Time for a yarn for Newton Moore students

Students at Newton Moore Senior High School have been instrumental in the construction of a yarning circle, set to sit prominently in the heart of the school. The yarning circle is set for completion in late September, with students involved in the design, creation and installation of a mosaic which will be placed in the centre of the circle. In Aboriginal culture, a yarning circle is a place for people to gather and tell stories, often using meetings to learn from other tribes. Aboriginal and islander education officer Glen Garlett said he hoped the circle served a similar purpose for the students. “The plan is to have something traditional around the school grounds for the kids to come around and learn about what the yarning circle is all about and just to show them it’s a place where everyone can talk,” he said. “What they were used for is storytelling and passing stories around generations. You would have different people coming in and speaking of their ways.” Associate principal Kylie Cattaway said the space would be used both in class and at breaks. “We are going to be doing some work with some of our elders and community members to show our teachers how to use the yarning circle,” she said. “We want to use it as a place of learning and to have a non-hierarchical conversation but to also immerse in culture so they can get that aspect out of it as well,” she said.