AURORA JULY 2020

Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle July 2020 | No.203

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A U R O R A C AT H O L I C D I O C E S E O F M A I T L A N D - N E W C A S T L E

The Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle is located on traditional lands of Awabakal, Biripi Darkinjung, Kamilaroi, Wiradjuri, Wonnarua, and Worimi peoples. We honour the wisdom of and pay respect to, Elders past, present and emerging, and acknowledge the spiritual culture of all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples across Australia. We have much to learn from this ancient culture.

We the Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle also acknowledge that in the past, wrongful policies and practices of the Australian government and churches, including the Catholic Church, resulted in the discrimination and disadvantage of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. This has caused many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to lose their culture and language, and to experience discrimination and disadvantage that continues to cause great sorrow and shame for many Australians.

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On the cover Indigenous artist, Richard Campbell, has kindly permitted Aurora to reproduce his artwork The Star of David for its front cover.

Read an interview with Richard, and his sister Louise, on page 6.

Featured

This edition of Aurora initially took its inspiration from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Sunday, set to be celebrated in the Catholic Church in Australia this Sunday 5 July. The decision regarding the theme was made by the Editorial Team well before the Black Lives Matter movement swept the world. Nevertheless, as occurs with each edition, the content flagged for inclusion evolved as the movement grew. Whilst not every article is directly linked, you will read about some of the barriers and challenges Indigenous Australians experienced in years past and continue to experience in 2020.

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RAP advances social change

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Siblings bear scars but retain faith

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How rugby helped me to belong

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Indigenous entrepreneur offers sporting chance

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Beliefs shared responsibly

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The getting of wisdom

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My story

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Recognition and support required

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Celebrate differences for harmony

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Cultures headed for healthy outcome

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Help towards healing the nation

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Language outlives missionary effort

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Contact Aurora

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Fertile research

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Next deadline 10 July, 2020

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Infertility tales shared

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Aurora editorial and advertising enquiries should be addressed to:

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Communication needs breaking down

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Elizabeth Snedden P 0404 005 036 E elizabeth.snedden@mn.catholic.org.au

Regulars

I’ve heard it said before, and more so in recent weeks, that it’s not enough to not be racist. We must be relentless in our quest for knowledge and become advocates for change. In 2018, while working for CatholicCare, I was fortunate enough to take part in Aboriginal cultural awareness training designed for staff and foster carers. It was an experience that completely changed my perception of Australian history. Decisions made by former governments – with support from the Church – have caused devastating,

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generational impacts for Australia’s first inhabitants. It was in that course I learnt that the effects of the stolen generation still resonate decades after the last children were forcibly removed from their parents. The impacts are still evident, not just because of a level of distrust that still exists between some Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and government bodies, but because the trauma of being stolen can impact at a cellular level for up to two generations of offspring.

It is time to look to the future and plan for a united Australia where all voices are heard, valued and respected equally. But first, we must genuinely acknowledge the hurt and harm caused, authentically reconcile, and ensure we don’t repeat the same mistakes. As a Catholic publication we must support these efforts, not only because of the Church’s past actions that have in part contributed to the devastation experienced by so many, but also because Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders are a valued part of our Church’s future. Since 1986 there has been a 186 per cent growth

Warning: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are warned photographs in this magazine may contain images of deceased persons, which may cause sadness or distress.

in the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders who identify as Catholic, making them the youngest and fastestgrowing demographic within the Church in Australia.

I want to take this opportunity to thank members of The Diocese Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Catholic Ministry Group, including Kamilaroi woman Jennifer Rumbel and Gumbaingga woman Louise Campbell, who have overseen the content you will read in this edition; their guidance has been invaluable. I would also like to thank those featured, many of whom shared very personal accounts of their experience as an Aboriginal person living in contemporary Australia. I had the pleasure to speak with most, if not all the people featured, and their willingness to share their story in the hope of building a reconciled Australia was incredibly moving. They don’t believe their voice is more important than mine, the granddaughter of Irish Catholic migrants. Still, they welcomed the opportunity to be given a platform to share their Indigenous perspective, which has been missing in government, education, churches and the media for far too long.

Lizzie Snedden is Editor for Aurora

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First word

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My word

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CareTalk

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Community noticeboard

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Last word

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A U R O R A C AT H O L I C D I O C E S E O F M A I T L A N D - N E W C A S T L E

Lives that mattered As we come up to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Sunday this year, issues of race, discrimination and reconciliation are very much on the public agenda around the world. Massive demonstrations have indicated the public in many countries has had enough of racism and is demanding change. These massive demonstrations would not have occurred if there were not still deeply entrenched racist structures and attitudes. In Australia, the protests have centred on black deaths in custody, but the international theme is Black Lives Matter, and this has got me thinking about some of the Black lives that have mattered to me.

The only famous name I will mention is Shirley Smith, “Mum Shirl” of Redfern. I met Shirley when she came with Fr Ted Kennedy to talk with my seminary class about what they and the Church were doing in Redfern. After 45 years or so, I don’t remember the details, but one of my classmates said or asked something stupid, and Ted went off into a genuine Irish-Australian rage. He left, threatening to come back with truckloads of Aboriginal people to occupy all the vacant rooms in the college.

Mum Shirl, by contrast, I remember as being strong and clear, but restrained and very old-fashioned-Catholic in her approach to young men destined for priesthood. Later, Shirley was a presence in my first parish. She worshipped at Redfern, but one of her houses was in our parish. (Shirley was “Mum Shirl” because of all the “children” she looked after, all the kids she brought up and put through school.) Some of her kids were in the

parish school and the First Communion class and so on. So, I knew her as a “parent” who, like any parent, was ever watchful that her children were not disadvantaged in any way, wanting them to have better education, better inclusion in everything, than she had experienced.

So, this was the domestic Shirley, not the public figure, but still a force of nature: strong, wise, passionate but always commanding respect by giving respect.

God knows how many lives she changed, how many lives she saved in her time.

By way of contrast, there was Nigel. Nigel was only about 15 when he popped up in one of my later parishes. He’d been told by police in his country town to get out and never come back. Anyway, why Nigel matters is that he was just such a good kid. When one of the parish staff died suddenly, Nigel, who had not known the man, received the message that his “back office” work had supported the Skillshare program of which Nigel was a part. So, Nigel decided he had to go to the funeral, out of gratitude. He was like that, but also smart and articulate and full of possibilities. One day he was telling me about his hometown and how powerful the Aboriginal kids were there. “You had to be in with them or you were in trouble,” he said. Now Nigel was a fair, blue-eyed, blond kid, so I asked, “How did you get on?”

“I am Aboriginal,” he said, looking at me as if I was the stupidest creature he’d met. I don’t know what became of Nigel.

I helped him get out of town very quickly after he took up with the wrong guy’s girlfriend. Obviously, his life wasn’t going

to be easy out there on his own. But his was a “black” life that really should have mattered.

And then there was Frank the poet.

Frank lived in a house on parish property.

Informally he was the parish’s “poet-inresidence”, having his writing published, while formally he worked, especially with the Aboriginal people connected to the Education Centre and Skillshare and, occasionally, he talked to students from the Catholic high school about the Aboriginal experience in Australia.

Now, Frank was a man educated in both cultures, so we could talk about all manner of things. If we happened to disagree, he had the quiet, wry, Aboriginal way of letting you know: “Oh, you think that, do you?” So, I was taken aback one day when Frank really blew up on a group of Year 9 students from the high school. Again, I don’t remember exactly what the problem was, but quiet, cool,

wise Frank was shouting at kids that they were racists. It was a reminder of how deep, or how close to the surface, the hurts of black history are, even in people who seem to have really found their place in life.

Here, these few must stand for so many others. I’ve been privileged, through priesthood, to know so many Aboriginal people who have enriched my life one way or another. I hope I’ve learned a few things along the way. And I hope that, following this strange and troubled year, things truly will get better.

Bishop Bill Wright Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle

Frankly Spoken My friends, we cannot tolerate or turn a blind eye to racism and exclusion in any form and yet claim to defend the sacredness of every human life.

Pope Francis, Library of the Apostolic Palace, 3 June 2020

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RAP advances social change TERESA BRIERLEY A reconciled community is one in which Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and other Australians work together in a spirit of respect, honesty, humility, mutual care, accountability and trust to bring about hope, healing, love, justice and peace.

These fundamental principles are part of the message of Jesus, the living tradition of our Catholic faith, and Catholic Social Teaching. The dignity of every person and living being is fundamental to Christianity and this ethic of life has formed part of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’s culture for more than 60,000 years.

A Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) is a powerful tool for advancing social change.

Organisations that adopt a RAP can influence the attitudes and behaviours of the people who they guide, through either employment or study.

The Diocese Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Catholic Ministry Group fosters spiritual, cultural and social development of its people. The group, until recently known as the Aboriginal Catholic Ministry, was originally established in 1975 by Sr Pat Adams, a Sister of Mercy who still lives in our Diocese. A RAP subcommittee has been formed from the group comprising

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff, non-Indigenous staff and members of the Diocesan Leadership Group. In consultation with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, the subcommittee is committed to establishing a RAP for use throughout our parishes, schools and agencies.

The Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle’s RAP will reflect our ongoing commitment to reconciliation and action with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, many of whom are employees, parishioners or engage in our services. Through our RAP, the Diocese is committed to improved relationships, respect and opportunities.

The Diocese RAP will help us facilitate further understanding, promote meaningful engagement, provide an understanding of cultural ways, increase equality and develop sustainable employment. We are keen to collaborate with all parts of the diocesan community because all parts of the Diocese serve Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Our vision for reconciliation is to follow Catholic Social Teaching, which promotes a just society grounded in biblical revelations, and principles to end poverty, promote justice, uphold dignity, and further a love of God and love of neighbour.

We believe in the value of human dignity, which provides people with the capacity to develop fully. With this RAP and future RAPs, the Diocese will deliver reconciliation actions aimed at closing social and economic gaps in order to ensure the human dignity of all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people we engage, employ, educate or assist.

The first step in any RAP is to achieve stronger relationships and opportunities between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and non-Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. We hope to achieve this by including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the day-to-day life of our diocesan, parish and agency worship, leadership, decision-making, employment and outreach.

It is hoped that by providing cultural awareness and learning opportunities to employees and members of the community we will develop an understanding and appreciation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture, spirituality, history and achievements. Respect is central to our RAP, which is only possible if we take time to share stories.

Relationships between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and non-Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are an

essential component of the success of any RAP. It involves all levels of the Diocese being engaged in the identified outcomes.

Accordingly, in order to achieve stronger relationships, respect and opportunities, resources of people, time and funds are committed as part of the RAP. The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Catholic Ministry Group meets every two months to explore ways the Diocese can connect with, and advocate for, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in our community. The Group supports National Reconciliation Week, NAIDOC week, as well as cultural immersion experiences and connects staff, students and families in our schools, parishes and agencies to Aboriginal Catholic spirituality.

To adapt the words of John M Perkins: "There is no reconciliation until you recognise the dignity of the other person, until you really listen to their story and see their point of view and until you enter into their pain and woundedness, feel their need and walk with them."

Teresa Brierley is Director of Pastoral Ministries in the Diocese of MaitlandNewcastle, and a member of The Diocese Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Catholic Ministry Group.

The Catholic Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle regularly takes part in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural activities such as these NAIDOC week celebrations in Sacred Heart Cathedral in 2017

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Siblings bear scars but retain faith DARRELL CROKER Aboriginal siblings Richard and Louise Campbell were separated when they were stolen from their parents in 1965. Richard somehow survived the inhumane treatment of the Kinchela Boys Home outside Kempsey, while Louise grew up with foster families in western Sydney as well as the Hunter Valley.

Despite the government and the church implementing wrongful and discriminatory policies and practices that resulted in disadvantage for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, Richard and Louise still have a relationship with the Catholic Church.

“The churches need to understand they aided and abetted the government policy that resulted in the stolen generation,” says Richard. “But I still have a relationship with the Church because I am baptised as a Catholic. I have friends who are priests and nuns and I have a love of painting that reflects stories.” It’s Richard’s painting on the cover of this Aurora.

Art and the synergies of the Dreaming and the Old Testament brought the separated siblings together. Louise asked Richard for help telling the stories of the Bible to a class she was teaching. “I did not get to know her until then,” he says.

When he was forcibly removed aged nine, Richard was not only discouraged from, but punished for, celebrating Indigenous culture. But he never lost his ancestral heritage.

“My culture was everything to me and I never forgot it,” says Richard. “My mother and father and my cultural mothers and fathers, grandfathers and grandmothers were my greatest teachers. I had a role in this kinship community, and I loved it every day. I get many of my grannies now to do what I did then. I am old now and hopefully they will teach their children.”

In one sense, Louise’s experience in care was no different. At times you could say, it was more harrowing – her identity was stolen.

“I learnt what I had from my mother’s fathers and grandparents,” she says.

“There were many of them who contributed to me learning about who I was and where I came from. But unfortunately, this came to an end when aged five, I was removed in 1965 and the culture and ancestral learnings were taken away.

“As a result, I was forced to learn another culture and its language, eat different foods and live a different life. I was taught by others who were not my family. The thing that impacted on me most was the loss of the cultural continuum of the learnings from my family. There was an interruption and space where I had nothing to do with my culture and what that brings with it.”

She describes the experience of reestablishing relations with her siblings as “scary and daunting”.

“It took a long time,” she says. “I would have been in my 20s before I got to know most of them. But I was still looking throughout that time. Once I got over that scariness and acceptance by all of us, then it was great getting to know them again.”

Richard’s artworks incorporate Dreamtime and Christian symbolism, highlighting synergies between the two belief systems.

“Our old Indigenous stories have been told for many, many, many generations, since time immemorial,” he says. “The Christian story told as it is today is part of our own story but expressed in a way where those cultures understand it. Louise and I believe they are the same.”

The sharing of art is significant in Aboriginal culture. “It helps those who do not have words in front of them to tell the stories,” says Richard. “It reflects our lore, values, roles and responsibilities. I never incorporated eyes in my paintings, preferring an abstract representation, but when I have placed a face to the figures, they seem to change my people.

“For example, when I presented the Last Corroboree to my elders in an art exhibition back home in Bowraville for their blessings, my great aunties and grandmothers hid their eyes, covering them with their arms. They couldn’t look at it. They sat at the front and cried. There were about 10 of them and Louise and I went to speak to them and asked why they did that. They all said they couldn’t look at that painting because they would be looking at their fathers and uncles who were there at the last corroboree on the island. They were there as little girls and it reminded them of that night.”

Artwork is one important way of disseminating Aboriginal culture, but Louise says we can share through all Photo: Callam Howard

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“We have made small steps for First Nations’ rights in Australia. But we need to make more, and this can happen through discussions and openness." sorts of creative expressions. “We can teach in the education sector, like I do,” she says. “Including First Nations peoples in decision-making processes is important. Include them at every table in the company. We have a lot to contribute but we are completely absent from many things. A whole cultural shift needs to occur for First Nations people to be included, let alone worrying about whether the community is going to support Indigenous culture in any way.”

Richard encourages tolerance and celebrating diversity. “Australians need to be educated about our First Peoples and that they looked after this land for thousands of years and did it well,” he says. “We should be valued. We have a contribution.”

Both say they still experience racism.

“Every day,” says Richard. Louise says it can be subtle, but sometimes so glaring she has to remove herself from the situation and not call it out. “It is a way of protecting myself and trying to survive,” she says. “But this must change.”

The Black Lives Matter movement has led to increased attention on Aboriginal deaths in custody. Louise says it has been a horrific way to wake the world up, but black lives do matter.

“All of us need to call out what this is and why it is and how it will impact on people who are not included or disproportionately being singled out,” she says. “In Australia, First Nations people have been fighting and protesting for basic human rights for decades, to no avail. These challenges are not taught in our schools. Future generations will not get to know any of this, and this is where it starts.

“Black Lives Matter has started the discussion about statues of people who were part of the colonisation sweep. We need to be talking more openly about these issues. People are very sensitive to discuss because they feel they may offend. But I say ‘don’t feel that you may offend. Just say what you want to say’ and we can discuss this and work through the issues.

“We have made small steps for First Nations’ rights in Australia. But we need to make more, and this can happen through discussions and openness. Truth telling and healing are also part of the process. When are we going to allow Stolen generation siblings Richard and Louise Campbell were separated children and reunited as adults

this to happen? We need to work harder because for more than 200 years we still have the disproportionate numbers in all social indicators, which says we have not changed the status quo.”

The number of Aboriginals in Australia identifying as Catholic is increasing, which is interesting given the overall population of Catholics nationwide is decreasing.

“But how do we harness these numbers to encourage our families to be a part of the wider network that being Catholic brings to them?” asks Louise. “When we pray and worship, do we see our families sitting in the pews? What does our workforce in our Catholic agencies say and do about First Nations? How can we encourage our people to see that our Catholic world is one that is a welcoming world for our First Nations?

“We have many opportunities to bring this to the fore, for example our Plenaries currently being conducted. Do we have a voice in the themes? The questions keep arising and answers to them are quiet.

Jesus spoke to many people who felt they were marginalised, and they listened because he came to give hope, love and welcomed them as part of his own. Are non-First Nations Catholics in Australia ready to welcome First Nations?”

Richard hopes that all Australians gain an understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ceremonies, stories, history, communities and attachment to the land. “We had a wonderful and beautiful culture,” he says. “There may have been parts of it that people frown upon, but it worked for us for many millennia.”

And Louise? “I have seen too much and been part of much over many years,” she says. “I would like to leave this world where society is tolerant, knowing about its First Nations, and celebrating them in everything we do as Australians, indeed Australian Catholics.”

Darrell Croker forms part of the Aurora Editorial Team.

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Photo: Callam Howard

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Rugby helped me to belong TODD DAGWELL Courtney Currie is a Worimi woman whose connection to culture has been strengthened through playing women’s rugby

By her own admission Courtney Currie was “hard to handle” as a child but after taking up rugby union in high school the description now applies to the star player‘s on-field talents as she works towards a coveted Australian jersey.

