Published on: 30 May 2024









In recognition of National Reconciliation Week, the School came together to participate in a range of events and activities to celebrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander history and culture and foster reconciliation discussions among our students and staff. Throughout the week, members of the Christ Church community have been proudly wearing ties and scarves, designed by current and past students of our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander program in 2022 during NAIDOC Week.

The School began the week by celebrating the PSA Indigenous Round against Guildford last weekend, with our First XVIII boys proudly running out onto the ground wearing a guernsey designed by Year 10 Nhanda Yamatji Noongar student Kayde Kelly. Kayde shared the meaning behind his design:

A river flowing through the front of the jumper represents the river behind us, the Derbal Yerrigan which flows into the meeting grounds. This shows cultural significance as the river is connected to the school where I live and grow my learning of my culture and the significance that lies behind it. The ‘river’ then flows into the back of the jumper into a meeting ground surrounded with men with spears which represents the CCGS first XVIII motto ‘HUNT AS ONE’. The meeting ground with spears flows onto each side of the meeting ground into three smaller groups followed by kangaroo and emu tracks, as both kangaroos and emus are significant figures in indigenous culture as they provide guidance from ancestors through totems, a source of food and clothing.

The symbols on the outside of the Christ Church symbol embody the Christ Church motto “building the inner man” by having two male symbols on either side of the Christ Church emblem. On the left of the big meeting ground, there are seven Yungathas (family) which represent the seven different language groups in Yamatji. The footprints that go through the jumper show the importance of being on and off your country as it helps stay connected to family, community and country. Just above ‘HUNT AS ONE’ there are two different flags, an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flag to represent the boys in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander program.

On Monday morning, our community gathered at the flagpoles for a flag-raising ceremony to mark the start of the week. Year 10 Bidjara, Ghangulu and Iman Balladong, Wadjuk and Yued student Jeeo McGuire and Year 9 Kulkagul and Wongatha student Keiyon Billy spoke to attendees about the significance of the flags and the meaning behind their symbols.

Reconciliation Week has been an opportunity for our students to come together by creating collaborative artwork. Senior students have placed their handprints onto a canvas that depicts the Aboriginal flag. Our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, who have led the initiative, and their invited friends placed their handprints in the centre to make up the yellow circle. The final work will be hung around the School as a representation of inclusivity, harmony, and diversity in our community.