Staff from nine schools in the Gunnedah shire area got back to Australia’s roots after attending the first day of the Connecting to Country program recently.
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As part of the three-day program, teachers learnt about local Gamilaraay Aboriginal culture, history and social experience.
The program is designed by the state Aboriginal Educational Consultancy Group (AECG) and is run by the local Gunnedah group.
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AECG Gunnedah committee president Meleah Walters said about 190 teachers, teachers aides, and office staff from the Gunnedah shire attended the first day of the program.
“For their staff development day, they visited three sites which are significant to Aboriginal people,” Ms Walters said.
“The program is designed to give people more awareness, so they’re able to communicate more effectively with Aboriginal people that they’re giving all students the opportunity to learn about Gamilaraay customs.”
The first site they visited was Mullibah Lagoon, where they learnt traditional weaving and listened to stories told by the Yinarr Maramali peoples.
Ms Walters said the next stop was Wallaby Trap, where they were met by local Aboriginal people from the community, including Wayne Griffith and James Hogbin from the Winanga-Li Child Care Centre.
“They spoke about the importance of community and coming together, and making sure that Aboriginal culture and history was taught to everyone,” she said.
The final site was Pensioners Hill, where staff painted their journey and stories of the day on a puzzle piece.
[After finishing the course] they will then be equipped with some background knowledge of the local area so they can share stories with kids.
- Meleah Walters, AECG Gunnedah committee president
“Each staff member had a puzzle piece, and each school had a puzzle so it could be displayed in their school,” Ms Walters said.
The staff will attend two more sessions in the next two months to finish the course.
“They will then be equipped with some background knowledge of the local area so they can share stories with kids,” Ms Walters said.
“They will also have links to community members so they can help out too.”
The full list of schools in attendance are as follows:
- Boggabri Public School
- Carroll Public School
- Curlewis Public School
- GS Kidd Memorial School
- Gunnedah High School
- Gunnedah Public School
- Gunnedah South Public School
- Mullaley Public School
- Tambar Springs Public School
Gunnedah AECG encourages Aboriginal community members to attend meetings every school term in week two, on Thursday afternoons at 4pm at Gunnedah Public School.
Jessica Worboys
Education and youth reporter at the Northern Daily Leader. Get in touch via jessica.worboys@austcommunitymedia.com.au
Education and youth reporter at the Northern Daily Leader. Get in touch via jessica.worboys@austcommunitymedia.com.au
