Junior HASS

This year, students have been busy in Humanities and Social Sciences! In Term 4, students have been studying rights and freedoms within a democracy, including freedom of speech. Students have also been learning about empathy. The extension students created their own political party, deciding what issues are important to them and how they will fix those issues. After deciding on a name, logo and slogan for their political party, they designed a campaign poster and wrote an election speech, using persuasive devices learnt in English. They created some inspirational work – we absolutely have some future leaders here at Girl Academy! In Term 3, students studied a unit on sustainability and looked at different Indigenous perspectives of sustainability. They each wrote a letter to Country, or from Country, which was compiled to create a performance for NAIDOC day. The students spoke their truths on the microphone, whilst music by Gurrumul played in the background. The girls should be very proud of their words and finding the courage to speak in front of a large audience. The performance was POWERFUL! Enjoy a copy of the speech below:

DEDICATION TO COUNTRY

Naydia: Dear Humans, All: Dear Humans!

Alexis: I am the land on which you walk, run and sit.

Naydia: I am the trees that help you breathe and which you lay under for shade. Ada: I am the producer of life, the producer of resources and I am the reason you breathe every day. Edwina: I am the creation. I am the ceremonies.

Violet: I am the living things. I am Country! Calista: Country is inherent to our identity. Skye: It’s our lives in every way – spiritually, physically, emotionally, socially and culturally. Naydia: I am the ground that gives you stability. Taishara: Country is family, we’re a part of the land it speaks to us! Skye: It’s alive, its spirit breathes. And we all are naturally connected like we have a strong connection to our ancestors past and present. Alexis: Laws, traditions, language. Lynese: I am everything. I am Country. Thaarah: I am running out of strength. You need to protect me. I am suffering. Ada: My trees are being cut. I am suffering. My ground is being drilled into and my waters are being poisoned. Edwina: People don’t see that Country has got life, and our next generation need that life and water to live and survive.

Naydia: I ask you to stop, have wisdom, have empathy. Alexis: I NEED YOUR HELP. I ask you to stop destroying scared sites! Chaquita: I am the provider; I give you fresh air to breathe, treat me good but do not treat me as if I am a rubbish.

Naydia: Destroying sacred sites, is tearing the native people’s cultural connection away from me! Alexis: Centuries of stories, dances, language savagely being torn away! This is because of mining, mining for oil and coal! Chaquita: Digging my body up in large chunks getting oil and coal is affecting the vegetation around you which you need to live. Taishara: It is weakening land so the land you would play on is now all soft and weak. Thaarah: Help me help you! Ada: The things you do on a daily basis are affecting me. Edwina: You can heal me. I ask that you start to speak up for your land and your Country. Chaquita: I ask that you start by listening to those who hear my cries. Naydia: Plant more trees as you take them down. Fertilise my body so I can keep producing. Only take bits of me.

Ada: I ask you to stop deforestation. Deforestation is killing me. Deforestation affects me and animals! They’re dying because their habitat is being cut down and they have nowhere else to live if you

keep cutting down the trees. Taishara: If you want to stop this or if you want my forgiveness, you can heal me by start planting seeds.

Violet: I simply ask you to stop hurting me. Always use less paper.

Ada: Use objects that can replenish and you could reuse each time.

Lynese: Do not take or eat like a monster, use the foods in a proper way! Skye: Raise awareness in the community! Ada: Stand up and take action! Use social media to support environmental issues and speak to the government or politicians! Naydia: I ask that you start by listening to those who hear my cries!

All: I ask that you start by listening to those who hear my cries! Thaarah: Dear Country All: Dear Country!

Thaarah: I am a young Indigenous woman I am the girl who speaks for the spirits. I am the girl who is proud to be Indigenous to have culture dancing and signing. I am a girl who is bringing my people into the country to help save my land Alexis: Country, We would first like to say thank you. Thank you for the food, culture and the water. Thank you for the food that we find on trees and in the bushes

Calista: Thank you for the dancing, language and the ceremony that our people are proud of. Thank you for keeping us safe from all the bad spirit. Tharaah: Country, we are so sorry were letting you down, for people logging you, hurting you. WE NEED CLIMATE ACTION NOW!

Edwina: Our Country. Our Land. Our Culture.

Alexis: We are grateful for what you have given us, but many people have also taken it for granted. Calista: It is important to protect you because of the old people, ceremony, traditional dancing, language and the culture that is a part of you. Naydia: I promise to do my part to protect you from further destruction

Edwina: Dear audience

All: Dear audience!

Edwina: Our past generation live on our land, we need to protect our Country. Our Country is our spirit and our land. Alexis: We need to stand up and speak up for our rights! Ada: Protect our Country. Protect our land. All: Protect our Country! Protect our land!