Healing country: Bega schoolkids learn about Indigenous culture in NAIDOC Week

Bega Valley Public School (BVPS) kicked off its week-long NAIDOC celebrations with a flag raising ceremony on Monday morning, June 21.

NAIDOC is celebrated not only by Indigenous communities but by Australians from all walks of life, celebrating the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

"The purpose of us celebrating NAIDOC Week is to continue to shine a light on our culture and continue to educate our students here at the school on the importance of Aboriginal culture," Michell said.

Although the week is about educating students, it is just as much about having fun she said.

Michell said she noticed a sense of pride within students that identify as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders when a group stood up to read speeches prior to raising the flag.

Ms Scott's mother, Annette Scott, said it was wonderful seeing the kids take pride in knowing where they come from and identifying themselves to their culture.

"Given the history, it's important for the kids to feel like they belong," Annette said.

She also said these kinds of events have a deep underlying spiritual aspect to it - "as a people when we meet it's spiritual."

Annette popped in on the day to support the flag raising ceremony but also to visit the Indigenous art made by pupils from Kindergarten through to Year 6.

The week-long celebration has many exciting activities in store for the BVPS students.

"It's really exciting celebrating NAIDOC this week. Because of COVID last year, we couldn't celebrate it the way we would normally celebrate," Michell said.

Later on Monday, Bega High School students visited to teach Year 5 and 6 some Indigenous games they could then pass on to the younger children at BVPS.

Tuesday included rotational activities and art, with Thursday opening up the art exhibition of the pupils' artworks.

Wednesday was filled with exciting activities including a trip to Jigamy for Years 3 and 4 and a visit from the Local Aboriginal Lands Council to teach Years 5 and 6 about cultural burning.

"It's not just 'let's do some dot painting and some colouring in', it's real education not only about our history but also about our landmarks, our country," Michell said.

NAIDOC's 2021 theme is "Heal Country", which James Scott finds fitting after the 2019-20 bushfires.

"The fires brought the issue to the fore and it really shows to everyone that we do need to spend time healing country and taking care of it," James said.

Brother and sister James and Michell Scott play active roles in passing on Indigenous cultural knowledge through their teaching positions within the Bega Valley Public School (BVPS).

"Every Wednesday we have a cultural program that James and I run and it's targeted at our Aboriginal students from Years 3-6," Michell said.

"Looking at anything from dance, to language, to art to teaching the kids about their totem."

Michell and James said the program doesn't only teach the kids about their culture, but encouraged them to be themselves, speak their language and bond together.

"One of the things I always do when we start our Wednesday afternoon classes is give the students an opportunity just to talk and be together," Michell said.

"Because we always need that opportunity to meet up, talk, laugh and connect."

"When the kids get together they remind us so much of ourselves when we were kids, because as soon as you got with your mob you'd just let your hair down, talk your language," James added.