Last week we held our NAIDOC celebrations. NAIDOC Week celebrations are held across Australia each year to celebrate the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. NAIDOC is celebrated not only in Indigenous communities, but by Australians from all walks of life.
The theme of this year’s Naidoc celebrations across Australia is “Always Was, Always Will Be”. Always Was, Always Will Be recognises that First Nations people have occupied and cared for this continent for over 65,000 years.
We acknowledge that Mount St Bernard College is built on Jirrbal Country – the ancestral and sacred lands of the Jirrbal People. We celebrate the First Peoples’ unique cultural and spiritual relationship to Country and acknowledge the significance of Aboriginal cultures in Herberton, across the Tablelands and throughout Australia.
Our school was once a beautiful natural landscape and home to the Aboriginal people of this region. We recognise their long history on this land, the education they provided and the care they gave to this land for thousands of years.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples were Australia’s first explorers, first navigators, first engineers, first farmers, first botanists, first scientists, first diplomats, first astronomers, first artists, first teachers and first students. NAIDOC Week 2020 acknowledges and celebrates that our nation’s story didn’t begin with European contact but the very first footprints on this continent were those belonging to First Nations people thousands of years ago.
Last Friday we embraced the true history of this country – a history which dates back. Due to current health restrictions this was a modified event without visitors and guests but still a very fitting celebration and acknowledgement of our First Nations people. Thank you to the hard work of Miss Brenda, Miss Padaila, Dcn Michael & Kitchen staff.
This coming week we acknowledge the wonderful achievements of our Year 12 students. Under the ‘new’ Queensland Certificate of Education, Year 12 have their last formal day next Thursday. Students without exams will begin to travel home from next Friday.
We wish all our Year 12 students the very best as they finalise their last assessments and move to the next phase of their lives. We thank them for their contribution to College life over many years and congratulate them on this significant milestone in their lives.
We ask God’s blessings on the class of 2020 and their future endeavours
May God’s blessing follow them as they find new journeys to travel.
May they walk safely along the pathways of their dreams.
May God’s gentle hand guide the decisions they will make and the passions that they will follow.
May their hearts and lives always reflect his love and truth,
And may hope be a light within them that they carry into each new day.
Amen
