Each year at Merimbula Public School on May 26, we acknowledge National Sorry Day and the mistreatment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples who were forcibly removed from their families and communities, which we now know as The Stolen Generations.
This year as part of our apology, Stage 3 students took part in a workshop in an effort to acknowledge how sorry we feel as a school moving forward, by erecting a set of Sorry Day Poles at the entrance to our school. Every visitor who enters our school is aware of our commemoration of this by seeing the poles.
The designs on the poles show pictures of animals and sea creatures unique to our town and area. Local Koori elder Graham Moore gave his input on some Aboriginal symbols and designs to be included on the poles. Our Art teacher, Mrs Terri Tuckwell, assisted our students to then transpose them, and students then burnt the designs onto the wood. Mr Cooper, our maintenance staff member, then used some oil to highlight the grains of the hardwood.
The unveiling took place with one of our parents, Bruce Toomey from National Parks and Wildlife, sharing his own reflections growing up of The Stolen Generations to the students and our parent community. We are very proud at Merimbula PS that this monument will reflect our ongoing acknowledgement of Sorry Day.
