Published on 06 June 2023
More than 350 Lake Macquarie students converged on the Museum of Art and Culture, yapang, on Thursday 1 June to celebrate 2023 National Reconciliation Week.
Lake Macquarie City Council Manager Arts, Culture and Tourism Jacqui Hemsley said students from eight schools learnt about Aboriginal culture, history and art, circulating through a variety of half-hour workshops throughout the day.
“The theme for this year’s National Reconciliation Week is ‘Be a voice for generations’, and it was wonderful to see our younger generation participating with such enthusiasm and curiosity,” she said.
Local Aboriginal artist Doug Archibald took students through the process of making a traditional bark canoe and possum-skin cloaks, while other artists explained the intricacies of weaving using dried grass.
Reconciliation Week runs from 27 May to 3 June each year, marking two significant milestones in the reconciliation journey: the successful 1967 referendum recognising Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the Census, and the High Court Mabo decision of 1992.