Lake Albert Public School has used its NAIDOC Week celebrations to unite cultures by opening a new yarning circle.
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The circle was designed in consultation with Aboriginal organisations and community members to be a culturally-safe space to learn, tell stories, or sit on country in peace.
Principal Damien Eyles said while it had taken them the better part of a year to plan and build, it was important they were getting it right.
"It's a space for them to come together, tell stories and 'yarn'," he said.
"It's all about chatting, talking and telling stories.
"It's going to be a learning space too where they can have lessons, activities ... but also a space kids can come and just be during lunch."
Lake Albert Public's NAIDOC celebrations will extend to teachers and classrooms, with special visits from elders, and classroom activities like themed colouring competitions.
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Mr Eyles said the cultural training teachers had engaged in was particularly useful.
"One of the things we're trying to do here is create authenticity around First Nations and Aboriginal education and embedding that in the school," he said.
"I think that's a really important growth area for us ... we don't want it to be a box ticking exercise.
"For me it's about building up knowledge and awareness, but also connections to our elders."
The opening of the new yarning circle was celebrated with a smoking ceremony by Uncle Pat Connolly from Tumut. In defiance of schoolyard norms, they proceeded through the smoke soberly, seeming to understand the significance of the moment.
Classroom teacher Kathy Crawford, who was central to putting the yarning circle together, said she's glad the opening could line up with the school's NAIDOC Week celebrations.
"I don't identify as Aboriginal, but I have a real interest in the culture," Mrs Crawford said.
"I just think there's so much we can learn ... from it, and we should be working together for it.
"I wanted to do this for a few years, so I applied for a grant, got it, and moved towards designing it."
Mrs Crawford said it had been a labour of love for many people in the Lake Albert Public and wider community.
People volunteered time and expertise to ensure the space was designed in a culturally-safe way, correctly landscaped and included the right native plants.
"I think we need to unite our cultures. This is a place we can do that," Mrs Crawford said.
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