NAIDOC week is upon us and Hastings Public School have led the way with a special assembly on June 26.
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NAIDOC stands for National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee.
It is held in the first full week of July as a time to celebrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander history, culture and achievements.
Hastings Public students and staff were joined by local Aboriginal dignitaries for the assembly.
It was organised and run by Aboriginal students and featured a welcome to country, speeches, dances and a didgeridoo performance.
Uncle Bill O’Brien, OAM, was in attendance and said it was a great way to welcome in NAIDOC week.
“I’m very proud of the boys and the girls who participated in proceedings. It has been really good and there has been great feedback from everybody,” he said.
“As a community we are gaining a better understanding of one another. It’s good that they have brought it in to schools and that schools are leading the way.
“It goes right around the community and everyone gets to share a week of celebrations for the Aboriginal people and Torres Strait Islander people.”
Jason Kelly and Katrina Simon are classroom teachers at Hastings and aided the children in organising the festivities.
“The students did an outstanding job.
“It was really good to see them get involved and shine. I was really proud of them,” Mr Kelly said.
It was not just a big assembly, but it will be a week of celebrations with Aboriginal food, sports, games and learning the Gathang language, which is the local Birpai language.
“It’s all about cultures coming together.
“For us, it’s about giving the wider school community a background as to why it is so important, and celebrating it,” Mrs Simon said.
“We really wanted to get our Aboriginal students involved to run the assembly so it’s a bit more special to them and so the other students could relate. We’re very lucky to have a very supporting school community.”
Other schools in the area have either already held an assembly, or will celebrate NAIDOC week when school commences for term three.