About 80 Carmel College students have come together to make their mark on a story cloth for National Reconciliation Week (NRW).
The cloth has been decorated with drawings of snakes, lizards, turtles, shells and other native flora and fauna.
Students were invited to add their personal designs to the cloth, with each contribution representing their commitment to this year’s reconciliation week message ‘Be a voice for generations’.
The theme encourages all Australians to be the voice for reconciliation and make a tangible difference in their everyday lives.
First Nations family and community members were also invited to make their mark on the collaborative artwork.
Story Cloth Connection founder and artist Tania Budd said the art form helped bring people together from all walks of life.
“Story cloths are for everyone. They are all inclusive, they are cross-generational and they are cross-cultural,” she said.
“Art is very important as a bridge of communication when sometimes no other words can be found.”
Carmel College principal Stephen Adair said the story cloth represented the school’s commitment to reconciliation.
“We recognise that reconciliation is a journey, it’s a process that takes time,” he said.
“As a college we are very committed to that process.”
Sonja Carmichael, a Ngugi woman belonging to the Quandamooka people, was grateful to be sharing in the process.
“There is so much significance in passing on knowledge through cultural practices, including art made by First Nations Peoples, symbolising the footsteps of ancestors, and sharing intergenerational stories with younger people,” she said.
“Expressing and sharing our stories with the students through art forms is just beautiful.”
