The River of Learning Celebration Day was held at Maclean High School on Wednesday 1 June.
It was a lovely day with many Elders and community members coming to the school from 9 am for an Elders morning tea in the library as a prelude to the whole school assembly, where the Yaegl Elders were introduced to the student body and they presided over a smoking ceremony conducted by Uncle Ron and Sam Kapeen, followed by a cleansing dance performed by our boys’ Aboriginal dance group.
From the quadrangle, the Celebration Day moved to the gymnasium, where Year 7 students were assembled. The PD H PE faculty organised Aboriginal games on the basketball courts, where each Year 7 class could participate. Parents and community members were then invited inside the gymnasium to look at the student work completed in Term 1, and sample bush tucker generously prepared by community members.
The official part of the Celebration Day comprised a welcome speech by Carla Taylor, Relieving Principal of Maclean High School, and an official Welcome by Uncle Sam Kapeen. The school also welcomed special guests Sarah and James Thomas who are part of the NISEP program and are in partnership with Macquarie University. They are also the co-founders of Indigenous enterprise South Coast Seaweed, where their goal is to revitalise Indigenous and local knowledge of plants on Country and in the sea; and to encourage young people in science as well as connecting to Country through plants. Sarah and James are a part of the partnership between Maclean High School and Macquarie University and were running workshops with our science students after the Celebration Day.
Awards and recognition were given to students in year 7 who were nominated for exhibiting key characteristics of reconciliation and the school ethos of FRESH. Following the special presentation to our Elders Uncle Ron, Uncle Wal and Aunty Glenda, who ran the Cultural Tours for Year 7 students in Term 1, awards were given to the winners of the River of Learning Art Exhibition held at the Storyhouse museum in Yamba.
This year’s theme – My favourite place on Yaegl – asked the students to draw, paint or sketch their favourite place in this very unique part of Australia. The River of Learning Art Show invites Maclean High School students and Year 6 Primary School students to enter to promote the River of Learning Celebration day to all schools within Yaegl Country.
For the first time this year, the River of Learning Celebration Day program included a performance from a staff and student choral group who performed the River is Flowing in Yaegl language. The group did extremely well, and the audience appreciated their performance. The second musical item was led by Ms Kelly McGuiness, Head Teacher CAPA, and Year 7 students, termed the ‘Year 7 Super Group’. They lived up to their name and performed brilliantly, which means we will be seeing a lot more of them at musical performances in the future.