The highly motivated 19-year-old from Forster was placed in foster care aged only 10. “I was quite hard to handle as a kid and was moved a lot from home to home,” she said. “There was not much visitation with my siblings and other family but that’s now improved a lot.”

A descendant of the Worimi people, life began to turn around for Courtney when she was sent to boarding school in Orange for Years 7 to 12. It was there she found rugby union after the Indigenous coordinator suggested she attend a trial.

“I haven’t stopped playing since – I absolutely love it. I was on a very different track before boarding school but once there I had a lot of support to change and move away from the stereotypical path of drugs and alcohol.”

After graduating from high school in 2018 Courtney returned to Forster where she is being assisted by the CatholicCare Supported Independent Living program.

Established to help young people transition from foster care to independent living,

the program provides a caseworker who assists with accommodation, employment/ education and connecting with the community.

“The program has been very helpful; they have supported me through a lot,” she said. “I have a better relationship with my CatholicCare Caseworker, Jasmine Slater, than with any of my previous FACS (Family and Community Services) caseworkers where there is a big staff turnover.”

Earlier this year, Courtney celebrated a major life achievement when she was selected in the First Nations Sevens women's squad, which originated from Rugby Australia's Dream Big Time tour to discover Indigenous talent from regional communities. The team had played in numerous domestic tournaments and completed a tour of New Zealand in mid-March before the pandemic hit.

“CatholicCare has helped with my rugby gear and taken me to the airport when I travel for tournaments. Jasmine is also like a mentor to me, I run all my major decisions by her,” she said.

The goal of the First Nations Rugby program is to have more Indigenous people in the Australian side. “My main goal now is to make it into the Australian Women’s Sevens side, move to Sydney

and become professional. If I train hard I could make it to the next level,” Courtney said.

Courtney’s caseworker says the teenager is extremely motivated and has conquered many challenges to get to where she is.

“Lots of young people who come through the foster care system chop and change homes and completely miss out on learning those core family values and life lessons like cooking a meal or filling the car with petrol,” Ms Slater said.

“Although Courtney was in foster care from a young age she has overcome all of this because she has a huge drive to be successful in both sport and study. It is a massive achievement what she has done and is doing.”

There has long been a view that sport can be used to improve outcomes for Indigenous communities. The 1987-91 Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody, for example, found that sport and recreation can play a role in the reduction of criminal behaviour among Indigenous peoples.

Courtney says she hopes to combine her sporting experience with her TAFE Certificate III in Community Services to offer support and guidance to Indigenous

youth in her community who may be struggling for direction.

She has already earned her level one Rugby Sevens coaching accreditation, is studying to be a personal trainer and is on the coaching staff of her local team, the Wallamba Bulls, where she assists with both junior and senior sides.

“I’d like to help the kids in my area to be fit and healthy so they don’t choose that stereotypical pathway,” she said.

“Sport helped me avoid all that – it encourages a healthy lifestyle so you don’t waste your life. I think people should be part of something bigger than themselves.”

“We’ve recently just started training again since COVID-19 and I’m really excited about the future.”

Todd Dagwell forms part of the Aurora Editorial Team.

“I’d like to help the kids in my area to be fit and healthy so they don’t choose that stereotypical pathway”

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Photo: Peter Stoop

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Aboriginal entrepreneur offers sporting chance DARRELL CROKER

Cory Robertson knows and loves sport. Many Aboriginals do. And as a country boy to boot, his philosophy has always been “play hard, work hard, and have your mate’s back”.

Today, as a Lake Macquarie-based managing director of three companies, he provides opportunities for Aboriginal youth.

Blending his learnings and experience from business and sport, he has created enterprises that are good, and do good for good, using a “work family” he describes as “Complete PlayA’s”.

The three businesses are Aboriginal Resource Group (ARG), Goanna Services, and Booma. ARG kicked off seven years ago “to ensure our youth and our Aboriginal mob are connected to the work game”.

Goanna Services is a multi-disciplined civil contractor, and Booma is a food and energy business.

“Aboriginal people have for years played sport exceptionally well and been recognised for it, which is great, but careers are only short,” he says.

“We now need to start profiling and showcasing Aboriginal people using the work game to get ahead in life with a sustainable career.”

Mr Robertson describes his initiative to improve Indigenous lives as “business is

Cory Robertson creates initiatives and opportunities for Indigenous youth, using sporting analogies to encourage success

our new sport”. It was the basis for ARG, which links high school students and adults from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities to “the work game”.

His enterprises extend from agriculture and food processing through to industrial services, mining, renewables, and construction.

“Across NSW in particular, those industries are revving their head off, and with some good initiatives the government has put in play, there are opportunities and programs for more Aboriginal and youth participation,” he says.

ARG offers education and training, and provides connections. “The aim is to get good people to good companies through our training programs in high schools, and through Jobactive with adult jobseekers,” he says. ARG can transition people to those “good companies” or to Goanna Services, which provides civil works packages including earth moving, concreting, fencing, and drainage and pipes for property development, rail, roads and the mining sector.

“We have plant and equipment and we have operators,” he says. “We’re getting people playing the work game at all levels with the initiatives we have established through local government councils, and corporates such as Lendlease and BHP.”

Mr Robertson sees his enterprises as “a feeder club” to vibrant industries and supply chains. “If people want to play in the big league, they can start with us and then move on to those large companies that understand what we are doing and want to get access to good people,” he says.

“We’re selecting the companies we deal with as much as they’re selecting us and our people,” he says. “We want to ensure there is a holistic approach and that people are doing it for the right reasons. With good companies that have the right intentions, there is sustainability. It’s not just tokenism.”

ARG works and interacts with public and Catholic high schools, including St Paul’s Catholic College at Booragul, and in Sydney with the Marist Brothers at the Eastwood campus. It is also a consultant to H&S Advisory Service based at Emu Plains, which does skills-based training and apprenticeships with Catholic Schools NSW in Sydney’s Greater Western Region.

Along his own journey, Mr Robertson has benefited from excellent leaders – his grandfather and mother, good football coaches, and good managers at work. He sees the mentorship his companies now offer as being like a sports coaching role.

“Most kids understand that,” he says. “The work game is like playing a team sport.”

“Showing those linkages, the school-based apprentice/trainee program is a great initiative,” he says. “Kids can still be at school, but one day a week they do a trade, and they get paid for that one day a week.

And if they love the trade and love the company and the company loves them, it’s a match made in heaven.”

The Closing the Gap initiative has struggled, and as Mr Robertson says, “if nothing changes, nothing changes”. He believes his innovative businesses are providing new models for engagement, and onboarding to get good people working with good companies.

Coaching is about caring and passing on knowledge. The Aboriginal community is about kinship.

“Leaders lead LeadA’s” is his motto. “You have to give back,” he says. “Australia can be proud of having the oldest living culture on Earth. But going forward, we need to entwine heritage and business – a belief system with synergies. The oldest culture on the planet won’t survive unless Australia cares and contributes. Contribution comes from playing the work game and being a ‘Complete PlayA’.”

Darrell Croker forms part of the Aurora Editorial Team.

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Beliefs shared responsibly SUZANNE FERN There has been significant growth in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander student enrolments in Diocese of MaitlandNewcastle schools in the past 10 years.

In fact, 17 per cent of all NSW Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander enrolments are in our Diocese schools, yet we have only 7 per cent of total NSW student enrolments.

It is encouraging that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families value the Catholic education system, and this aligns with the broader growth in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders in Australia identifying as Catholic.

In 2009, there were 492 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students in Diocese schools making up 2.8 per cent of the total student population. In 2020, there are 1,443 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students making up 7.2 per cent of the total 19,904 student population.

The Diocese Catholic Schools Office’s Strategic Plan 2020–2022 provides impetus for new energy and direction in our work in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander education. The strategic goals are to know every student; build the capacity of every teacher, leader and school; and nurture a culture that is adaptive and innovative.

A major goal of this work is ensuring that no sub-group of students is performing better or worse than any other. With enrolment numbers for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students increasing more than any other sub-group in our Diocese, the improvement in their academic and wellbeing outcomes is now everybody’s business.

It is timely that we are also in the process of reviewing our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education Policy. Part of this process was to engage in an external, independent review in 2019 to determine the impact and relevance of the current policy; assess the level of support and responsiveness to school and local community needs; and develop a set of recommendations for future directions.

Review feedback from the Catholic Schools Office indigenous and non-indigenous staff, and our schools, affirmed strong enthusiasm, energy and support for our renewed Aboriginal Education focus.

However, it became clear that we lack a consistent understanding across our system and schools about three questions.

Is “Aboriginal education” only for students who themselves are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, or is learning about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australia a key element for all Australian students?

What does a culturally sensitive system and school look like?

What does “reconciliation” mean?

One of the indicators of our success in a renewed Aboriginal Education focus will be hearing confident and informed answers to these questions from our indigenous and non-indigenous staff, students and parents by the end of 2022. An important strategy will be ensuring our work is shaped by the voices of our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff, students and parents as well as by the cultural guidance and advice of the traditional custodian groups.

In response to the review, the CSO-based Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander education team has been expanded.

