Kindergarten students Eliza and Mila had all the tell-tale signs of time well spent, with chalky hands and equally chalky uniforms.
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Both had just participated in a pavement chalk art display, one of the activities in a week-long celebration of NAIDOC week at Broulee Public School.
"We did it for NAIDOC week," said the girls in unison.
Eliza elaborated by saying they did it to celebrate the Torres Strait Islander and Indigenous people of Australia.
"It's about saying sorry to the people that we took over their land," she said.
Mrs Dunne's Kindergarten class of 15 students had designed the chalk drawing before drawing on the path started.
"We worked it out at school ourselves, altogether with Mrs Dunne," Eliza said.
"I did the mountains, and I did some shells."
![3/4 W complete with chalky hands, celebrate their completed NAIDOC work. Picture supplied. 3/4 W complete with chalky hands, celebrate their completed NAIDOC work. Picture supplied.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/232432949/a4130455-949d-4f6c-8a0b-9b1c107fd7d7.JPG/r0_188_2016_1321_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
"Eliza did the jellyfish and I did that fish," said Mila pointing to the drawing.
The whole school participated in the activity, planning their class drawings prior to the day, based on the NAIDOC Week 2024 theme 'Keep the Fire Burning - Blak, Loud and Proud'.
"And I also heard a Year 6 said 'How does the Kindy's kind of look better than ours'," Eliza said.
"Yeah," said Mila in agreement.
![Broulee Kindergarten students Mila and Eliza. Picture by Vic Silk Broulee Kindergarten students Mila and Eliza. Picture by Vic Silk](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/232432949/e342d76a-0e79-412b-87f6-836aedbfa92f_rotated_270.jpg/r0_0_1512_2016_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Learning support and English as a second language (EAL/D) teacher, Susan Lloyd prompted the girls to explain what they had done the previous day in celebration of NAIDOC week.
![Eliza and Mila get chalky while finishing off their pavement chalk drawing. Picture supplied. Eliza and Mila get chalky while finishing off their pavement chalk drawing. Picture supplied.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/232432949/3cb293da-abdf-46a4-858b-88918819ca4a.JPG/r0_148_2016_1281_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
"We painted on leaves," Mila said.
"It was dot painting but not with paintbrushes, but with sticks," Eliza said.
"And we did the dance...only the Aboriginal people could do the dance."
"I did the emu one and we invited people...I invited her [pointing to Eliza]," Mila said.
"Yeah I got to do it too," Eliza said.