Manning Valley Anglican College marks National Reconciliation Week with a Sea of Hands

The school marked Reconciliation Week by inviting special guests from the Biripi community, the Chatham High School Aboriginal Dance Group, and the Anglican Diocese to join them in planting red, yellow and black hands on the school grounds.

The Sea of Hands has been a symbol of reconciliation with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders since 1997 with the first installation outside Parliament House in Canberra.

"It's about us moving forward as one to reconciliation, the past the present and the future," said Todd Saunders, music teacher at MVAC and previous Aboriginal Education Officer.

Two identical assemblies were held to commemorate the occasion.

"We ran the same assembly twice because the school has 700 students. They do not all fit into our hall anymore!" Todd said.

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Uncle Russell Saunders opened each assembly with a welcome to country, and shared his views on what reconciliation means to him as an Indigenous elder in the community.

The Chatham High School Aboriginal Dance Group performed some traditional dances, led by Hope Labutis-Mays and Jeremy Saunders.

Hope also sang the National Anthem in Gathang, the language of the Biripi people, and English, with MVAC students joining in the English version. She also sang Amazing Grace both in Gathang and English.

The assembly moved outside into the school grounds, with Uncle Russell playing the didgeridoo while the students planted the hands into the ground.

"After that Russell and Jeremy got the school to create a circle around them, that's like a meeting place that avoids any hierarchy. Everyone's got equal rights. It's about moving forward as one. It's about connecting. There are corners, there are no sides on the circle. So connecting as one," Todd said.

The students were also taught how to say "hand" in Gathang.

"I was just really proud to be able to share the culture and connect as one with with all different types of people," Todd said.

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"To showcase some of our community members, their skills and talents and the knowledge which they possess, not just as Indigenous people, but as educators.

"When we have Indigenous guests come on to school grounds, when it's coming from an Indigenous elder, the information that's being expressed or spoken about is actually true to the fact," Todd explained.

"We're so proud to hold this on school grounds today. We're very proud and delighted to have been able to share Indigenous cultural power, and show respect to the traditional custodians of the land."

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