Celebrating First Nations culture through story

Stuart Galbraith, Head of Advancement

Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures provide us with over 60,000 years of stories. Through this long history, First Nations people have developed rich traditions that can be expressed through music, storytelling and visual art.

As a nation, and as a school, we continue to seek to educate our community about the history and ongoing culture of First Nations people. The addition of two new bold and visually dynamic murals unveiled in the Little Library late last year complements Carey‘s existing initiatives and provides an important visual connection to the Wurundjeri Country where Carey stands today.

ELC students with Wurundjeri/Dja Dja Wurrung artist Samantha Roberts with her mural 'Bunjil's Story'.

'Bunjil’s Story' (above) and 'Community' (below) were created by Samantha Roberts, a Wurundjeri/Dja Dja Wurrung artist. Samantha says, ‘The design of "Bunjil’s Story" involves the themes of storytelling, Wurundjeri culture and the development of colour. It incorporates traditional and contemporary ideas and shares the history of the land where the School is located.’

Samantha explains that 'Community' represents the layers involved in a child’s development.

An initial mockup of 'Community' by Samantha Roberts.

‘These circles represent the saying that “it takes a village to raise a child”, because it is important to have children grow up in environments that expose them to different perspectives of life and be supported by many different people along the way.

‘It is about the ripples of change and the growth they go through and the resilience they build as they develop their own personalities and strengths. It is also about the people there to support and guide them along their journey through storytelling.’

We are thrilled to have these vibrant artworks in the Little Library and greatly appreciate Samantha discussing her work and Wurundjeri culture with our students.

The murals would not have been possible without the support of the Junior School Parents Association and our Junior School Kew community, who shared our vision for this project funded through Community Giving last year. We are grateful for their support and hope our ELC and Prep students and teachers continue to enjoy the murals.

Help us sustain our beautiful natural environment

Environmental sustainability is a top priority at Carey. Through this year‘s Community Giving appeal, you can help us install solar panels at Carey‘s Camp Toonallook, reducing our environmental impact. For more information, go to giving.carey.com.au