Monday 19th August, 2024
Dear Centre Members, Aligned HDR Colleagues, and Allied Members,
Womenjeka – welcome and come with purpose!
We are now in a period of mild weather which is a reminder that we are in Guling, Orchid Season (August) according to the Eastern Kulin Seasonal Calendar when the cold weather is coming to an end. Centre members enjoyed warmer weather on the shores of Nairm on Wednesday. What a day… on Country #3 was an excellent mid week cleansing, recharging, and inspiring collaborative event. You can read some reflections and see some images below, including one of our member’s reflections on an alternative on Country event, when they couldn’t join us at the last minute.
We decided that to move actively towards a deeper relationship with the Indigenous custodians of our lands that we would work to build language learning into our newsletter. We found this great website to support us initially https://deadlystory.com/. We are going to focus on the Kulin Nations and the 5 clans of this nation. This week we share some language of the Wurundjeri People – who speak Woiwurrung language. As we heard at our first On Country day in 2023 – at the Botanic Gardens ‘wurun’ means the Manna Gum (Eucalyptus viminalis) which is common along ‘Birrarung’ (Yarra River). ‘Djeri‘, is the grub which is found in or near this tree. So the Wurundjeri are the ‘Witchetty Grub People’. See below for some common words as well as some places that use Woiwurrung names.
Note that we have used this spelling of Nairm… and that is ok too https://youtu.be/8czQSLq01og
We trust you had a wonderful Intra-trimester break (and National Science Week) and the transition back to teaching is smooth – we head into week 6 of trimester 2.
A big CRF Welcome to our new Allied Members – Justin Dillon, Michelle Tourbier, Larissa Raymond, Charlotte Hankin, Melissa Glackin and Michelle Smith. We are an international collective.
Best wishes
Jo and Peta