31 May 2022
It’s National Reconciliation Week, a time of particular focus for non-Indigenous people on contributing to reconciliation between Indigenous peoples and the wider Australian community.
This year’s theme ‘Be Brave, Make Change’ 
encourages non-Indigenous people to take actions in their daily lives to “build relationships and communities that value Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, histories, cultures and futures”.
Melrose High School’s photography and animation students have been exploring this year’s theme in their classwork and beyond, Melrose teacher Deirdre Kelaher said.
“Every year the theme for Reconciliation Week is different, and it’s a great way to start a conversation with students on reconciliation and how they can create meaning in their work using the theme,” Deirdre said.
“Students are also exploring reconciliation as a topic, working on themes such as diversity, healing and growth. We’re also exploring what it means to be brave and make change through our work.”
Students have interpreted the theme of ‘Be Brave, Make Change’ in their projects and how it can be applied to other areas of their lives.
Year 10 photography student Nikesh said he was inspired by the idea that one person can create change.
“My design represents the idea of being able to be brave and be confident in who you are, holding the world in the palm of your hand,” Nikesh said.
“I want to send a message to people to leave a positive impact. That’s what I want my art to accomplish.”
Year 7 animation student Zoya thought deeply about place when creating her storyboard for her Reconciliation Week animation project.
“I wanted to represent people feeling safe and happy and feeling like they belonged,” Zoya said.
“I was inspired by the Stolen Generation and how they may have felt being taken from a place where they felt safe and happy, and then tossed into a place that was confusing and where they couldn’t fit in.”
Zoya’s central character represents the confusion that is felt when someone is in a place they do not feel connected to.
“The animation represents coming back to country as the character arrives happy and feeling safe.”
Year 7 student Melody’s animation depicts a broken heart coming back together as hands come together to hold a globe.
“It represents how if we all come together, we can make real change,” Melody said.
The broken heart being repaired also represents the healing that can take place in this process.
“If we stand together, we can make things better,” Melody said. “It isn’t always easy, but if we work together, it can be easier.”
Executive teacher Anna Russell says that Melrose High’s teachers embed Indigenous perspectives into as many lessons as they can.
“Without understanding our true history of genocide and the intergenerational trauma resulting from it, we cannot understand what we’re seeing in the present – and in terms of reconciliation, what we’re reconciling to.
“I am so proud that our teachers are taking it seriously. They are undertaking cultural competency training and reviewing units they already teach to include First Nations’ perspectives.
“We embed Indigenous knowledges, for example when talking about astronomy and science, we might talk about how the stars are used to navigate life.”
The school finds the students really engage with the subject matter, writing their own acknowledgements of country and even their own children’s books.
“For our Reconciliation Week assembly, some gave speeches on this year’s theme ‘Be Brave, Make Change’,” Anna said, “and you could hear a pin drop with 850 students in the hall.”
National Reconciliation Week is bookended by two dates commemorating significant milestones in Australia’s journey of reconciliation: 27 May – the successful 1967 referendum to include First Nations peoples in the census, and 3 June – the High Court’s 1992 Mabo decision recognising Native Title.
For reconciliation resources, visit the Narragunnawali platform .
#NRW2022 #BeBraveMakeChange