Published on: 4 July 2014





Boys in the Preparatory School embraced a week of celebrating and learning about Indigenous culture as part of NAIDOC Week.

Chantal Hockey, who co-ordinated NAIDOC Week events in the Prep School, said the boys had opportunities to learn from special guests, including Senior School boys from Christ Church’s Indigenous Student Program.

On Tuesday and Thursday respectively, boys from Pre-Primary through to Year 6 participated in one of two incursions with special guests Phil Walley-Stack and Shaun Nannup, where they learnt about Nyoongar culture through music, dance and language. “Phil and Shaun also talked a lot about respect and of the importance of sharing and learning about cultures that may be different from your own,” Ms Hockey said.

Friday’s NAIDOC Week Assembly began with Sally-Ann Lee and Rachel Roberts’ vertical tutor group presenting a play about the Whadjuk Nyoongar story of the land Christ Church is built on.

On Thursday and Friday mornings, the School’s 16 indigenous students led Prep School boys through their original paintings, on surfboards, in the Old Boys’ Gallery. The senior students talked to the boys about their artwork and the symbolism used.

This year, there was also some artwork by students from the Yakanarra Community School on display. Yakanarra is one of the remote schools Christ Church visits as part of its Indigenous Immersion program. The exhibition is on until the end of Term 3.

Earlier in the week, Prep boys were able to join Senior School boys in the Gymnasium Precinct to watch the ‘Indigenous All-Stars’ student team win against a staff team in basketball. Other activities included a free dress day for the ICEA (Indigenous Community Education Awareness Foundation) on Tuesday and a week-long colouring competition.