We have also increased the number of Aboriginal Education teachers in our schools, many more of whom are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

These new staff members will be supported to ensure they can make a real difference to Aboriginal Education for all.

tangible progress in Aboriginal Education if “we are all in it together”. The incorporation of a strengths-based mindset will be a critical part of this process. Ensuring our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students are known, and their strengths and successes celebrated, will help embed this mindset.

We recognise the need to build the capacity of all staff members of the CSO and our schools through providing quality professional learning in cultural awareness, Aboriginal perspectives and evidencebased approaches to meeting the learning and wellbeing needs of our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students.

We hope to demonstrate adaptive and innovative approaches to Aboriginal Education that ensure not only improved learning and wellbeing outcomes for our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students but also enhanced and shared understandings of Aboriginal Australia by all.

Suzanne Fern is Head of Teaching & Learning Services at the Catholic Schools Office.

We are in the process of developing specific targets for the CSO and our schools by the end of 2022. We recognise we will only be successful in achieving

Photo: Peter Stoop

Meeting the diverse needs of our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and families also aligns with our system focus on embedding the work of internationally renowned researcher and author Lyn Sharratt summarised in her book 14

Parameters of Schools and System Improvement. A critical component of this work is developing shared beliefs and understandings about learning across our system as well as shared responsibility and accountability for implementing and embedding a defined number of evidencebased approaches.

Students and staff from St Patrick’s Primary School in Lochinvar, where nine per cent of students enrolled are Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander

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The getting of wisdom LIZZIE SNEDDEN Craig Duncan is a proud Gamilaraay man whose openness, broad smile and hearty laugh create a compelling presence. He's also a passionate advocate for equality, shared perspectives and conversations.

Growing up in Moree in the 1970s wasn't always easy for Mr Duncan. He was one of four siblings raised by a single mother and attended Moree Public School. There, he took part in classes delivered by an allwhite staff, which he recalls often left him quite confused.

"Lessons taught at school were quite contradictory to what I learnt at home, particularly around the topic of Australian history," says Mr Duncan. He now has a passion for comprehensive education, ignited as a Year 10 student when he returned to Moree Public School to undertake work experience.

Years later, while studying a Bachelor of Education, Mr Duncan worked in a public sector role aimed at facilitating employment opportunities. This experience strengthened his resolve to improve educational outcomes for all students.

"An education that encompasses a variety of views and modalities of learning is so important, not just for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, but everyone,” says Mr Duncan. “It leads to better employment outcomes, social outcomes and health outcomes. It’s the basis of a strong society."

Mr Duncan has been working in the education sector for more than 20 years.

He took up an education officer role with the Diocese's Schools' Office earlier this year and, in collaboration with staff and students, delivers focused educational programs across its network of schools.

"Schools today are very different to what they were when I was a student 40 years ago," says Mr Duncan. There is a sense of optimism in his voice.

"When I attended school, there were no openly Indigenous educators on staff,” he says. “For a lot of my peers that would have been enough for them to think that a career as a teacher wouldn't have been possible, but thankfully my mum showed me that with enough hard work and determination you could achieve whatever you put your mind to."

are all benchmarks Mr Duncan can readily recall as being critical indicators of the change that has occurred in schools in recent years.

The Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) acknowledges the current gap in learning outcomes between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and their non-Indigenous peers and is committed to using every opportunity possible to “close the gap”.

Mr Duncan is supportive of ACARA's plans to address Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students' ability to see their cultures reflected in the curriculum, and endorses the Histories and Cultures crosscurriculum prioritised for all students.

He is buoyed by the Diocese's decision to renew its commitment to employing more Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff.

"A cross-curriculum empowers all students to learn empathy, break down stereotypes, celebrate diversity and move towards reconciliation,” Mr Duncan says. It also helps debunk myths and broaden students' perception of what's possible.

"It's important for a couple of reasons,” he says. “Representation of a greater number of cultures from which students can learn, and with which they identify, and tangible demonstration of people from minority groups taking on leadership roles in our community, create positive role models."

"I think there was a perception, created years ago during colonisation, that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are primitive,” he says. “This is simply not the case. We just had a different way of living that suited our environment and it was at odds with European values.

Diverse staff, Acknowledgement of Country, the presence of Aboriginal artworks and increasingly the use of Indigenous language

"For instance, we weren't nomads. We were agriculturalists. We knew how to create a sustainable lifestyle, which enabled

us to thrive in the harsh Australian climate and be the world's oldest continuous living culture."

His comments about the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander connection to the land are timely, with experts in Indigenous fire management assisting the Royal Commission into National Natural Disaster Arrangements.

"I'm glad the government and lead organisations, including universities, are now seeking to incorporate an Aboriginal perspective on a vast number of issues," Mr Duncan says.

"It's not a matter of our way being right, and practices introduced through colonisation being wrong. It’s about having a conversation and sharing our knowledge. Providing all Australians with the opportunity to learn about Aboriginal history and culture will aid reconciliation efforts, enable us to grow as a nation and build on thousands of years of wisdom.

Today's generation of students is learning this from the get-go, which gives me great confidence."

Lizzie Snedden is the Editor of Aurora.

Photo: Peter Stoop Craig Duncan, pictured with students from St Bede’s Catholic College in Chisholm, is an Education Officer for the Catholic Schools Office and regularly meets with staff and students from across the Diocese to discuss Aboriginal Education

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A U R O R A C AT H O L I C D I O C E S E O F M A I T L A N D - N E W C A S T L E

I am Aunty Judy and I am a proud Aboriginal elder of the Worimi people.

At this moment in time, global mass gatherings have occurred against the backdrop of discontent in a world that is unrecognisable in a lot of ways, due to COVID-19, and one that has also amplified racial inequity.

Photo: Peter Stoop

I understand the discontent around the world because we all have so much in common. We share a deeply fraught history of white supremacy, so we are all asking to stand as one human family, creations of God, regardless of our age, infirmity, creed or colour. We need to focus together in laying the foundations of trust and try to create a better future.

We must try to provide opportunities to incorporate the stories, hopes and dreams of all so that our people too, can be empowered and take a rightful place in their own country. So in that spirit I’d like to share with you my own personal story in the hope it may help the vital process of reconciliation.

My story JUDY WEST Judy West had to wait 56 years before discovering her stolen family and has said working with Aboriginal children and sharing her story is part of her healing process

One of the darkest chapters of Australian history was the forced removal of Aboriginal children from their families.

Children as young as six-month-old babies were stolen from their families to be placed in girls' and boys' homes or with foster families.

These Aboriginal people are now collectively referred to as the stolen generation because several generations were affected by this process, which commenced in the 1890s and continued till as late as the 1970s. Many Aboriginal people are still searching for their families, but sadly due to the passing of time and the deaths of family members, some Aboriginal people may never find their relatives.

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The forced removal of Aboriginal children from their families was official government policy for more than 100 years In removing Aboriginal children from their families, white people stole the Aboriginal people's language, traditions, knowledge, dances, spirituality and importantly their future because all of these things can only live on if passed down through the children. In breaking this circle of life, white people’s hope was that within a short period of time they would "get rid of the Aboriginal problem". The forced removal of Aboriginal children from their families was official government policy for more than 100 years and, in fact, not only did governments play a major role, but churches and welfare bodies as well all took part in this systematic destruction to breed out Indigenous people.

Today, as a member of the stolen generation I would like to share with you the real face of this part of our history. It will probably surprise you to hear that I had to wait 56 years to discover my story, the story of being stolen from my parents and my brothers and sisters who lived peacefully on a mission at Karuah.

In late 2010, when my husband retired he applied for his birth certificate in order to finalise some financial matters and I decided that I would apply for mine as well.

When the certificates arrived, I noticed that they were quite different. My birth certificate was signed by the Register General on the 8 August 1960, yet I knew I was born on 15 August 1955. I was perplexed as to why this was different and after speaking with a friend wondered if I may have been adopted. We did some research and I contacted Human Services.

About six weeks later I received a letter confirming that I had been adopted and

that I was part of the stolen generation and that I had siblings. You can perhaps imagine my shock – I had lived for 56 years as part of a white, middle class family in a country town, totally disconnected from my Aboriginal heartland – the Woromi people.

As the story unfolded I discovered that, in 1956, I and my two sisters Jennifer and Betty and my brother Peter had been taken away from our mother while our father was away working. I was about 12 months old. There was about 12 months between us all – Betty around two years old, Peter was about four years old and Jennifer was about five years old. We were very quickly declared wards of the state. Research shows that there was no reason for us to be taken, we were not at risk but the perception was that Aboriginal people could not correctly care for or raise their children.

My sisters and I were placed in a home for children – the Georgetown Shelter in Newcastle. As wards of the state we were now under the guardianship of the Minister for Child Welfare and this meant we could be sent anywhere the government decided. As siblings we were split up and we never saw each other again. I was sent to Corelli, a government-run home in Marrickville in Sydney. I stayed there until 1957 when I was fostered by a young couple from Kurri Kurri, Des and Patsy Williams. I was two years old. In 1960 the Williams officially adopted me. In terms of the adoption, I was lucky because not only did they give me a very good life, they loved me. My foster parents gave me a good education and encouraged me to pursue my love of music, resulting in my classical training in piano and to this day

my work with the Conservatorium is a blessing in my life.

