Susanna Freymark
Teacher Craig Gillespie wants every student to have a “cultural suitcase”.
The school’s goal is that when students leave Evans River K-12 School in Evans Head they have a suitcase of knowledge about Country and Indigenous culture.
Part of that suitcase is at every assembly students are greeted in Bandjalang language with Bairon wal boogul wa wia? which means – Hello, are you well?
And at the NAIDOC assembly yesterday, Thursday, July 4, the Nulingar Yaroon (meaning Everyone’s Track) was officially opened.
The entire school filed out of assembly over a small wooden bridge into the bushland track behind the school.
Mr Gillespie worked with a group of boys called the Green Team to create the track.
It took nine years to complete.
The thing is, this isn’t just a track winding through proud banksia trees and thriving Xanthorrhoea – it features sculptures, resting spots and cultural references.
There are QR codes along the track that link to Aunty Simone’s Bandjalang stories.
The Green Team has created a stunning yet peaceful walk through intense foliage.
Yesterday, Mr Gillespie with KJ, Kobi, and Brett prepared a smoking ceremony for the opening of the track.
Then more than 500 students traipsed through the bushland, in the rain, before returning back to the school yarning circle.
The track is open to the public as it is adjacent to the school but not on the school grounds.
Below are more photos from Evans River School.
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