Acknowledging Country and sharing culture on Res

Our students have celebrated this NAIDOC week in style, with a series of workshops, Welcome to Country ceremonies and other initiatives to help them engage with Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander culture in a meaningful way while developing a strong sense of place on campus.

We were delighted to work on the week’s programming with Noongar and Tuwharetoa woman Kiri Tawhai, a fantastic artist and community project facilitator, as well as working with Traditional Custodians who performed Welcome to Country ceremonies for students and staff in each location.

Kiri ran art, storytelling and wellbeing workshops in Burwood, Warrnambool and Waurn Ponds across the week, where students discussed their connections to country and memories, and painted elements of this onto clapsticks. Participants also enjoyed catering from First Nations owned businesses while enjoying a soundtrack of wonderful tunes from First Nations artists.

Reflecting on the week's programming, Kiri said,

I think these types of events are so important for each student as it helps to develop connection to place, but more than that it shows our future leaders and teachers ways in which they can keep Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Knowledge and Concepts of Community and Traditions in their future roles after University. For students that are Aboriginal, these events can allow them to connect with Community, it can give a sense of pride and cultural safety.

To deepen the impact of these events, we engaged with Wurundjeri Elder Murrundindi in Burwood, Peek Whurrong Elder Uncle Rob Lowe in Warrnambool and Wadawurrung Elder Melinda Kennedy in Geelong to deliver some wonderful Welcome to Country ceremonies.
All three of these special guests spoke about Country and culture with passion and deep knowledge. The ceremonies were each quite different, reflecting the individual character of each person as well as the differences in culture, while incorporating common themes of storytelling, welcome and the critical importance of caring for Country.

Though there are many stories that came out of the week, a highlight at the Warrnambool ceremony came when cloudy skies gave way to a rainbow just as the entire University daycare centre joined the group of students and staff, with all the children decked out in their bright blue excursion vests. These were ceremonies that brought together different elements of the Deakin and Residential community for an important moment of reflection and connection, and we express gratitude to the Traditional Custodians for their time and insights.

During the workshops it was wonderful to see students deep in conversation, sharing stories about their upbringing, hometowns and countries, while enjoying getting creative with their clapsticks to visually represent this deep connection. Students shared some powerful feedback after the event, reflecting on what they had learned and why it is important to have events like this on Res.

Gabriella from Warrnambool said:

The experience reminded me of home, because I used to have a lot of connection to Indigenous culture in my hometown, and so it was great to experience that now both there and here. It gave you a welcome and better sense of belonging in Warrnambool.

And Avalee from Warrnambool agreed with this, saying,

I think the stories that were told gave me a much deeper understanding than I had before. We often hear about the stolen generation for example, but we don’t hear about the individual stories of the children and the flow on effects that continue to impact people today.

In Burwood, First Nations student Rémy said,

I loved listening to Kiri talk about her Country and her artwork. I appreciated the laid-back atmosphere of the workshop and how safe it felt to just put down paint without worrying too much if it looked perfect or not. The Welcome to Country performed by Uncle Murrundindi was wonderful, I appreciated him taking the time out of his day to yarn to us about culture and his mother's Country.

And fellow student Hà said,

I am so happy that these events were done on Campus, and it shows that the (Res) culture is really conscious about cultural diversity and celebration, and it makes us all feel really welcome here. Even a couple of weeks after the event, it inspired so much conversation with other students in the lobby, or in the elevator, where we were talking about the sunset in our hometowns, or the grasslands where we lived before.

In addition to this programming, the lead-up to NAIDOC week saw the launch of an exciting student-led initiative, where current resident and Yorta Yorta woman Georgia Old designed merchandise representing our four residential precincts. All proceeds of these merch sales will be donated to support Indigenous Health and Education.

As we reflect on all that we have learned this week, we give thanks to and acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the lands we live and work on, and pay our respects to their elders past, present and emerging. We look forward to continuing with this important programming in the years to come, providing important opportunities for students and staff alike to engage with and learn from First Nations people.

This programming was made possible by generous funding from the Community Bank at Deakin University, and we thank them for their support of this important project. Students and other members of the Deakin community are encouraged to consider applying for funding where applicable.