Maitland Local Aboriginal Consultative Group (MLAECG) held their first three-day Connecting to Country cultural awareness program in July for schools within the Maitland area.
Thirty participants from eleven schools embarked on a three-day cultural awareness program within the lower Hunter region of the Wonaruah Nation. MLAECG would like to sincerely thank everyone involved in making our cultural awareness program so successful.
Day one of the program saw participants involved in some site visits, including Baiami Cave.
Participants enjoyed lunch at Wollombi Tavern and learned the significance of flat rock engravings on site.
Day two of the program was held at Mindaribba Local Aboriginal Land Council and commenced with an address by the Francis Greenway High School Junior AECG and a performance by Write it Right dance troupe.
Day two also saw attendees participate in the Kinship Game. Aunty Laurel Williams took the group through a hands-on connection to Country activity, showing visually how everything within Aboriginal culture is connected and how these connections were broken.
Day three, and the final day of the program, saw the thirty attendees listen to stories shared by the Elders, watch a performance by the Wakakulang dance group and even join in with the dance group to participate in some dancing themselves.
Maitland Local AECG would like to sincerely thank the Elders who were involved throughout our Connecting to Country program: Uncle Johnny Lockwood, Auntie Fran & Uncle Dennis Flaus, Auntie Di & Auntie Rose Mills, Uncle Neville Wallis and Uncle Les Elvin.
