Ashmont Goodstart service embraces Reconciliation Week with smoking ceremony

Children and educators from Ashmont Goodstart Early Learning Centre participated in last week’s National Reconciliation Week with a smoking ceremony, a Welcome to Country, and a performance by the Ashmont Public School Dance Group, led by Uncle Pete Little.

Wiradjuri Elders Uncle Hewitt Whyman and Aunty Dot Whyman visited the centre to perform the smoking ceremony and Welcome to Country which was followed by the dance group performance with several significant dances including the Cleansing Mother Dance and the Willy Wagtail dance.

The visit was extra special, service representative Amanda Tyrell said, because it was the first time the centre had received visitors since COVID-19 restrictions were enforced. 

“We’re really excited to have visitors back in our centre, particularly on such an important occasion,” she told local paper The Daily Advertiser. 

The service makes embedding Wiradjuri culture a daily priority. Preschool children are currently learning to count in Wiradjuri, and daily Acknowledgements to Country are spoken. 

To learn more about Goodstart Early Learning Ashmont, please see here. The image featured with this story is courtesy of the service Facebook page, which may be accessed here.