Reconciliation Week
What is Reconciliation Week?
National Reconciliation Week (NRW) is a time for all Australians to learn about our shared histories, cultures, and achievements, and to explore how each of us can contribute to achieving reconciliation in Australia.
The dates for NRW remain the same each year; 27 May to 3 June. These dates commemorate two significant milestones in the reconciliation journey— the successful 1967 referendum, and the High Court Mabo decision respectively.
Reconciliation must live in the hearts, minds and actions of all Australians as we move forward, creating a nation strengthened by respectful relationships between the wider Australian community, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
The SLEG team have been researching and planning activities to celebrate Reconciliation Week. Below is a compiled list of activities and ideas for Reconciliation Week.
RECONCILIATION WEEK
Walk the talk map of Australia
Create a Walk the Talk map of Australia. Have students sketch out the map and paint in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander colours. Then overlay with footprints to show significant places and historical milestones. Look at the reconciliation timelines in the resources section on the reconciliation.org.au/nrw and shareourpride.org.au websites for ideas. Display the finished artwork in your school, or local community establishment.
Travelling story—walkabout
On paper shaped as footprints (or large feet), start a story about reconciliation in one classroom and let the story grow and continue throughout the school going from class to class. Each class adds to the previous class. When the whole story is finished, display the full story in the front foyer of the school for parents to see or on display boards in the library or corridor for all students to read, and present the story to the entire school at an assembly.
Speech bubbles
Use big speech bubble cut-outs on coloured cardboard to allow students to record their thoughts on what they pledge to do to Walk the Talk!
Take photos of some of the great pledges and post them on your school’s website.
Walking footprint bookmarks
Create a personalised bookmark by using your footprint.
Either trace around feet or make a footprint with coloured paint on paper. Write a personal message about reconciliation onto the footprint, laminate and cut out.
Our next most powerful step for reconciliation
Ask students across the school:
“What does reconciliation mean to me?”
“What does Let’s Walk the Talk mean for our school?”
“What can we do as a school to put our words into actions?”
The different year levels can respond in ways that are age appropriate. For example kindergarten might paint their responses, Year 2 students might draw pictures to represent their ideas, Year 6 students might use symbolism in art, and might write their opinions. All of these responses can be done on foot shaped paper or card and teachers could compile their class’ work., Summarise the group’s thinking and title it “Our next most powerful step for reconciliation.”
Create A Dreamtime Story/ retell a Dreamtime Story
Using the Aboriginal symbols, create a story that is symbolic of your class. You can transfer it onto a tile using black permanent texta.
This is an example of a story made by a class from another primary school.
The ‘water’ border is representative of us being in Australia as we are surrounded by water. There is a ‘boomerang’ on each inner corner of the border to represent that we are resilient, bounce back and try our best. The meeting place in the middle was to represent both adults and children coming together in a common place like we do at school. Each of the students have selected their own symbol to represent themselves in a meaningful way. For example, some chose a ‘kangaroo’ as they are good at high jump, others a ‘star’ because we tell them they are stars.
Message Sticks
