Aboriginal for a Day workshop
SMILES and excitement adorned 60 South Grafton High School students’ faces yesterday, when they participated in an ‘Aboriginal for a Day’ workshop as part of the 14th National Reconciliation Week.
From storytelling to didgeridoo-playing and traditional dance to body painting, the entertaining and at times noisy day gave students a genuine taste of what it was like to live as one Australia’s original inhabitants.
Presented by Victorian-based company Cultural Infusion, the workshop aimed to spark students’ interest in the 40,000-plus-year-old Aboriginal culture.
Commending the students for their ‘above average’ behaviour and respect, Cultural Infusion director Alan Harris explained the concept behind the popular workshop.
“The idea is to ... get children interested in following cultural activities in their local area by promoting a national reconciliation message,” Mr Harris said.
South Grafton High’s Norta Norta (‘lots of learning’) tutor, Maggie Skeel, said the day offered students a greater understanding of the ‘vibrant, living’ Aboriginal culture.
“Indigenous students are often cut-off from their culture, while non-indigenous students often don’t recognise there is a culture there,” Ms Skeel said.
