Skies may have been grey but spirits were high on Wednesday as children, educators and special guests gathered to acknowledge the renaming of the children's rooms at Princes Close Early Years Service.
With permission from Wurendjeri Elder Aunty Di, the Reconciliation Aboriginal Parties Advisory Committee approved the children's rooms be renamed to acknowledge the traditional owners of the land.
Wurundjeri man Elder Colin Hunter the fourth opened the event with a Welcome to Country and Smoking Ceremony. As the smoke rose from the gum leaves, Colin explained to the children the purpose and tradition behind the ceremony.
"The Welcome to Country and Smoking Ceremony is like a passport for travellers," said Mr Hunter.
"After travelling long distances, people would perform the ceremonies as an introduction.
"The smoke represents water, which is relaxing and soothing to a traveller, and the ceremony represents the passport with the gum leaves," he explained.
It was then over to City of Stonnington Deputy Mayor Cr Melina Sehr to officially announce the children's rooms renamed.
"In renaming the rooms with indigenous words, we are acknowledging the Aboriginal connection to country and teaching our children the rich culture that we share with our First Nations people," said Cr Sehr.
"We want to foster awareness, respect and understanding of the diverse land on which we live for children and families."
Joining in the morning celebration was City of Stonnington Councillors Nicki Batagol and Mike Scott, and Federal Member for Higgins, Dr Michelle Ananda-Rajah MP, who acknowledged the importance of "our shared history and shared culture".
Except for the baby room, all rooms are named after native animals:
- bubup (the Woi Wurrung word for baby)
- marram – kangaroo
- walert – possum
- waa – crow
- bunjil – wedge-tailed eagle.
To close out the ceremony the children delighted everyone with a unique rendition of an Acknowledgement of Country:
Here is the land
And here is the sky
Here are my friends
And here am I.
We thank the first nations people of the Land
We are here on Kulin Land
Caring for the animals
Caring for the land
Caring for each other.
Pictured: Dr Michelle Ananda-Rajah MP, City of Stonnington Deputy Mayor Melina Sehr and Elder Colin Hunter the fourth.
