Kalari – Celebrating Indigenous culture at YSS
Yugara word of the week:
Ear: Binung (Bin-ung), to remind us of the importance of listening.
In the last few weeks, there have been numerous global protests against racism sparked by the death of George Floyd in the United States. In Australia, this has led us to deeply reflect on our own history and the ongoing injustices still faced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, particularly with Deaths in Custody.
We have seen marches in all Australian cities, including Brisbane, which have demonstrated that these issues are very real and ongoing concern in our communities. Although we are saddened by the events that lead to this, we embrace the opportunity understand our shared history and create change. We are hopeful that as more people understand Australia’s full history and race relations, Australia will take an important step towards true reconciliation.
We understand that conversations about racism and injustice can be confronting and uncomfortable for some, so we have included a useful resources on how to approach this issue with your family, friends and children:
If you want to know more about the continued injustice and structural racism faced by Indigenous Australians, some of these articles might be helpful:
What is Kalari?
Kalari means ‘message stick’ in Yugara language and is name of the YSS Indigenous Working Group.
Kalari aims to increase the acknowledgement and celebration of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture and history at YSS, through an inclusion of Indigenous perspectives and in line with the YSS school values.
Kalari is made up of Indigenous and non-Indigenous volunteer parents and anyone can join! For more information or to get involved about contact Aren Healy at mamaaren101@gmail.com.