Personally, though, I have had to come to terms with many complexities in relation to my stolen life. I have experienced the heartache of not only finding out that I had a different identity to what I had always believed, but that I had siblings who lived within two hours' drive of my home. I have had to come to terms with the fact that because Des and Patsy never told me that I was adopted, I never had the opportunity to find my parents or two sisters and brother, for by the time I found out about being stolen they had died.

Despite this great sadness, I made a choice at that point to become part of the government's Open Register which meant that agencies could match me up with any person or relative who may have been looking for me and facilitate a meeting.

About four weeks after placing my name on the Open Register I received a phone call to say, "I have the most beautiful news for you – we think we have found your youngest sister". That day the agency told me they would organise a phone call between me and Margo. I was stunned and even more so when I found out that Margo lived in Raymond Terrace.

We could have been passing one another in a shopping centre and not even have known one another. I nervously waited for the call and had all sorts of thoughts chasing around in my head – how would I feel when we spoke? What would she be like? Would she look like me? A couple of days later Margo drove to Kurri, that moment of recognition is blurred by

memories of tears and hugs. Finally after 56 years I had found part of my stolen family!

Finding Margo was the first step in my journey back to my identity. Through Margo I found and met cousins, aunts and uncles. I have been introduced to my country in Karuah; I have been able to go back to the mission where it all began, I have been able to learn some of the story of my parents and importantly I have been able to learn about and reconnect with my people and culture. I continue to learn about and understand my identity, and to explore what it means to be an Aboriginal woman. I am learning about the kinship of the Woromi people, the circle of the Land Council and am growing in my understanding of my culture and spirituality.

Working with Aboriginal children and sharing my story is part of my healing process. Talking about what has happened, sharing experiences, meeting relatives, crying and laughing are all part of the journey of healing for the stolen generation. All Australians can take part in this journey by listening to the stories of the stolen generation and acknowledging this sad event in our history. Our journey towards understanding and reconciliation may not be as long or as hard as the journey of Molly, Gracie and Daisy along the 'rabbit-proof fence', but if we take the first steps to understand what happened to the stolen children we may ensure that the same thing will never happen again.

Judy West is a member of The Diocese Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Catholic Ministry Group.

From left: Judy at home in Kurri Kurri, Judy with her adopted parents Patsy and Des at Newcastle Beach, Judy with a family friend in Katoomba (all in 1958)

A U R O R A C AT H O L I C D I O C E S E O F M A I T L A N D - N E W C A S T L E

Recognition and support required GARY CHRISTENSEN

The disproportionate incarceration rates of Indigenous people in Australia is an issue that cannot be understated. The current statistics tell us that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are in prison at 29-times the rate of non-Aboriginal people.

This number is particularly concerning when we consider that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people represent only three per cent of the total Australian population.

Whilst it would be easy to gloss over these statistics and attribute them to some macro perspective, the reality is that we as a community need to do more. We must recognise and support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to reduce the vulnerabilities that lead to the overrepresentation of Indigenous people in custody.

From the time of white settlement in Australia, Aboriginal people have been dispossessed from their land, had their culture and kinship systems disrupted, been subject to racism and social exclusion and had to deal with the abhorrent practice of the removal their children in what we know as the stolen generation. The result of these things has led to intergenerational trauma that continues to have adverse effects on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people today. Issues such as poor educational outcomes, unemployment and under-

Photo: Lizzie Snedden

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Part of CatholicCare’s response to addressing disadvantage is the employment of cultural planners

employment, poverty, homelessness, mental health issues and challenges with alcohol and other drugs all have their geneses in European colonisation of Australia. The 1987-91 Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody found, among other things, that the high rates of Aboriginal deaths in custody were directly related to underlying factors of entrenched disadvantage, poor health, low unemployment and education, dispossession from their land and a lack of suitable housing.

Almost 30 years later, these issues are still the contributing factors to the overrepresentation of Indigenous people involved with the criminal justice system.

The question is, will the next 30 years look the same? Or will we as individuals and communities come together to promote and embrace genuine reconciliation with our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander brothers and sisters so together we can develop real solutions to the underlying issues that cause disadvantage. There is no doubt that Aboriginal people and Aboriginal-controlled organisations are best-placed to lead the discussion and the direction of how and what can be done to address the issues. Equally, there is no doubt that non-Aboriginal people and agencies should stand in solidarity and do what we can to support the healing process in any way we can.

At CatholicCare, we do this by actively seeking to partner with Aboriginal agencies as is reflected in our partnership with Ungooroo Aboriginal Corporation in the Upper Hunter where we partner to provide services to the local community in Singleton and Muswellbrook.

One of the keys to reducing the disproportionally high rates of Indigenous people involved in the criminal justice system is to get to a place of social and economic inclusion that not only provides practical solutions like access to safe clean affordable housing, secure employment and access to services, but also addresses the underlying issues and attitudes of racism in our communities.

To do this effectively we need a wholeof-community approach that sees adults role-modelling appropriate language and behaviours to our children as well as having honest conversations that help the up-and-coming generation understand the impact of European settlement on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and how that correlates to disadvantage in society today.

Part of CatholicCare’s response to addressing the issues of social and economic disadvantage is the employment of cultural planners who support and train foster carers in the development of cultural plans and culturally appropriate practices for Aboriginal children and young people

in care. In addition to this we have an Aboriginal Reference Group, which advises our leadership team and staff about the development of culturally appropriate policy and practice.

Australia always has been and always will be Aboriginal land. The call to action for each of us is to build meaningful relationships with Aboriginal people based on deep levels of respect and understanding so we can listen and learn what it is that we can do to make a difference in our communities to ensure an inclusive, kinder and more just society for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Gary Christensen is the Director of CatholicCare Social Services HunterManning

"... there is no doubt that non-Aboriginal people and agencies should stand in solidarity"

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Photo: Peter Stoop

W W W. M N N E W S . T O D AY / A U R O R A

Celebrate differences for harmony

St Nicholas Early Education services include an array of resources that promote diversity

LIZZIE SNEDDEN

Australia is a highly successful multicultural society, fortunate to be exposed to a rich diversity of practices and traditions. If we aspire to live in a harmonious society, it is vital that we do not merely accept or tolerate those differences but celebrate what makes us different and find joy in our uniqueness.

Kelly Pavan, a Psychologist with CatholicCare Social Services HunterManning, says there are many benefits to celebrating cultural diversity, including; helping to overcome stereotypes, building cultural awareness, discouraging racism, and encouraging unity.

So how can we, as individuals, support a societal shift from an (mostly) acceptance of differences to a widespread celebration of diversity? Conversations with our children are an excellent place to start.

"It's vitally important that we're supporting our children to respect and accept differences,” Ms Pavan said. “Otherwise, the risk will be that they become adults who contribute to problems brought about by racism and discrimination."

important conversations,” she said.

“However, to build our awareness and acceptance, it is important to muster the courage to respectfully share our knowledge and be open to others' perspectives."

awareness should not rest solely with parents. We all have a role to play. Cultural diversity in childcare can provide a range of opportunities for children and families to celebrate differences, with guidance from educators.

It is not uncommon to have been in a public space, such as a supermarket line-up, and have a child blurt out what is a seemingly inappropriate question about someone's appearance. Ms Pavan says that when a child points out that a person is different, they are merely making an observation, but it is our response that can make a difference.

Kerri Armstrong, General Operations Manager of St Nicholas Early Education, says quality early childhood education is guided by the Early Years Learning Framework, which promotes respect for diversity.

"Children are naturally curious,” Ms Pavan said. “Observing the characteristics of others helps them to formulate their sense of self by defining what makes them different. It's up to us as adults to use these experiences as an opportunity to send accurate messages about each culture so that children learn that differences make a person unique, not inferior.

Ms Pavan said it was common for people to be concerned about getting “it wrong” when it came to discussing differences within cultures or any type of diversity including age, gender, physical ability and socioeconomic status.

"Having a discussion with the child about their observation is important. A good guide to follow is to acknowledge the child's observation is valid, explain the reason behind their observation and respond in a way that promotes awareness and insight."

"This fear can prevent people from having

The responsibility of fostering cultural

"Our educators are very mindful of the need to embed respect for diversity in our children,” Ms Armstrong said.

“We're passionate about enabling children to celebrate their differences and actively foster their sense of curiosity by encouraging open conversations."

St Nicholas Early Education services include an array of resources that promote diversity, including literature.

"Children's books can be a great way to promote a child's learning of other cultures, particularly through storytelling that includes diverse characters," Ms Armstrong said.

"Including multicultural literature in our centres has enabled our students to gain a better understanding of both their own culture and other cultures. It has also helped to bridge perceived gaps between children from diverse cultural backgrounds and strengthened their relationships with peers."

Next month, St Nicholas Educators will attend a symposium that includes a presentation and workshop from Speaking in Colour. The presentation will support their understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural sensitivities and barriers, as well as providing fresh insights on how to implement strategies that promote and encourage cultural diversity among educators, children and their families.

