ABORIGINAL EDUCATION CONSULTATIVE GROUP FORMATION

The founding meeting of this Group was held on 12^th March, 2007 with special guest Delma Davison, AECG consultant from Sydney Consultative Group.  Delma assumed the role of Returning Officer and the results were:

 

President:                    Sharon Briffa  

Vice President:            Donna Syron

Secretary:                    Pauline Syron 

Treasurer:                    Kerrie Tisdell.

Regional Representatives to attend State AGM and State meetings:

 Sharon

 Kerrie

 Pauline.

Quorum was set at 5 full members

Membership was set at $2:00

 

Congratulations to those who have taken office.

 

The AECG and the Aboriginal Education Committee meets on a monthly basis during school terms.

 

 For more information please contact the School Administration Office on 4997 4329.

 

The Aboriginal Flag was adopted on 14 July 1995

 (in use since 12 July 1971) Flag Proportion: 2:3

The Aboriginal Flag was designed in 1971 by Harold Thomas, an artist and an Aboriginal. The flag was designed to be an eye-catching rallying symbol for the Aboriginal people and a symbol of their race and identity. The black represents the Aboriginal people, the red the earth and their spiritual relationship to the land, and the yellow the sun, the giver of life. In the late 1960s, Aborigines stepped up their campaign for indigenous land rights through protest marches, demonstrations, banners and posters. The protests increased in the early 1970s and Harold Thomas noticed they were often outnumbered by non-Aborigines with their own banners and placards. He decided they needed to be more visible and the idea of the flag was born. The Aboriginal flag was first raised in Victoria Square in Adelaide on National Aboriginal Day in 1971, but was adopted nationally by Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders in 1972 after it was flown above the Aboriginal "Tent Embassy" outside of the old Parliament House in Canberra.

The Torres Strait Islander Flag was adopted on 14 July 1995

 (in use since 29 May 1992) Flag Proportion: 2:3

The Torres Strait Islander flag is attributed to the late Bernard Namok of Thursday Island.  The flag is emblazoned with a white Dari (headdress) which is a symbol of Torres Strait Islanders. The white five pointed star beneath it symbolises the five major island groups and the navigational importance of stars to these seafaring people. The green stripes represent the land, the black stripes represent the people, and the blue the sea. The flag as a whole symbolises the unity of all Torres Strait Islanders. As with the Aboriginal Flag, the Torres Strait Islander Flag is beginning to be flown more widely and gaining more recognition as indigenous issues gain more prominence in Australia.  The Federal Government initiated steps in 1994 to give the flag legal recognition. After a period of public consultation, the Government decided in July 1995 that the flag should be proclaimed a "Flag of Australia" under section 5 of the Flags Act 1953. The flag was so proclaimed by the Governor General of Australia, William Hayden, on 14 July 1995.

 

 

DID YOU KNOW

that BCS was one of the first schools in the area to fly the Australian Aboriginal Flag?Also, at all formal assemblies this flag and the Torres Strait Islander flag are displayed along with the Australian National and New South Wales State flags.

The Welcome to Country or Acknowledgement of Country is also said.

 

NATIONAL APOLOGY

 

The Commonwealth Government formally said sorry to the stolen generations when the Parliament resumed in Canberra on 13^th February, 2008. The Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, delivered the apology as the first item of business for the new Parliament. The day before, at the official opening of the Parliament, the Ngunnawal People performed a welcome to country ceremony - the first time this has happened in the national Parliament. Both are historic events for Aboriginal people and for all Australians. The apology acknowledges the profound wrong done to Aboriginal children, families and communities by governments removing children on the basis of race.

It is believed the apology is an essential step towards a closer relationship between Australians. Strong friendships are based on truth, recognition and respect, and sustained by forgiveness.  Wednesday 13^th February gave all Australians the opportunity to reflect on the past, to celebrate how Australia’s first peoples have survived policies that destroyed family, kinship and identity, and to look to the future with resolve and optimism.

 

 

ANNIVERSARY NAIDOC CELEBRATIONS AT BCS

 

NAIDOC celebrations are held around Australia in the first full week in July to celebrate the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. NAIDOC originally stood for ‘National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee’. This committee was once responsible for organising national activities during NAIDOC Week, and its acronym has become the name of the week itself. The week is celebrated not just in the Indigenous community, but also in increasing numbers of government agencies, schools, local councils and workplaces.

 

To mark the 50^th anniversary of NAIDOC in 2007, the primary department of BCS held a NAIDOC CELEBRATION DAY on 28^TH June and what a wonderful day it was! Students and staff, dressed in the colours of the Aboriginal flag – red, black and yellow, enjoyed a variety of activities organised by the Aboriginal Education Consultative Group (AECG) together with the Bulahdelah Aboriginal Education Committee (AEC). An assembly was called to begin the celebrations. Pauline Syron, Secretary of the AECG made the Welcome to Country.  Many students waved Aboriginal flags as the Hunter River Dance Group performed a dance about two boys being initiated into a tribe. It was great to hear the Worimi language (Katang) being spoken.

 

Each student in all primary classes had been busy creating artworks based on local Aboriginal symbols on a 5” piece of calico which was sewn into a quilt with an Aboriginal flag backing. The quilt was presented to Principal Bob Brenton and is displayed in the school foyer as recognition of the 50^th anniversary.

After the assembly the Dance Group held Boys’ Workshops while girls participated in story telling. Lunch time was Taste Test time.  Primary students and parents were invited to try local indigenous food such as kangaroo steak, sausages and stew, fish pieces, Johnny cakes and damper all served with special jams, sauces and teas. Members of the AEC were present to prepare and serve the Bush Tucker BBQ with all these interesting “taste testers”. 

 

The secondary department marked NAIDOC with the traditional acknowledgement included in the Term 2 Formal Assembly which involves an address from a local Aboriginal identity, presentation of Aboriginal flags to Year 12 Indigenous students and a musical item.