“DON’T keep history a mystery – learn, share, grow” was the powerful message delivered to the Millicent community recently in recognition of National Reconciliation Week.
As part of the nationwide celebrations, Year 8 students gathered at Millicent High School’s (MHS) Aboriginal meeting place garden last week and embraced indigenous culture and history during two rotating sessions.
School support officer Kathy Bell, Aboriginal community education officer Jenny Bishop and Aboriginal educator Doug Nicholls hosted the activities and highlighted the importance of the week to participating students.
“Reconciliation week is really important to myself and to the whole of Australia,” Doug said.
“Every school, council and government organisation in Australia has recognised the week.
“They have done something to commit to the cause of understanding Aboriginal culture and values and how important Aboriginal culture and Aboriginal people are in our society.
“We all can work together as Australians and treat each other with respect and understanding because we are learning Aboriginal values and we are passing on the knowledge.”
Doug thanked students for attending, adding their attendance was “the first step”.
“Reconciliation Week gets the message out there about our culture and how proud we are,” he said.
“We are at 65,000 years of Aboriginal culture in Australia and if we can pass on some knowledge to our community through educational programs like this then we can help look after and care for country.”
Doug shared his knowledge of indigenous history in the Limestone Coast area and told Dreamtime stories before giving students the opportunity to try their hand at throwing a boomerang.
Meanwhile, Jenny and Kathy worked with students to create reconciliation artwork, which focused on the “values of reconciliation” and was a twist on cultural heritage, natural vegetation and Aboriginal cultural values.
Working as a team, students created a “tree with values” using bark and painting indigenous artwork on leaves.
National Reconciliation Week was held from May 27 to June 3 and provided the opportunity to celebrate indigenous history and culture in Australia and foster reconciliation.