"Being respectful of Australia's heritage is part of who we are and what we do at St Nicholas,” Ms Armstrong said. “We are committed to providing an environment that authentically represents diverse cultural learning opportunities, every single day.

"It's an honour for us to educate the children in our service and we actively share important values such as respect and inclusion with them, as we guide their learning journey and self-identity."

Promoting diversity and understanding is not only a powerful tool to combat racism but also a fantastic source of opportunity and inspiration. In this time of global unrest, it has never been more important for all of us to seek out opportunities for respectful conversations that increase our cultural awareness and share this knowledge with others, particularly children.

Lizzie Snedden is the Editor of Aurora

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Cultures headed for healthy outcome FRANCES HOLZ

A U R O R A C AT H O L I C D I O C E S E O F M A I T L A N D - N E W C A S T L E

Providing healthcare in a culturally safe environment has focused Calvary Mater Newcastle’s work to help close the unacceptable gap in disparity for Aboriginal people.

More than simply cultural awareness, cultural safety takes a holistic approach to providing a safe healthcare environment and has regard for the physical, mental, social, spiritual and cultural needs of the patient and the community.

Cultural safety is a prerequisite of improving health outcomes for Aboriginal people, says Calvary Mater Newcastle’s Director of Mission, Mary Ringstad.

“We conducted a major cultural safety audit a few years ago and have been working to a plan ever since,” says Ms Ringstad.

“From the audit, we found there was a perception of Calvary Mater Newcastle as ‘white, private and Catholic’. So there were significant concerns that we needed to understand and address.

“We are working to change those perceptions so that Aboriginal people who need our services feel safe to access them and feel comfortable and safe in our care.”

Employing an Aboriginal Health Liaison Officer to support Aboriginal patients and families has been a critical outcome from the audit.

Margaret Whitson, a proud Kamilaroi woman, has been in the role for 18 months, providing advocacy, education, emotional, practical, social and welfare support, as well as ensuring referrals and links are made to appropriate community support programs and services.

Ms Whitson works with non-Aboriginal staff to enhance their understanding, including orientation sessions for new clinical and non-clinical staff; and to support Aboriginal staff through yarn-ups and other initiatives.

Margaret Whitson, a proud Kamilaroi woman, was appointed as Calvary Mater Newcastle’s Aboriginal Health Liaison officer 18 months ago

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Expanding Aboriginal representation on the hospital’s Community Advisory Council has been another step forward,

and one that will help guide further change.

The Chief Executive of the Awabakal Aboriginal Lands Council, Robert Russell, and his counterpart at the Worimi Aboriginal Lands Council, Andrew Smith, joined the council this year, and are also part of the hospital’s Closing the Gap Collaborative Committee.

Aboriginal artworks throughout the hospital provide visual cues and an inclusive and welcoming environment.

The hospital has hosted education days for Aboriginal health workers in primary healthcare organisations and is involved in developing Aboriginal health resources and initiatives such as Into the Dreaming, a resource for people receiving palliative care, and their families.

It is also an active participant in NAIDOC and other community initiatives.

“We take every opportunity we can to partner with the community in the hope of building relationships and making changes and improvements that will help make a difference,” says Ms Ringstad.

And those other misperceptions?

Although owned by not-for-profit national care provider Calvary, Calvary Mater Newcastle provides public health services under an arrangement with Hunter New England Health Local Health District and NSW Health. As well as being the district’s major cancer care hospital, it provides a wide range of public services from emergency and intensive care to surgery and general medical services.

It is the district hospital for a large part of Newcastle and up to Port Stephens.

“We found our Catholic heritage is a comfort for some,” says Ms Ringstad.

“For others however, it remains an institutional barrier. There is more for us to do.”

Frances Holz is the Acting Public Affairs & Communications Manager at the Calvary Mater in Newcastle.

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Help towards healing the nation BRITTANY GONZALEZ

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In her first year studying a Bachelor of Nursing at the University of Notre Dame Australia, Sophie Cunningham received the Puggy Hunter Memorial scholarship, created to encourage and assist Indigenous undergraduates in healthrelated disciplines.

Coupled with this, Sophie was awarded an Aboriginal nursing cadetship at St Vincent’s Hospital, Sydney where she is a student nurse.

A proud descendant of the Wiradjuri nation of Aboriginal people, Sophie graduated in 2019 as St Joseph’s College, Lochinvar’s captain of service and social justice.

A natural progression from her portfolio, it comes as no surprise to see her follow a holistic career pathway. Her ultimate goal is to deliver primary healthcare in remote, Indigenous communities. f What Catholic school/s did you attend?

Rosary Park Catholic School, Branxton for my primary education and St Joseph’s College, Lochinvar for secondary. f Do you know why your parents chose a Catholic education for you?

f How has your cultural identity shaped your experiences and beliefs?

My culture plays an extremely important role in my experiences and beliefs. With my mother being an Aboriginal artist, growing up I was always aware of the importance of my culture. Having the awareness of my cultural identity added a perspective to life that ultimately shapes all that I am. I value my culture’s history, pain and pride and acknowledge that my story is embedded everywhere I go. This is something I’ve been lucky enough to carry with me and share throughout my whole life. f What is the one thing you wish more people knew about Aboriginal people?

That beyond what is portrayed in the media or by negative words, we as a community are talking to you all of the time – we have been talking forever. We aren’t speaking to take attention away or to whine, we are simply speaking because behind what is known there are still injustices within our systems. Aboriginal people are speaking for people to listen so that we can all work together to improve society.

Faith has always been an extremely important factor in our household. I think my parents chose the Catholic education system because it fosters and promotes faith on a community and inclusive level.

f How do you think embedding Indigenous ways within our education system will improve outcomes for all students?

f What inspired you to pursue nursing?

It will promote aspects such as cultural sensitivity and cultural awareness for all students. I think it’s important that as we move towards reconciliation, we acknowledge our country’s past and incorporate as much traditional culture as possible to strive towards a united future.

Ever since I was young, nursing was an interest to me. I wanted a career that had a holistic goal of caring for others. It was when my mum developed a brain tumour in 2012 that I really got to witness the compassion, strength and resilience of nurses from a closer perspective. I decided I too wanted to be a nurse and set my goals from there. These goals included doing a school-based traineeship with Hunter New England Health at Maitland Hospital alongside my preliminary and HSC years. The further I was exposed to this career the more I knew it was the field I wanted to follow. f What goals have you set yourself?

My short-term goals involve gaining experience in as many different skills and scenarios as possible, as well as being able to guide and support other younger Indigenous people who are interested in a Bachelor of Nursing. Once I finish my Bachelor of Nursing degree my next goal involves doing a Bachelor of Midwifery.

I’m very interested and passionate about Indigenous rural and remote nursing and the healthcare system in these communities so I would love to do some work around rural Australia.

f How can we appropriately set high expectations for Indigenous students?

I don’t necessarily think we need to set high expectations for Indigenous students.

I believe it’s more about giving us the support we need to achieve our goals.

This could include having more cultural practices available in our schools, being culturally aware and making support services such as counselling, tutoring and career advice available to the students. f Is faith a big part of your life? If yes, how has it helped?

Yes, faith is a big part of my life. Through all of life’s challenges I have always turned to my faith to find comfort, calmness and advice. In the career I have chosen to pursue I think having faith is essential.

Brittany Gonzalez is a member of the Aurora Editorial Team

"My culture plays an extremely important role in my experiences and beliefs."

Sophie Cunningham received the Puggy Hunter Memorial scholarship while studying at the University of Notre Dame

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A U R O R A C AT H O L I C D I O C E S E O F M A I T L A N D - N E W C A S T L E

Care Talk

Implement these strategies for stability GERARD OGLE CatholicCare’s registered psychologists address a new issue each month.

The advice provided is general in nature and does not replace ongoing support and advice from your health professional.

To talk to someone about counselling support, call CatholicCare P 4979 1172 or Lifeline 24/7 on P 131 114.

Do you have a question for us?

Email your question to aurora@mn.catholic.org.au or write to Aurora-CareTalk PO Box 756 Newcastle 2300.

Making sense of an unstable environment and managing the resulting emotions can be difficult and confronting. The sense of feeling exhausted and overwhelmed by all that we are faced with can cause us to feel numb, anxious or off-kilter. Recognise the feeling? If you do, chances are you’re not alone.

Summer in Australia is associated with long, hot days. Swimming pools are a source of relief for weary bodies. Shopping centres and their air conditioning units are lifesavers when trying to escape the heat. And the promise of the “southerly change” to blow in cool air is eagerly anticipated. But these options largely provide physical relief for tired bodies.

These past few months have been characterised by prolonged drought conditions and water-restrictions in Australia. They were followed by catastrophic bushfires, and then, the coronavirus swept the globe. COVID-19 has inflicted damage to the global economy, life and well-being, as well as our sense of mental well-being. As a result, emotions such as anger, fear and anxiety have been triggered in many of us. And now in Australia, society is slowly reopening. But with reopening comes the inevitable anxiety associated with entering the unknown.

