The wurdurd (children) enrolled at the Nawarddeken Academy enjoyed a full and rich first term of school. As is the design of the curriculum, there was a strong focus on the season of kudjewk (the hot and humid months of January, February and March characterised by regular lightning shows and thunderstorms).
This involved lessons out on Country in which the students went looking for other identifiable changes to the environment that indicated kudjewk had arrived—looking for kabo (green ants) and manboyberre (white bush apples). By comparison, there were other lessons that focused more on documenting what they learned out on Country with the students presenting this information in the form of drawings and digital books that they designed.
And in some very exciting news for the students at Manmoyi, the campus there has launched its first music program with lessons run by members of acclaimed musical groups, Black Rock Band and Nabarlek. The members running the lessons live in community, so they are able to lead a choir and give guitar lessons every Friday afternoon.
The wurdurd love singing songs in both Kunwinjku and English and are showing a lot of interest during their guitar lessons. The music teachers (led by Ross, Ritchie and Zario Guymala) are hoping to eventually teach the students a range of instruments so they can form a school band.
