shape of termite mounds, the colour of the river, we visited the billabong with beautiful lilies, got welcomed to country by the river, and even saw the eyes of crocodiles. We were lucky to have tried native Australian honey, green ants and on the last night had a cook up with the whole community. As a group we made really valuable connections with the kids in the community, whether that be through conversations, playing football, or picking mangoes off the tree. Visiting the local medical centre, general store and initiatives like iron bark gave us an insight into the functioning of communities and what needs to be improved and what works well. We met some incredible people who are working together on a path to close the gap. I hope, once I finish school, to work in communities like Nauiyu not only to close the gap but to experience more of the beautiful culture.
Miriam Rose Ungunmerr-Baumann Am is an Australian aboriginal activist, educator, artist of the Ngan’gityemerri language group and is the first indigenous teacher to work in the Northern Territory. We had the pleasure of having numerous interactions with her. She spoke of indigenous and non-indigenous Australians walking together and joining paths, recognising the past, accepting it, and moving towards a better future. She spoke of the cultural practice Dadirri which is a deep contemplative practice of truth telling, quiet still awareness, and the process of listening to one another. Dadirri is applied on the Country, with the cultural custodians to which it belongs, the Ngan’gikurunggkurr people from the Daly River region, Northern Territory. From practicing it with Miriam we gained the ability to ‘tune in’ and experience the beauty of nature and the importance for balance in your life.
“We cannot hurry the river.
We have to move with its current
and understand its ways.”
– Miriam Rose
20km from Katherine we stayed at a homeland Banatjarl where we swam in the river, completed a community service project, learnt a lot about bush medicine and learnt the technique of weaving. The traditional owners of the land are a part of the Jawoyn people. With conversations from Geo, Betty and Chiyo we learnt about language groups and how there are more than 250 language groups. We got given skin names from Betty which we learnt are an important aspect of aboriginal culture as it governs an individual right to own certain dreamings, as well as define their relationships and connections to traditional land and extended family.
The experience in the Top End gave me an appreciation into the beautiful landscapes, landforms and waterways that are unique to Australia. The Katherine Gorge gave me an insight into the sublimity of being in it. We should all do our part, just like indigenous Australians have done for centuries in maintaining its beauty. We should all help in continuing the world’s longest continuing culture of 60,000 years not just because of a statistic but because it is truly amazing and so much can be learnt in a contemporary lens. The conversations, connections, storytelling, and things we saw will stay with us all and guide us into the practice of reconciling with Indigenous Australia. I believe that the continuation of traditional culture and language is crucial to maintain, and I hope to in the future see and learn more about culture. I learned that the practice of slowing down, strengthening and healing, which I believe is so important today particularly when navigating our political climate. Going on this trip was an incredible honour for my friends and I, together we promise to do our part in recognising and amplifying indigenous voices.
Akira Nicholson
Year 11
