Lennon in one of the Aboriginal bush hut gunyahs the students built last week as part of
the school’s annual Dreaming Day activities
Cobar Public School celebrated their annual
Dreaming Day at the school last week
and, while COVID restrictions meant that
some of the activities ran a little bit differently
this year, it certainly didn’t dampen
the excitement the school community has
for country and culture.
Dreaming or Dreamtime represents the time
when Aboriginal Ancestral Spirits progressed
over the land and created life and important
physical geographic formations and sites.
Dreaming is based on the inter-relation of all
people and all things and is handed down
through stories, art, ceremonies and songs.
Cobar Public students participated in a range
of activities that helped them to learn about
Aboriginal people and their culture including:
building gunyahs out of bush brush, emu craft,
dot painting, Indigenous themed sport, basket
weaving, beading and grinding rocks to make
ochre.
Cobar High School’s Aboriginal Education
Officer, Colby Lawrence, whose role is to
assist teachers to develop culturally appropriate
resources and programs, was a special
guest to give an “age appropriate” Acknowledgement
of Country address.
His address highlighted the connection Aboriginal
people have to land and the importance
of looking after it.
Colby also helped out with the ochre activities
explaining to students the different uses
for ochre such as face painting for ceremonies,
how different colours are used by different
age groups and genders, the significance of
rock paintings and wall paintings of dreamtime
stories, making maps and painting sand.
