you know, when you feel connected to people?
Read what our community participants, artists, partners and audiences say about FICAA’s cultural development initiatives.
We don’t know what they’re doing on that side of the Lake, and no one knows what we’re doing on this side of the Lake, and doing it the way the Five Islands group has done, we couldn’t have done it without you. With the kids getting involved together and not being stand-offish and not being shamed. (Aunty Vicky, Aboriginal Education Officer, Mount Warrigal PS)
I can’t really explain the feeling but, you know when you feel connected to people? (Sahara, Mount Warrigal PS)
I like learning new Aboriginal moves and dances… in a lot of dances it made me feel like I was a cultural leader and in the puppet show…I kind of felt special. (Harper, Mount Warrigal PS)
Being around my people has always given me a lot of strength…When we come together it just strengthens us, especially in these trying times for us as Aboriginal people in Australia. It’s been very trying, very hard. So having that support and building those relationships has been the best thing for us in that healing process. (Suzi, FICAA Artist)
For my children to actually meet the First Nations children and hear the stories behind where they live and the Elders actually telling about Mount Kembla and Mount Keira and the local area, the Dharawal land, I think they learnt a lot…and to be able to share their cultural stories as well, what they did in their garden, for them to take pride in their achievements…and just to interact with children that are outside the Cringila area, because a lot of the children don’t go outside their own cultural groups. (Helen, Cringila PS Teacher)
When we come together, it just strengthens us
I love weaving, printing, art, singing, dancing, and I remember we were practicing doing the stories. (Sienna, Mount Warrigal PS)
All the Aboriginal kids here at Mount Warrigal, it’s good to see them come back every day we were out here. As soon as they see us coming in, they are straight over to us. (Aunty Bev, FICAA Chairperson)
A little girl in 5/6 never spoke to anyone. She’s come out of her shell. I mean since being in this group, she’s talking to me more and talking to her peers more, and they’re coming up to her asking her to join in. (Aunty Vicky, Aboriginal Education Officer, Mount Warrigal PS)
…and we get to do events like how we had the Cringila kids, and how we did the song thing with the kids in the K2 class watching. (Jack, Mount Warrigal PS)
I don’t have grandchildren but they’re the grandchildren I would have wanted
It was good to see, from rehearsals to actual performance day that everybody shared their story. They did a fabulous job, it was great to see the children perform and tell their stories from their garden experiences, and how it all tied together. (Persa, Community Worker, Cringila Community Centre)
Our story was about the garden and then I liked hearing about other stories. I don’t know about them, and they were interesting and I got to know more about them. (Malak, Cringila PS)
My favourite part was sharing the stories with the people and with Aaron [the school gardener]. (Maya, Cringila PS)
I feel joyful because I liked hearing the stories and doing the actions. It was really fun. (Yasmin, Cringila PS)
I loved meeting new people from the community and hearing their stories about Cringila, or from back in their home countries, and seeing dancing, singing, and we even got to share our story about the garden, and Aaron our gardener visited and that was a special moment. (Karen, Teacher, Cringila PS)
As a group of women we got the most enjoyment, seeing the enjoyment of the kids…we did practice and it came together…we saw the interest in the kids…the pictures they drew, it made my heart sing…I don’t have grandchildren, but they’re the grandchildren I would have wanted. The enjoyment was all around. (Jacky, Company of Women)
Seeing the children, they want to know everything, especially when we finish playing bes tas [five stones] and the string game…they were trying to learn, they were so into it! …and when I was telling them about my henna night story and the dress, they were intrigued…and the drawing they made of my story…was amazing. It was good to see them having so much fun! (Havva, Company of Women)
I was happy… when we dance Macedonian and the children wanted to dance with us
I was happy…especially when we dance Macedonian and the children wanted to dance with us…and the drawing…I watched them how they draw…the kids were excellent. (Vesa, Company of Women)
The performance of the young girls was so uplifting, still hope for the future! (Milica, Company of Women)
The beautiful thing was the young girls were involved very much into the day and that means it is beautiful for the future to have young people involved. (Giulia, Company of Women)
