When a visiting group of Aboriginal students from the Northern Territory broke into song for the Border’s Indigenous, it was a joyous occasion marked by sadness, for the latter realised what they had lost.
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Xavier High School has been visiting Yuendumu, a town 300 kilometres northwest of Alice Springs, since 2010 as part of its immersion program.
But this year, for the first time, Xavier hosted 15 students and four elders from Yuendumu.
All the children were buzzing about the campus, the sound of their Warlpiri language beautiful to hear.
Xavier's social justice and mission co-ordinator Michelle Milthorpe was heartened to see a number of Border Indigenous residents spend time with the NT travellers.
“The kids sat and sang some songs to us in their language and it was very emotional for the Border Aboriginal people,” she said.
“One of them made the comment that it was so beautiful to hear but so sad, because they realised what they’d lost.
“For the kids here, to be able to see how vibrant and alive Aboriginal culture is in this country, that’s a really important opportunity.
“Some people think it’s disappeared, but it's still alive. And it’s alive in the local community – there’s a Wiradjuri dictionary you can get the app for.”
But the Border mob had to learn what their original culture was from what was left after the devastation of disease and frontier conflict following European colonisation.
The NT children performed cultural dances for students from Xavier and St Anne's School and attended a community dinner at Xavier.
They then went to Mount Buffalo to see snow for the first time, while women elders met with their Border counterparts, Nancy Rooke and Aunty Rose Whybrow.
“We went out to the weir, for them to see that massive body of water was amazing,” Ms Milthorpe said.
“I was driving down in my car and they said ‘Stop, Michelle, stop – we can’t swim!’, and I was like, neither can my car!”
Border Aboriginal artist David Dunn hosted a workshop with the students at Xavier, who painted landscapes with the colours of their peoples’ flag. They then toured the Wagirra Trail before heading to Melbourne for a footy match under the bright lights of the MCG.
Ms Milthorpe said she received, alongside fellow Xavier teacher Peter Williams, great support from Albury Council’s John Murray and education worker Darren Wighton.
Xavier will host an art auction on August 26 at the Albury Football Club to help raise money to send students to the NT. For details, phone (02) 6040 6388.