05 Mar 2019
Waradah Goomeda (Waratah Spirit)
Artists: Leanne and Shay Tobin
This mural is a symbolic Welcome to Country for all who come here but particularly to the new Year 7 students arriving from local schools from around the Blue Mountains region.
Over the past decade, many local public schools have been actively involved in an Aboriginal cultural awareness 'Totems' program that introduces the role of custodianship to the students and recognition of the connection and responsibility that they all inherit as residents living in this unique locale.
The participating schools, working in with local Darug and Gundungurra community members, were asked to adopt a 'totem', ie. selecting animals that are native to their school environment or significant to the area. The aim was to highlight our environmental responsibilities to care for country along with fostering respect and conservation of habitat for those chosen animals.
The mural also acknowledges the traditional ways of the Darug and Gundungurra people in their continued role as caretakers of country.
At Blaxland High the totemic symbol is the Waratah and is portrayed here as a symbol of friendship and strength.
Traditionally the nectar of the waratah was used to make a sweet medicinal drink. In colonial times when there was much chaos and strife, the waratah was given as a gift by local Darug people to the early settlers who had shown them kindness and respect; qualities that are highly valued in schools today.
The white dotted swirls depict the encompassing spirit of the Ancestors of this land. That spirit flows through and around the animals and waratah, showing the connections we all have with each other and the land, while also acknowledging the Darug people upon whose country we stand.
Leanne Tobin 2019