National Reconciliation Week was a meaningful and vibrant period across Newington, marked by strong student engagement, shared learning and a deep sense of community. One particularly significant moment came when Year 7 student and proud Gamilaroi man, Atlas B-C, delivered a thoughtful and personal reflection on the meaning of Reconciliation Week. Read his speech below.

I am, you are, we are one

We’re two sides of the same coin, we drink from the sun

We be the left hand, right hand, right man?

But sometimes it seems like we’re speaking in tongues… so let me speak on the drum

You might know those lyrics from one of my favourite Hilltop Hoods songs, ‘Speaking in Tongues’. I like this song because it reminds me that even though we all come from different places and have different stories, deep down we’re not as different as we sometimes think. Sometimes people can feel separated or misunderstood, but really, we all want the same things – respect, belonging and connection.

Yaama Maliyaa. Hello friends. My name is Atlas and my mob is Gamilaroi. That means that my family’s connection to Country is on Gamilaroi land. My Poppo was born there, in a tiny town called Kenebri. The current population of Kenebri is only around 140 people, and to put that into perspective – I think I saw more people supporting our rugby teams here on Johnson Oval on Saturday!

Even though Kenebri is a small place, it’s a big part of my story and my connection to who I am. My Poppo tells me stories of what it was like growing up there by the Namoi River and sometimes I wish I could go back in time and experience it myself. He is a singer/songwriter and writes about hearing the river sing, and about a time when Country felt different.

Maybe you never heard the river sing

The sky crying, the earth defying

The worst that man can bring

Broken arrows never made a broken wing

I know it must be hard for him to see so much change in Country over time, and hearing his stories reminds me to slow down and listen a bit more closely – to Country, to stories, and to the people around me. Because sometimes the most important things aren’t the loudest things.

Reconciliation is about caring and listening – caring for Country, caring for people, and caring enough to listen to stories that might be different from our own. Even when things have been hard in the past, there is still strength, hope and a chance to keep moving forward together. Knowing where we come from and sharing our stories helps us understand each other better – and that’s one of the reasons Reconciliation Week is so important.

Gumbaynggirr (Gumbangia) Bundjalung artist Otis Hope Carey designed this year’s Reconciliation Week artwork and says he used repeated circles to represent water and the way it ripples when struck by rain, wind, or a rock. He uses this to echo the action of people moving together for change, their voices and actions rippling outwards, inviting others on the reconciliation journey.

The Reconciliation Australia website says that this year’s theme, ‘All In’, is a call for all Australians to commit wholeheartedly to reconciliation every single day. All In makes it clear that reconciliation is not a spectator sport and that all of us must step away from the sidelines and take actions that create change.

I’d like to end on a reflection from inspiring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, Thomas Mayo:

I think we all have it in us to be the leaders we can’t seem to find – whether at home, at school, playing sports or in our own communities. Sometimes it’s about being prepared to put your feelings into action. Lead by example. Keep taking the ball up even when the big guys keep knocking you down.

So how about it, Wyvern… are we All In?

So how about it, Newington… are we All In?

So how about it, everyone… are we All In?

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