During Reconciliation Week, our First Nations boys attended the University of Wollongong’s Reconciliation Event. With this year’s theme being Be Brave Make Change, I am proud to say how brave all the boys were to get up in front of UNI staff, students and the wider community and demonstrate the change needed in our community to work towards reconciliation. The boys with the assistance of our Community Mentors Layne Brown, Dakota Feirer and Shane Venables, started a smoking ceremony and performed two traditional dances.

Director of the Woolyungah Indigenous Centre – Jaymee Beveridge stated “I would like to acknowledge how well-behaved and respectful the students were yesterday. What a super proud moment for all to watch these young men dance and for some, for the very first time. They should be very proud of themselves, as we are proud of them”.

Watching our culture not only being practiced but welcomed and respected by the wider community is one of the first steps in moving towards a reconciled Australia.

Ms Neal
Aboriginal Education Officer