Aboriginal women celebrate graduation of first cultural floristry course in the Illawarra

The six-week Certificate II in cultural floristry at TAFE NSW Shellharbour taught the group techniques, plant identification and plant storage.

It also gave them hands-on skills to create bouquets, flower crowns and other arrangements using native flowers.

Yuin woman and graduate, Margaret Mongta, has seven children who have all grown up and decided to engage in the course "for something to do".

She ended up blown away by what she learnt.

"It's just so relaxing, almost like a meditation," Ms Mongta, of Shellharbour, said.

"It's a wonderful time out for yourself."

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Ms Mongta said the process of constructing a flower arrangement gave her a similar feeling as weaving - a cultural practice she engages in with her family that connects her to country.

"I go to the coast at Eden and teach my sister weaving, and this is just like weaving," she said.

"When you weave, calmness and spiritual things run through your mind."

The newly-graduated florist hopes to continue putting together stunning arrangements, and said she has already gifted everything she made during the TAFE course to friends.

"I've done flowers for birthdays, for neighbours, for Sorry Business," she said.

"It's a nice thing I can bring for people."

Fellow graduate, Selina Davis, was inspired by the class and said it brought mob together.

"You never know, this might open our eyes up to start a business," she said.

TAFE NSW floristry teacher, Collette Rixon, who was impressed with what the students achieved, said it was important that locally sourced flowers were used for the course.

"I teach the students skills using mainly Australian native flowers, banksias and gumnuts, items the students should be able to source locally," she said.

"Introduced flowers don't carry the same cultural significance."

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