The most enjoyable time for me relieving at the high school in Gove is spending time with the Yolngu students. They are delightful: friendly, polite, helpful – and extremely affectionate. It is not at all unusual for a student to hug me in the classroom while I’m teaching, or to stroke my arm, play with my rings or do my hair. Once I got used to this, I was fine with it. Except during the covid outbreak when some would forget to wear their mask!
The Yolngu people speak about twelve different dialects of their language with English often being their second, third, fourth or twelfth language. While they speak in language to each other, they talk English to me. Some are trying to teach me Yolngu words but I’m not a very good student I’ve discovered. Some of the girls call me ‘Aunty’ and I call them ‘Gathu’ meaning niece. Some other words I know are ‘Gutharra’ (grandchild), ‘Momu’ (grandmother) and ‘Ngathi’ (grandfather). One group of students wanted to give me a nickname and, after some discussion, they came up with ‘Bonba’ meaning butterfly. I was pleased. I often hear them calling ‘Bonba’ and waving across the quadrangle.
One of the Yolngu students is always playing music or tapping. One morning I listened to him playing a piece of poly pipe like a didgeridoo. It was amazing. He told me his father is the lead singer in the indigenous band, King Stingray, and his grandfather was in the well known group, Yothu Yindi. Obviously music is in the genes.
Last week I went out with some students, a teacher and members of Clontarf who were cleaning up around their bush shelter at the back of the school. They were also starting to build another one. (The Clontarf and Stars Foundations help to improve the education, life skills and employment prospects of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, and they work with students in the school). They use the shelter when they have lessons outside – they might be making spears or collecting bush tucker for example.
The students gave me permission to post some photos I took.
One of the students showed me a tree which has leaves they use as soap. This is the Alphitonia excelsa plant also known as Red Ash.
I don’t always work with the Yolngu students. Many other students here that I work with have grown up around Gove and speak some of the Yolngu language. It’s great.
I’m not sure if the students are learning anything from me but I am certainly learning lots from them.
Flannerys' Footprints 