The challenge of navigating uncertainty, and the emotions that we are faced with often leave us feeling put out. So how then do we remain sufficiently in control to provide a sense of stability for those around us, as well as ensuring that we are able to step out into the world with a degree of peace of mind? Some strategies can be implemented to help you on this journey of regaining a sense of emotional peace and stability.

1. Acknowledge and accept that thoughts and feelings such as fear and anxiety are normal.

It is normal to feel afraid, vulnerable and anxious. These are human emotions that are part of our survival instinct in response to the perceived dangers presented by COVID-19 or the drought and summer bushfires. It is not strange or weak to feel anxious or afraid. Acknowledge too that these thoughts are real, but that they are just that, thoughts.

2. Identify your triggers.

Often, our anxiety seems to spike around certain events or times of the day. It is important to identify what triggers our anxiety, such as reading stories on social media that cause us to experience fear and anxiety. Once we have identified these triggers, managing the amount of time we

are exposed to them, for example, can help us regain a sense of calm and stability.

3. Practise deep breathing This is a simple technique that we can practise in order to help manage emotions such as anxiety. We can do this anywhere and as many times of the day to help restore a calming, rhythmic rate of breathing. The secret is to inhale slowly, to pause, and then to exhale slowly. This helps restore an appropriate rate and level of oxygen within our bodies, and assists us to calm down.

4. Take time out Not only is time out good for us, it’s also good for those around us, as we are able to reconnect with our present environment and those who matter to us in a refocused and mindful manner. Taking time out also to talk about our feelings with a trusted source is another good strategy, and this is where trained counsellors can help us navigate and make sense of our emotions.

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Photo: Peter Stoop

W W W. M N N E W S . T O D AY / A U R O R A

Language outlives missionary effort

Known by the Aboriginal name Bahtahbah, Lancelot Threlkeld’s mission was close to the water at Belmont

MARK DUNN Newcastle today is a modern, vibrant city, world famous for its beaches and proximity to the Hunter Valley vineyards. But it is sometimes forgotten it has a convict history at its core and an Aboriginal story to tell as well.

Established as a place of secondary punishment for convicts, the religious well-being of its inhabitants was not high on the list of priorities for many of the early commandants. The first church, on the site of Christ Church Cathedral, was not built until 1816. Described as a handsome church with an elegant spire, it was capable of holding 500 persons and overlooked the entire town, visible to all the population as well as to any approaching ships.

Services were read by the military officers until the first minister, the Reverend George Augustus Middleton, was appointed to the town in 1820. A Catholic church was not established in the Hunter Valley until 1835,

For the latest news and events in our Diocese You can download the Diocese phone, iPad or tablet app

when St Joseph’s, Maitland opened – the first Catholic church north of Sydney. The location of the church at Maitland instead of Newcastle reflected the importance of the river town in the Hunter at the time.

The Valley’s produce was shipped from the river port at Morpeth, with Newcastle merely a stopping point for boats heading inland. But it was in Newcastle that a major and enduring legacy of early religious men was established.

The missionary and congregational minister Lancelot Threlkeld arrived in May 1825. He was a member of the London Missionary Society and was tasked with establishing a mission to Aboriginal people in the district. In early 1826, land was chosen on the eastern side of Lake Macquarie and Threlkeld moved there to begin his work.

Known by the Aboriginal name Bahtahbah, his mission was close to the water at Belmont.

Threlkeld began by encouraging local

Aboriginal people to come to his mission and learn to farm. His hope was to channel religious instruction and what he saw as a civilising process of Aboriginal people via agriculture. We now understand that presupposing Aboriginal people would be interested in a British way of life was a flawed idea. Many Indigenous people regarded the British as uncivilised and brutal.

Threlkeld stayed at Bahtahbah until 1831, when he secured a grant of land for his own mission near Toronto on the western side of the lake. He became a vocal advocate for the protection of Aboriginal people in the area. Through his friend and intermediary Biraban, he also worked as a translator and transformed his mission into a sanctuary for Aboriginal people fleeing violence around Newcastle and further up the Valley.

In his work Threlkeld realised a need to learn local language and it is this that

remains as his lasting and profound contribution to Newcastle and the Hunter Valley. Through translations of the Bible, a spelling book and a range of other publications, he comprehensively recorded the Newcastle and Hunter River language at a time when few others cared enough to bother. His work is now considered a landmark in Aboriginal studies in Australia and has been used to revitalise the Indigenous language in recent decades.

Although the mission closed in 1841 and Threlkeld himself considered it a failure, his work on language means his impact will last well beyond that venture.

Mark Dunn, a public historian, grew up in the Hunter Valley listening to stories from his parents, who were both descended from convict workers. He has written The Convict Valley (Allen and Unwin 2020) to uncover what happened in the Hunter Valley’s early years.

Community Noticeboard For more events please visit mn.catholic.org.au Hello Hunter Hello Hunter, an initiative by Hunter churches, helps people who are feeling isolated, lonely or anxious. Volunteers are available to make a friendly call, deliver essentials, assist in finding specialised help or on request pray with the person.

A call centre takes requests for assistance, then neighbourhood hubs mobilise their volunteers.

Hubs are formed according to suburb and postcode. The goal is to have the person in need assisted by their nearest neighbour.

Hello Hunter are now looking for hub leaders and volunteers. Volunteers need to submit a form, validated by their local parish priest or parish leader. Go to hellohunter.org.au for more information.

Marriage and relationship education courses 2020 Marriage education is a vital part of planning for a life partnership. CatholicCare offers a selection of courses for married and soon-to-be married couples, temporarily online. It also offers a Bringing Baby Home workshop, which assists

couples transition to parenthood. For further information on CatholicCare’s relationship and parenting courses, including costs, please contact Robyn Donnelly, 4979 1370, or rdonnelly@catholiccare.org.au or visit www.catholiccare.org.au For more events please visit mn.catholic.org.au.

A U R O R A C AT H O L I C D I O C E S E O F M A I T L A N D - N E W C A S T L E

Photo: Peter Stoop

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Fertile research

Jane Winsor O’Keefe assists couples to know how to avoid or achieve a pregnancy naturally

BROOKE ROBINSON

Research shows one-in-six Australian couples experience infertility. A team from the University of Newcastle, Hunter Medical Research Institute (HMRI) and the University of Western Sydney, believe mobile phone apps may be key to improving women’s fertility knowledge.

In a recent study by these institutes, more than 670 women were surveyed and asked questions about their knowledge of sexual health and fertility. More than half of those surveyed used phone apps with the ability to track period cycles, length, heaviness and duration. However, the survey found their fertility knowledge was lacking, with women correctly answering only three of the six questions. Some women were only able to answer one question correctly, and three per cent of respondents were unable

to answer any questions correctly.

The outcome of the study described the participants’ fertility knowledge as “mediocre”, which suggests that women are lacking education in some fundamental aspects of fertility and reproductive health. The researchers’ concern was that misunderstanding aspects relating to fertility may risk women’s future plans of parenthood.

Jane Winsor O’Keefe, the MaitlandNewcastle diocesan contact for Natural Fertility Services, agrees that many women are lacking knowledge about their fertility.

Mrs Winsor O’Keefe has been an accredited teacher in this area for more than 30 years, instructing couples on how to avoid or achieve a pregnancy naturally.

“Couples don't seem to have a lot of knowledge. Even if they have had a long time where they are trying to conceive, sometimes there's a lot of misconceptions,” she said.

“I actually got into this area because I was a little bit annoyed that people weren't being given the correct information and I found that it was good information to have.

It is very effective when you have the right information and have the support to use it.”

Mrs Winsor O’Keefe uses an app recommended by Natural Fertility Services for tracking fertility signs, called Fertility Pinpoint, which allows couples to connect with a teacher directly. The personalised service means the teacher can see their tracking charts and then help them interpret the signs.

“A lot of couples have had improved health benefits using Natural Fertility Services,” she said. “Even couples who have had problems conceiving before or had tried other methods without success. We can have success with them, because a lot of it has to do with stress and that type of thing, rather than a specific illness or condition.”

If you are interested in learning more about your fertility through Natural Fertility Services, contact Mrs Winsor O’Keefe on 0490 496 632.

If you would like to be part of further study of fertility knowledge and smartphone apps, go to www.esurveycreator.com/s/ fertilityQ. Brooke Robinson is the Sub-Editor of Aurora.

Infertility tales shared JENNY BRINKWORTH With one-in-six Australian couples experiencing infertility, a new book by Debra Vermeer will be a welcome resource for couples.

An alumna of St Mary’s High School and St Peter’s High School, Maitland (which now combined are known as All Saints' College), Ms Vermeer was grappling with the reality that she and her husband Tony could not conceive a child, but found the shelves of bookshops devoid of helpful literature.

There was a plethora of material on parenting and different fertility methods

and technologies, but very little to support couples living with infertility.

As the title suggests, it is a book of hope.

A former Canberra political reporter and Media Adviser to the Australian Catholic Bishops’ Conference, Ms Vermeer “heard God whisper” that maybe she could write a book about infertility in a faith context.

anguish experienced by couples whose

As well as putting into words her personal experience and deepest thoughts, she interviewed six other couples who have “walked their own path through infertility” and she has shared these stories in the recently published Life to the Full.

Spes, 161).

