Sista Speak at Glendore Public School is a ten-session program run for Aboriginal female students in Years 3 to 6.
This program has been running for the past three years. This year, the sessions were spread across the four terms throughout the year. The girls meet regularly to talk and learn about Aboriginal culture while participating in activities, games and crafts run in a culturally sensitive environment. Students have the opportunity through the program to invite their non-Indigenous friends along to some sessions.
The girls started the year with an introduction to Sista Speak and a meet and greet for all girls to get to know each other through games and a yarn.
The students then met and researched where their families are from, as many Indigenous students of Glendore PS are off Country. The girls were then able to create a small poster of their families’ tribes. These posters were shared at an assembly with the school.
Other activities completed so far this year include:
• Creating a button bouquet to coincide with Sorry Day, inspired by the colours of the Aboriginal flag
• Designing and painting this year’s school NAIDOC banner
• Cooking and tasting a variety of foods using bush tucker ingredients
• Creating necklaces and bracelets inspired by the colours of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags
• Listening to a local Aboriginal Glendore grandparent share stories about her life experiences and her pride in culture over afternoon tea with parents, carers, aunties and grandmothers.
Previous Sista Speak girls have worked together to create an Acknowledgement of Country and a Sista Speak banner, and they designed a logo for our Sista Speak group to be printed onto shirts for the girls. All the girls are encouraged to wear their shirts every Sista Speak session. The banners and Acknowledgement of Country artworks are proudly displayed in our school library.
Students at Glendore Public School are excited to see what Sista Speak looks like in the future and the connections it has for the Indigenous girls of our school to their culture and heritage.
