Kangaroo Flat First Nations students benefit from powerful initiative

THIRTY First Nations students from Grades four to six at Kangaroo Flat Primary School have participated in a ten-week project to share their cultural stories, resulting in two specially designed school uniform items.

The students recently unveiled the new items – which feature a design created by them showcasing representations of Dja Dja Wurrung symbols, icons, and culture – to the entire school at a special assembly involving dance, story-telling and performance.

The uniform pieces are already being worn by the First Nations students and will be available for purchase by the wider school community as from early next year.

City of Greater Bendigo community partnerships manager Andie West explained that as part of the My Story: Understanding My Culture project, the students were involved in several excursions and workshops where they explored and wrote their story.

From there, they created a design to showcase the story on a school polo shirt and hat, which will now become a permanent part of the school uniform.

“Most students reported that after participating in the project (that) they feel better about being themselves, feel more connected to culture, and feel safer to show and share their culture at school,” she said.

“It’s been a really great project with a fantastic outcome for the Kangaroo Flat Primary School community.”

School principal Kelsey Chaffey-Jones said the reaction has been great from the whole school family.

“It’s been really worthwhile,” she said.

“It’s different from just going to a uniform provider and asking them for a design.

“I think a lot of the kids involved were really curious to learn more about their culture and to have access to the resources and people that they did.

“Not all students know how to access that information, so to have an opportunity come to them is really special. It really let their learning flourish, and I guess that’s what it’s all about.

“I know that they’ll eventually move on, but there’s always going to be that pride in what they’ve created for the school.

“It’ll be a long-lasting token that they’ve left here to share with everyone.”