Term 2 is marching on with events, school and fun times. Some girls are feeling a bit weary with everything that is going on. Staff are conscious of getting the girls into a routine which has been trying with the public holiday interruptions.
Last weekend we enjoyed the Cultural Fun Day, Sullies Netball Carnival and a trip to the beach to catch up with our St Brendan’s and St Urshies friends. We were the winners of the tug-o-war, much to the angst of the boys in attendance.
Cultural Day
Over the long weekend, local Aboriginal owned organisation Mundagatta Didgeridoos visited our boarding students facilitating various cultural workshops. The morning began in our brand new Yarning Circle with a traditional welcome and smoking which cleansed the space in preparation for the day ahead. Our students had the privilege of being audience to a number of traditional corroborees with both female and male dancers. Each dance held significance and depicted a story which the dancers explained to our students throughout the morning. Towards the end of the corroboree workshop, the students were taught a simple eight count dance. A number of confident students then performed this in our Yarning Circle before moving down to the oval to learn about traditional cultural artefacts.
Spears, coolamons, different types of boomerangs, ochre and digging sticks were among the bundle of artefacts that were shown to the students. Demonstrations were performed and the students also had the chance to throw the boomerangs. The significance of each artefact was explained along with how they were made and their uses. Clapsticks and the didgeridoo were also performed by facilitators for the students to enjoy.
The morning ended with a lovely on theme morning tea prepared by Girls Grammar kitchen staff which consisted of scones, damper and fruit. Mundagatta Didgeridoos also presented our school with a coolamon, a set of clapsticks and a digging stick as a token of their appreciation.
This weekend the girls will enjoy a dance party run by our Year 11 girls. We have our eagerly anticipated Year 10 and 11 social this weekend which should be a blast. The rest of the weekend will be spent shopping, studying and chilling out. We can’t wait for that!
Next week our Year 11 students are at camp and I will heading out for 24 hours as well. This camp is a fabulous one, focusing on leadership for our future leaders at Girls Grammar.
Wishing you all a fantastic weekend.
Stacey McCarthy Shania Conlon
Head of Boarding Indigenous Liaison Officer