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At
Darlington Public School, located near Redfern in
inner Sydney, only about a quarter of the children
who attend are Aboriginal, but as Colleen Hayward
the Principal commented:
 The
school drips red, black and yellow. … We say we are
socially committed to Aboriginal studies and we are.
We try to get Aboriginal perspectives into everything.
Children's
projects and Aboriginal art and artefacts (land rights
posters, murals, paintings, photographs of Aboriginal
traditional life as well as of Aboriginal scientists,
medical workers, doctors, lawyers, sports men and
women, and teachers) cover the walls.
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From
the left: Principal, Colleen Hayward, AEA Norma Sides
and teacher Janine Phillips in the foyer at Darlington.
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You
have to keep working at it. If I took down the visual
symbols of Aboriginality we could go back tomorrow
to what we were. Not many people realise that. We
have a very high level of commitment, but we have
to demonstrate and show that commitment. Signs of
it must be immediately visible.
We do it to recognise the children and where they've
come from. We also do it to make sure that the parents
who come in have very positive feelings about the
school, and so that they will bring their friends
and relatives along to look at the school.
We find that the kids will look around and they will
find 'Aunty Mary' or 'Uncle Joe' from way back. It
actually happened yesterday.
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A prized poster celebrating the hand back of Uluru to
its traditional owners and signed by their representatives |
We've
got a picture up on the wall of a famous Aboriginal
boxer. And the man himself came to deliver something.
He was here, and absolutely delighted.
For the first time ever he had been recognised. And
he came back a couple of hours later with one of his
friends to have a look at his photograph on the wall.
We feel that that is very important, especially so that
we can become part of the local community. |
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Windradyne, Pemulwuy, Truganini and Yagan — four
important historical figures |
The
reaction of our non-Aboriginal parents is very positive.
They come into the school and they see the artefacts,
the artworks, all of the things that are up on the wall
and they want their children to learn about Aboriginal
culture.
That's why they come to this school and they are really
positive. If they didn't like it they'd have to send
their kids somewhere else. But they support it all the
way through. |
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Auntie Norma on the walkway above the assembly space,
the ceiling of which cascades with red, yellow and black
streamers. |