But that doesn’t diminish the pain and faith is based on the divine command “be fruitful and multiply” (Genesis 1:28) and the Catholic teaching that children are “the supreme gift of marriage” (Gaudium et

Life to the Full is a much-needed message of hope for couples unable to have their own children but it has important learnings for the Church as well.

Ms Vermeer points out that on any given Sunday in a Catholic church, there are at least a few couples in the pews who are living with infertility. There was a feeling among the couples she interviewed that their pain was not being “seen or heard in a pastoral sense” and that they didn’t quite “fit” anywhere in parish life.

Life to the Full, St Paul’s Publications, $24.95 available online at stpauls.com.au/ product/10090.

Jenny Brinkworth is Editor of The Southern Cross, Catholic Archdiocese of Adelaide.

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Photo: Peter Stoop

W W W. M N N E W S . T O D AY / A U R O R A

Communication needs breaking down

Dr Helen Belcher explores how church connections were impacted by COVID-19

DARRELL CROKER

The ban on mass gatherings has forced the Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle to assess its Mass-centricity. Coronavirus is a pandemic for the ages, pushing pastoral prerogatives to the forefront, and the movement of people to “modern” digital communication allows parishes to revert to being the “communities of old”.

Helen Belcher is a member of the Council for Mission, which she co-chairs, and a member of the Diocese’s Synod Working Party. Council for Mission is the peak advisory body to Bishop Bill Wright on pastoral matters and also the body sponsoring the Synod.

“COVID-19 has dispelled the myth that old people can’t use technology,” says Dr Belcher. “Some people may be reluctant to use the technology, because they’re afraid, but if they’re given some guidance, they’re willing to take it up.

“When older people and grandparents were unable to see their children and grandchildren, they became adept at using social technology. Some of them laugh about their efforts to use the technology, but they did start using it.”

The Council for Mission had already identified the importance of a communication strategy leading up to the Synod. “We need to be able to communicate with the Diocese,” says Dr

Belcher “And it ties in with the Plenary Council.” COVID-19 further strengthened this need.

Dr Belcher worships at Campbells Hill and is a reader, cantor and special minister.

As with other congregations, COVID-19 resulted in Chisholm Pastoral Region losing access to Mass.

“It became clear that we were Masscentric or Eucharist-centric,” says Dr Belcher. “Once we lost that access to the church building, the physical contact, we had problems.”

Live-streaming has addressed the issue, but this only underscores Catholic communities’ reliance on attending Mass.

Chisholm Regional Pastoral Council raised the question: are there other ways of creating and connecting to community?

Spurred on by Tighes Hill’s efforts to connect virtually, Chisholm surveyed its parishioners on their needs, and how they might be addressed.

Chisholm stretches across 10 Mass centres, and the survey was conducted over two weeks. The responses indicated an appetite for the council to look at online ways of “being community” and “actually worshipping”. As a result, Fr Michael Kelly is setting up online scripture and Lectio Divina sessions, walking people through how they might undertake these practices.

He will also advise on conducting a home retreat and contemplation. Another group indicated an interest in online rosary and attempts are in progress to set that up.

Other respondents indicated their willingness to assist, such as delivering bulletins or helping people connect to the internet.

“The danger is that now we are walking back from COVID, that some of this impetus will be lost,” says Dr Belcher. “The survey generated quite a bit of material and gave us a lot to think about. The Regional Pastoral Council now has a set of recommendations about how it might work into the future.

“I would be sorry if we reverted to things as they were before coronavirus. We need to continue the impetus because it ties in with the thrust of the Synod and the thrust of the Plenary Council. We do need to do things differently. We need to think differently about how we connect with young people, with women, with First Nations people.”

Clearly Chisholm extracted a lot more out of the survey than it might actually have expected.

“In launching the survey, we were concerned about those who were not internet savvy, so the survey was available

to them in hard copy,” says Dr Belcher.

“We haven’t solved the problem of how you connect if you don’t have the internet, but what interested me was if people really wanted to make a comment, they found a way of doing it.”

Some delivered their responses in hard copy, others had friends or family scan them and send them through. All the efforts piqued the interest of Dr Belcher.

“There is definitely a digital divide, and that divide is based on age, but also on socioeconomic status and culture as well,” she says. “But there have been some positives for the Church from coronavirus, some busting of myths around the use of technology, and I think it has presented an opportunity to do things in a different way.

“We can build on things we’ve found out.

And that’s not to underscore the need for face-to-face, because I think it is really important we maintain face-to-face.

But if we were faced with this situation again, or if we have people who are living remotely and they need to connect into a community, then we can actually do it.”

Darrell Croker is a member of the Aurora Editorial Team

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Book Talk

Sorry Day

BY CORAL VASS AND DUB LEFFLER – REVIEWED BY BEN McCARTHY Ben McCarthy reads Sorry Day to students at St Patrick’s Primary in Swansea

“Long ago and not so long ago …”

Time is an abstract concept.

These words, which encourage reflection on perspective, are echoed through the pages of the picture book Sorry Day, authored

by Coral Vass and beautifully illustrated by Dub Leffler.

For whom is it long ago and not so long ago? What do we know about the history of our nation?

This book marks a significant event in our journey towards reconciliation. Sorry Day is both a sobering look at the darker aspects of our nation’s past and yet a beacon of optimism for a brighter future. Vass’s articulation of the importance of a national apology is thought provoking, hopeful and important for all children to understand.

Children as well as adults can access Sorry Day on various levels. It cleverly and seamlessly entwines different generations of Aboriginal children as it recognises the past and

Food Talk

Taree kitchen. “Learning about our culture has never been so much fun,” they said.

Information on the history of National Sorry Day is provided at the end of the story to give greater social context to the events. This book provides an important conversation piece to educate all children of the ongoing Indigenous experience from the Assimilation Policy to the apology to the stolen generation.

Education brings change, acknowledgement brings change, and understanding brings change. Our children have the opportunity in their lifetime to make a difference and significantly close the gap between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and non-Indigenous Australians.

Student enthusiasm also provides a vehicle for change and opportunity for action to be explored. Now it is incumbent upon all of us to ask all children, “what happens next?”

Considering the Bringing Them

Principal Frank Jones is

passionate about promoting the values of intercultural harmony and co-operation. He was inspired to use the school’s wonderful kitchen facilitates to encourage student awareness of various cultures through the creation of recipes that include traditional ingredients.

Ingredients:

Method:

125 grams sugar

Step 1 - Cream together butter and sugar.

125 grams butter

Step 2 - Add eggs, one at a time and beat until combined.

St Joseph’s Primary School, Taree is a melting pot for various traditions, with students hailing from 25 cultural heritages. It is also a school with strong links to its community, particularly the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community.

150 grams self-raising flour Jalarn and Isabelle busy at work in St Joseph’s,

Leffler’s vivid illustrations, poignant use of colour and perspective create an emotional experience that perfectly complements Vass’s powerful words. The physical and the metaphorical turning of a page is experienced by the reader as you rest your gaze upon Kevin Rudd as he says the words we needed to hear. The words that still manage to make my heart somehow both sink and soar.

“As Prime Minister of Australia, I am sorry.”

Home report recommendations are still to be enacted, it is a powerful question.

Ben McCarthy is a proud Dharug and Bidjigal man, Assistant Principal and Aboriginal Education Teacher at St Patrick's Primary School, Swansea.

Coral Vass was born in Sydney and often runs workshops for children to help them shape their own stories, encouraging literacy and creativity from a young age.

Dub Leffler is one of 13 children and grew up in Quirindi, in central northern NSW. He is descended from the Bigambul and Mandandanji people of south west Queensland.

Sorry Day won the 2019 Children’s Book Council of Australia, Book of the Year Eve Pownall Award.

Published by National Library of Australia, 2018.

Lemon myrtle cookies

2 eggs Shakaya, Shakeyah, Jessie, Lakaya, Noel,

present actions of the Australian government. As young Maggie hides in between her mother’s legs in a crowd for the national apology, it parallels harrowing illustrations of children hiding in the thick mud. As Maggie loses her mother in a crowd, it recalls the experiences of children of the stolen generation. Maggie’s following panic and despair at being separated from her mother places our young readers in a familiar situation and builds their empathy. Albeit a brief glimpse of loss, they can “feel” something and explore the concept further.

10 grams ground lemon myrtle

The students recently enjoyed creating this recipe incorporating lemon myrtle.

Lemon myrtle has been used

by Indigenous Australians for thousands of years as both a cooking ingredient and medicinal plant. It has a strong lemon citrus flavour and aroma and is great

Step 3 - In a separate bowl sift flour and mix in ground lemon myrtle.

Step 4 - Add wet mixture to the dry ingredients and fold through until combined.

for adding flavour to any dish.

St Joseph’s Primary School is located on the lands of the Biripi people and surrounded by a picturesque bushland setting on several hectares of carefully maintained park-like grounds.

Step 5 - Roll into small balls using 1 large teaspoon of mixture. This makes about 30 biscuits.

Step 6 – Line an oven tray with baking paper, lay out balls on the tray and press down lightly on each one with a fork.

Step 7 - Bake for 15min at 160C.

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