What an unforgettable day at The Song Room’s ‘Weaving Yarns’ event at Bankstown First Nations Hub. Students and school communities from Bass Hill Public School, Chester Hill North Public School, Chullora Public School, and Condell Park Public School came together for a big day of learning, and it was nothing short of pure magic.

Grounded in local knowledge

The day began with a powerful Smoking Ceremony by Raphael from Dhinawan Yarns, grounding everyone in the spirit of learning and community. Darug Elder Aunty Lyn Martin Welcomed everyone to Country setting a deeply respectful, inclusive and warm tone for the day ahead.

We were truly privileged to learn from First Nations Elders and Teaching Artists, including Aunty Karleen Green, Lee Carr, Julie Gramatovski, Raphael Hatzipetrou, Koreena Leverett, Tristan Field and Colin Watego, who generously shared their culture and wisdom.

They worked across workshops in weaving, visual arts, music and dance with The Song Room team of talented Teaching Artists, creating an unforgettable learning experience for everyone involved.

Creating respectful spaces

Aunty Karleen, a Bunjalung, Munjalau, and Kgari woman, conducted weaving workshops where every child crafted their own Yarning Stick. This stick is designed to support, respect, and empower each individual during discussions. The activity beautifully brought the event’s purpose to life – to improve the social-emotional skills and wellbeing of the young attendees.

Acknowledging community responsibility

The Song Room’s Teaching Artist Koreena Leverett (Worimi) shared with students the importance of connection and their role in the community by introducing them to Aboriginal totems. By working together to paint their totems, students learned to work together while fostering a sense of belonging and mutual respect.

Music and magic in the air

Under the guidance of The Song Room ‘band,’ led by Teaching Artist and Community Liaison Officer, Colin Watego, students got the chance to craft and perform an original song. Using their cultural totems, the children worked together to write the verses shown below.

Teaching Artist, Kelvin Testolin, guided students as they created actions to support their lyrics. Through collaboration they brought their songs to life through movement and created a dance that everyone felt proud of.

The day’s finale—a lively and energetic group performance—was a true testament to the creativity and spirit of the students. Each group performed their own verse before coming together as a whole to sing and dance.

A Special Moment with Nathaniel Miller

A highlight of the day was welcoming Nathaniel Miller, the Teaching Artist from Bulman School in Arnhem Land, NT. Nathaniel was in Sydney to accept the 2024 ARIA Music Teacher award the previous day. His presence and performance of a song in language inspired everyone, embodying the day’s spirit of cultural pride and connection. What a privilege to learn and celebrate with him!

Thank You to Our Supporters

Thank you to the Bankstown Community Resource Group’s First Nations Hub for hosting us in this beautiful space.

A huge thank you to our amazing supporters:

• The Smith Family Bankstown, facilitating partner of Communities for Children, funded by the Australian Government.
• ALPHA Shoes who generously provided vouchers for school shoes at Athlete’s Foot to every child.
• The JB Hi-Fi Helping Hands team for their incredible support, capturing imagery of the day and supporting The Song Room team.

Together, we celebrated culture, creativity, and community, leaving with full hearts and inspired minds. This day was a shining example of how the arts can bring people together in powerful and meaningful ways.

Read about The Song Room’s Big Days of Learning in Perth, WA, Limestone Coast, SA, and Geelong, VIC.