Warrawong indigenous students keeping their language alive thanks to Red Room Poetry
Victoria Thomas did not speak much.
But the huge smile on her dial when a bus adorning her face and poem, drove by, gave it away.
The nine-year-old Warrawong Public School student was “over the moon”.
Fittingly Victoria’s poem, which will be on select Illawarra buses during NAIDOC Week and up to August 4, is about the moon.
Victoria said she had fun writing the poem, which was “pretty easy” to write.
Warrawong Public School year 4 student Victoria Thomas will have her picture and poem displayed on local buses. Victoria participated in Red Room Poetry's Poetry in First Languages program, Picture: Robert Peet
But Victoria and fellow Poetry in First Languages (PIFL) participants had plenty of help from Red Room Poetry’s First Nations poet Kirli Saunders.
Elders, First Nation dancers and artist Rhea Lotter also participated in the project.
Red Room Poetry coordinator Jennine Primmer said PIFL celebrates, shares and preserves knowledge of First Nations’ languages and culture through poetry, music and art.
“The focus is to keep the language alive,” she said.
“PILF aims to instill pride in language and culture and bring it into the students’ contemporary life.”
Victoria’s poem
The djadjun (moon) tastes like cookies and cream ice cream as it rises above the gadu (ocean)
It shines on the gali (dance)