The Association of Independent Schools of WA (AISWA) kindly sponsored Port School students to attend the Woylie Festival, which was held in Fremantle at the end of June. The session was designed for secondary students with young Aboriginal leaders including Ezra Jacobs, rapper, Josh Eggington (aka Flewnt) and artist Kambarn. The students learnt about centering Aboriginal voices and giving people a sense of the storytelling tradition of Australia and its roots in verbal storytelling, sharing Noongar culture, celebrating Noongar families and raising awareness of the diversity of Aboriginal stories and communities.(www.paperbird.com.au/woylie/)
It was a fantastic experience. Every student got involved and as shown by the images and poetry which they created, the message of VOICE TREATY TRUTH made a huge impact!
Nowhere is safe, on guard 24/7 shouting and screaming is all I hear voices in my head saying Worthless Disappear daily bashing.
I’m sick of the fake promises and lies all I see is tears and blood.
Running and crying is all I see, I thought you were supposed to help me you only put me in ruin.
Brooke
Kyakyarna mean we’r strong, got to raise our voice to prove we belong.
Hunter & Ang
Some kids think it is cool
To miss going to school
But if I want to lead
I gotta get up to speed
Lead my people into the light
Need to learn how to fight
In a culture not my own
Gonna still sit on a throan
Making my people strong
Where they justly belong
Stand tall stand Proud
Our voices gotta be loud
To take our place in the sun
Just got to get it done
We have a voice
But were not afraid to use it
Some things mess up and we
Get confused and shit
Brandon
Riding in the train from Armadale
That thing is moving as slow as a snail
I get to Freo Station
Hang with the Whadjuk nation
Got to get the bus to School
But I’m trying to play it cool
I rock up to my class
The day doesn’t move fast
I’m sitting there waiting for it to go past
The siren rings it’s time to go home
I was really happy to hear its loud tone
I get on the bus in a rush
I’m on the Armadale train
Ready to go home again
Can’t believe this – how they’re treatin’ us beatin’ us
Like we animals, cannibals
When they gonna pick us up
Not kick us down like we’re nothing
All my brothers and sisters
Rise up and stand together
Face our common enemy
This problem been making us
Sick when’s it gonna click
Sittin on the street with nothing
To each can’t event stand on their
own two feet, this is real I don’t
Know how to feel what’s the deal?
My friends and family struggling
To stay alive take a dive into our
World and open up your eyes and see the real me
Wolfe
Indigenous culture is the way to go,
go grab a mate start spitting some flow,
About our ancestors taking trash about the food
we get handed instead of cash,
cause they think we’re trash.
Chloe-Ann
I’m sitting back bored don’t know what to do
sittin up bars for my brother Boy flewnt
and he just won awards for spittin his raps
an Just to Rap in his pretty yellow cap
KW
