Kalari – Celebrating Indigenous culture at YSS
Kalari Harmony Week Message
Do you know the history of Harmony Day? Harmony Day comes out of the United Nations International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, first observed in 1979, in solidarity with all those people who have struggled against racism.
https://www.un.org/en/events/racialdiscriminationday/background.shtml
In Australia, Harmony Day is also about inclusiveness, respect and a sense of belonging for everyone in our multicultural society. This includes a celebration of Indigenous heritage, culture and communities that have called these lands home for tens of thousands of years. So, Harmony Day is both a celebration of our diversity and a reminder to fight for justice and equality for all.
This year YSS harmony day celebrations coincide with National Close the Gap Day (19 March 2021).
YSS Indigenous acknowledgement
An acknowledgement is made at the beginning of a meeting of people to demonstrate respect to the land you are gathering on and respect for the Traditional Owners as the caretakers of that land. An acknowledgement can be made by anyone – Indigenous or non-Indigenous. YSS has developed its own acknowledgement in consultation with Indigenous students and the acknowledgement is made at the beginning of school meetings, assemblies and other events. This great poster of the YSS acknowledgment with art work by YSS Indigenous students is also on display in each classroom – have you spotted it?!
Yuggera word of the week:
International Women’s Day was 8 March!
Learn how to say ‘woman’ in Yuggera: ‘Dhungal’ (Dhun-gal).
What is Kalari?
Kalari means ‘message stick’ in Yuggera 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.