Reading of Uncle Leo Briggs’ book during the DNPS NAIDOC celebrations.
With NAIDOC Week celebrations falling in the school holidays this year, Deniliquin North School got themselves organised early to mark the special week before the school term ended last week.
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It was a sea of red, yellow and black, with the school community joined by special guests from the Yarkuwa Indigenous Knowledge Centre and Deniliquin High School for an action packed program.
The morning started with the school’s yarning circle, officially opened with a smoking ceremony performed by Isaac Wilson and his Mother, Karen, followed by Deniliquin High School students.
Miley and Eden Lilford then read a story to the whole school, written by Uncle Leo Briggs and illustrated by Deni High students. Prizes were offered during the quiz that followed.
The students were then divided into groups led by the school’s indigenous students and rotated throughout the day between sport, art, food, music and dance stations.
Twelve staff members from Yarkuwa, 10 Deni High School staff members and several parent helpers taught the children some amazing things about Aboriginal culture.
Students played some new sports and games inspired by NAIDOC week that they had never played before.
In the North School hall, students learned how to dance with traditional animal dance moves and played with the clap sticks to the beat of the music.
In the crafts activities, students created their own painted rocks to take home and learned how to weave bracelets.
As part of the craft rotation, all students contributed to creating a beautiful grass skirt decorated with emu feathers and quandong seeds. It will be displayed at the school, along with a clay echidna all students took part in making.
Students then got their hands dirty, making Johnny cakes and cooking them over the campfire.
While waiting for them to cook, the students had the opportunity to try some cooked kangaroo meat and were pleasantly surprised by how much they liked it.
The yarning circle at DNPS NAIDOC celebrations.
Sacha Jefferies helped cooking the Johnny cakes.
Isaac Wilson.
Jordan Gardam, Jarren Richards, Angus Jefferies, Yemmuraki Jones, Sean Richards, Miley Lilford, Shia Parsons and Eden Lilford.
Liam Gordon, Will Turner, Tommy Dudley, Jaxon Rothe, and Lachlan Macdonald.
