NAIDOC Week 2020

What an amazing celebration we had at SHORE.   ‘Always Was, Always Will Be’ is this year’s NAIDOC theme and our Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander students joined with the SHORE Staff and Students to highlight it’s significance to us all.

The week began with the SHORE NAIDOC lapel pin (designed by School House Braydon Mundy) being handed out by our boys to the students upon entering the school gates.  Prep School and the ELC at Northbridge were included in this also.

Braydon, Jye Peters and Cay Camden headed to the Prep Campus to start their morning Assembly with the Acknowledgment to Country by Braydon and a show and tell about the Didgeridoo by Jye. 

Later that day Braydon and Cay visited the ELC and K-1-2 where Braydon read a Dreamtime story about how the Kangaroo got his tail.  Braydon was asked some very ‘honest’ questions by the young folk, and handled himself brilliantly.  He tried to play the very large Digeridoo, however there was a problem with the instrument, not Braydon!

Throughout the Week Students were challenged in their Tutor Groups to discuss Care for the land and Connection to Country and each other.  This was reported to be very active conversation and a growing awareness for Staff and Students.

The absolute highlight for the week was the Thursday Headmaster’s Assembly where the boys took hold and educated all, with a personal Acknowledgment to Country again by Braydon (our Senior Student); presentation of the boys Artwork by Rishad Cook-Sabatino (Hodges House) & Ramiyah Tamu (Robson House); the Didgeridoo Facts by Carter Johnston (Mathers House); concluding with a brilliant display of musical sound by all of the SHORE Aboriginal Students, including Jack & Luke Horwood (School House) and DJ Nagle (School House).

Many hearts beat as one and as Elders say, “if the earth had a voice it would be the sound of the Didgeridoo”.

CAY CAMDEN (Senior School Counsellor-Aboriginal & Torres Strait Is Student Support)