Issue 23
PROMOTING RECONCILIATION St Margaret’s Vision for Reconciliation
‘Our vision for reconciliation is an Australia that embraces unity between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and other Australians, and a national culture that represents equality and equity, historical acceptance of our shared history and removal of negative race relations. By establishing a better understanding and respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, we will support reconciliation and develop an enriched appreciation of Australia’s cultural heritage and move towards the maturity of our community and Australia as a nation based on mutual respect and trust.’
students support the Indigenous Literacy Foundation during Book Week. Part of St Margaret’s celebration of National Reconciliation Week includes Floral Day – a themed free dress day – which sees students dressing in bright floral colours and our Indigenous students leading the school through traditional dance on Circular Drive. Each year, our students participate in Prayer Space – Dadirri. ‘Dadirri’, an Aboriginal word meaning ‘inner deep
listening and quiet still awareness and waiting’, is the guiding principle of our Prayer Space experiences. Practising the Aboriginal meditative ritual ‘Dadirri’, students have the opportunity to contemplate, think, reflect and pray in a quiet and still way. During National Reconciliation Week in 2021, Pre-Prep to Year 6 students participated in a Reconciliation themed Prayer Space Dadirri, which gave them the chance to gain greater awareness of and connect
deeply with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture and history. St Margaret’s is also a partner school of Yalari, and together we are dedicated to creating a brighter future for Indigenous children through education. We currently have 19 Yalari students from regional, rural and remote communities on boarding scholarships, and over the 11 years we have been associated with Yalari, 20 Indigenous students have graduated from St Margaret’s.
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