Reconciliation week - Scotch College

Scotch News

Reconciliation week

16 students and 6 staff from Tiwi College (including a Scotch Old Boy from the class of 2017) visited Scotch for the week, helping Scotch boys understand more about Indigenous Australian culture. This, along with a Reconciliation Concert and a game of football, marked National Reconciliation Week.

National Reconciliation Week is a time for all Australians to learn about our shared histories, culture and achievements and to explore how each of us can contribute to achieving reconciliation in Australia between Indigenous and Non-Indigenous people.

Throughout the week, the Aboriginal flag flew from our flagpole and the flag was also be painted on to the Main, Meares and Melville ovals.

At a school assembly, the Tiwi boys performed a dance and the traditional smoking ceremony was carried out.

 2018 Reconciliation assembly

William Barton, a world-renowned didgeridoo player, and Delmae Marion Barton, a writer and singer, performed to the school. Mr Barton had been working at Scotch for several weeks, preparing for the Reconciliation Concert, which involved Scotch indigenous students playing the didgeridoo.

028A6310

The concert brought together Scottish and Australian traditions in a special premiere of a work composed by William Barton, Ian Munro and Delmae Marion Barton, complete with Bagpipes! The didgeridoo playing was mesmorising and fully embraced the acoustic of the Ian Roach Hall. Wilma Smith's string quartet provided an interesting contrast in works for string quartet and didgeridoo by Sculthorpe.

At the end of the week there was a presentation of $50 000 made to the Tiwi College staff for a new recreational facility at the school. The annual 24 hour hike, together with the Scotch Foundation, raised this money.

The Tiwi College boys then went on to display energetic and nimble football skills, defeating the Scotch team in a friendly game.