Building Futures - Merici College

Community FocusCommunity FocusYear 7 Integrated HumanitiesIndigenous PerformanceIn their study of Australia, the Year 7Integrated Humanities students havebeen exploring Australian Identity.Through the study of Indigenousculture, students are encouraged togain an appreciation of and respect forAboriginal and Torres Strait Islanderpeople and their culture.To enhance their learning, on the 27thMay the girls enjoyed a performanceby Ryka Ali who is a very proudambassador for Australia’s Indigenousyouth. He has been performing withhis family since the age of seven,presenting cultural workshops inschools throughout Australia andNew Zealand. Ryka’s Indigenousheritage stems from the Wuthathitribe of Shellburne Bay, Cape York andfrom the Torres Strait Islands. Rykais currently performing with his Aka(grandmother) Cindy.His performance included songs anddances from both Aboriginal andTorres Strait Islander’s cultures. Itfocused on Australia’s unique animalssuch as the kangaroo and emu andalso Torres Strait play dances. Hepresented and provided explanationsof the instruments, costumes andvarious artefacts. The girls had funtrying out some of the dance moves.Students were excited to hear a shortdemonstration of the didgeridoo. Theamazing sound he has created includedthe more modern sounds of the DJand beat-boxing.The girls were also privileged tohear the stories of Nin Phillips,a Ngunnawal elder and Mericigrandmother. She talked to thestudents about how she grew up asan Aboriginal in the Tumut area, andbeing educated in the Catholic missionthere. She also talked about the sortsof things Aboriginal people valuehighly and led the students in singingin the Wiradjuri language.The girls were able to gain a realinsight into traditional Aboriginalculture and also a deeperunderstanding of what it means to beAboriginal in Australia today.Adrienne RicharsonIntegrated Humanities CoordinatorMarist-Merici OliverProduction a SuccessCongratulations to Merici students MaddieFurner, Gracie O’Malley, Rebecca Riggs, Lexie Thomson,Zufi Emerson, Sophie Bunnett, Chloe King, Paige Baker,Julia Lopilato, Sarah Lowe, Genevieve Bunnett, AmeliaO’Brien, Elizabeth Bunnett, Susannah Bourke, MargaretHarrison and Lucy Barber who performed or participatedin the Marist College’s musical production “Oliver!”between the 1st and the 4th of June. The studentsperformed brilliantly! We would also like to congratulateMarist College, all the cast members, musicians andproduction crew for presenting a very entertaining andprofessional production.6