By Eric Martin
Students at Padbury Catholic Primary School have this term embraced indigenous culture with the celebration of Djooroobidiny.
The celebration of Djooroobidiny, which means ‘going along happily’ was an opportunity for the students to grow in the knowledge, traditions and insights of the Whadjuk Noongar people.
The celebration immersed the students in an integrated learning program, driven by the central idea of exploring the cultures and voices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and the truth of our shared history.
This culminated in a whole-school Exhibition that was held last week, on Friday 6 November – timed to support this week’s NAIDOC celebrations (November 8 to 15).
“The 2020 exhibition has expanded from our 2019 Year 4 Aboriginal Education Exhibition, which received a Certificate of Merit at the CEWA Quality Catholic Education Awards,” said Mrs Margaret Williamson, Padbury Catholic Primary School’s Principal.
“Our 2020 Exhibition has expanded to include all year levels across the school from Pre-Kindy to Year 6, as they explore and come to new understandings – Djooribidiny is an interactive exhibition celebrating our learning.”
The two-hour exhibition started at 1:30pm, with an Acknowledgement of Country, the Wanju (Welcome) Song, followed by The Lord’s Prayer, reflecting both of the cultures that inform the school’s ethos and define its identity as a West Australian Catholic School.
Four musical performances were scheduled and between items, parents and invited guests were encouraged to tour the school where the numerous projects, created by the children in preparation for Djooroobidiny, were on display: the library, MacKillop Room, school hall, undercover area and Year Four classrooms in particular had fantastic examples of the student’s creativity and exploration of indigenous culture.
“We invited many special guests such as members of the Catholic Education Office Aboriginal Team, the Honourable Martin Pritchard (MLC) and Mr Peter Katsambanis (MLA) as well as guests with Aboriginal heritage, school principals and our parent community,” Mrs Williamson said.
“The guest list was wide and varied as we wanted to reach out to as many groups within our local community in order to share with them the integrated learning that is occurring within our school.
“We hope to inspire other schools and local groups to become more aware of the culture of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and the truths of our shared history – perhaps they may undertake something similar in the future. “
Though every performance was a showstopper, Mrs Williamson shared that aside from the Grand Finale, the Year Four Stolen Generation artwork was one of the most powerful displays that she saw on the day.
“The children’s artwork was very emotive and captured the trauma that many of the stolen generation went through. The final song, ‘I am Australian’, sung both in English and Aboriginal language, brought a tear to my eye as our Year Six children, the entire school, parents and guests joined in.”
The success of Djooroobidiny comes on the back of the school’s first Exhibition in 2019, which Ms Sharon Davis (CEWA Aboriginal Education Team Leader 2019) stated, “was the best practice in embedding Aboriginal perspectives across the curriculum, that I have seen since I started at CEWA in 2015.”
Unsurprisingly, Djooroobidiny is set to return to Padbury Catholic Primary School in 2021.
“Next year we will continue our teaching and learning, ensuring the voices, stories and perspectives of First Nations peoples, are authentically embedded within the curriculum at our school and our Djooroobidiny exhibition will continue to evolve,” Mrs Williamson said.
Padbury Catholic Primary School is a co-educational Catholic primary school catering for approximately 500 students from Pre-Kindy to Year Six, located North of the River on Gibson Avenue, near Hilliarys’ Marina. The school is part of the Craigie Parish – Our Lady of the Missions.