2026 NAIDOC Week

Mindarie Senior College proudly celebrated National NAIDOC Week in the final week of Term 2, joining communities across Australia in marking 50 years of recognising, celebrating and amplifying the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

NAIDOC Week provides an important opportunity for our College community to come together to learn, reflect and celebrate. Each year, we are committed to ensuring our celebrations are meaningful, inclusive and representative of our students.

Our celebrations began with a Flag Raising Ceremony, bringing students, staff and guests together in a moment of reflection, respect and unity. The ceremony was led by Chair of the College Diversity Committee, Oliver Wisker, who spoke about the significance of NAIDOC Week and shared the poignant poem Shared Dreamtime – Common Ground by Graham Ellis-Smith. Following the ceremony, students gathered for a special morning tea.

Our Year 11 students were also privileged to experience a series of inspiring cultural performances by the Follow the Dream students from Governor Stirling Senior High School’s Maali Centre. We were delighted to welcome students from Quinns Rocks Primary School, who joined us for the event.

Through storytelling, movement and dance, the Maali Centre students shared the richness of Aboriginal culture, providing an authentic and engaging learning experience for our College community. A special highlight was seeing our own Year 11 Noongar/Yamatji student, Summer Rose Narrier-Adams, join the performers, despite not having rehearsed with the group beforehand.

Following the performances, guests invited students and staff to participate in a walk around the gymnasium, symbolising the importance of connection and community through the tradition of a yarning circle. Students also had the opportunity to sample kangaroo sausage, providing another meaningful way to learn about and celebrate Aboriginal culture.

As part of our celebrations, we were also proud to display Summer Rose Narrier-Adams’ collaborative Reconciliation Week painting in the College atrium. The artwork serves as a lasting reminder of the College’s commitment to reconciliation and the importance of recognising and celebrating Aboriginal culture.

To round up the week, our Follow the Dream students enjoyed a celebratory excursion to Grill’d, Hijinx Hotel and Edith Cowan University (ECU) Joondalup, recognising their commitment and achievements throughout a successful semester. The excursion provided students with the opportunity to celebrate together while also exploring future education pathways.

We extend our sincere thanks to the students from Governor Stirling Senior High School’s Maali Centre for generously sharing their culture, stories and traditions with us. We also thank Noongar Radio host Neil Coyne for serving as Master of Ceremonies, and Naomi Hullett, Program Coordinator of Follow the Dream at Governor Stirling Senior High School, for organising this memorable experience for our students.

A huge thank you also goes to our College Diversity Committee and the many staff members who helped organise such rich and meaningful cultural experiences to help mark this year’s NAIDOC Week.

To learn more about the Polly Farmer Foundation’s Follow the Dream program, visit https://pff.com.au/follow-the-dream/.