On Friday, February 7th, our school celebrated a Welcome to Country and Smoking Ceremony held on the oval. Our community were led by Wurundjeri Elder Uncle Colin Jr in cleansing the area and the people of bad spirits and to promote the protection and well-being of visitors.
A smoking ceremony is an ancient custom among Aboriginal tribes that involves smouldering various native plants to produce smoking which has cleansing properties and the ability to ward off bad spirits. It’s a tradition that has been performed by Aboriginal people for centuries, and is one of the oldest ceremonies practiced in the world today.
Here at St. Anthony’s, we deeply respect the strong connection of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders to the Australian landscape and treasure the many gifts they bring to our Catholic community as well as the wider community.
If you want to find out more, the video link below is very informative and teaches us about the meaning and significance of a Smoking Ceremony.
