Nine Year 9 students, together with Mrs Moloney and Ms Rainsford, were lucky enough to be given the opportunity to be a part of Kildare Ministries dedicated commitment to Reconciliation. Representatives from eight other Kildare Ministries schools joined us to embark on a transformative journey to Echuca for the KEM First Nations Immersion Experience. This meaningful 3-day camp provided students with a unique opportunity to engage with and learn from First Nations elders, fostering a deeper understanding and appreciation of Indigenous cultures and perspectives. 

The land on which we stayed belongs to the Yorta Yorta People, who have been the traditional owners of the land surrounding Echuca since before European settlement. We were lucky enough to be able to have insightful conversations with Aunty Donna, Aunty Denise, Aunty Hilda and Aunty Greta. These elders went on to tell us their first-hand experience of what it was like growing up indigenous on the Murray River. The river was the centre of their existence. They gathered, ate, sang, played and told stories on its banks for tens of thousands of years.

Aboriginal children were segregated from the white children and were taught a different curriculum which did not include learning how to read. This truly showed us the level of inequality the First Nations people experienced.  I was shocked to hear Aunty Denise’s story of herself as a child in primary school where she was punished for wanting to simply read a book.  

We went to the Barmah National Park where we were shown the Yorta Yorta totem, which is a turtle. On our walk along the Murray River, Aunty Greta and Aunty Hilda talked to us about the Yorta Yorta people’s connection and respect for the land and all its sources. 

This camp allowed us to meet other like-minded students from all over Australia. Group activities such as basket weaving, hosted by Aunty Denise, allowed us to bond and laugh at our wonky, misshapen baskets. 

We are thankful to have been selected for this awesome experience and have taken away a lot from this camp. 

Taylah Devenport and  Matilda De Jong
Year 9