Scott Griffith and Jolea Isaacs used sandalwood and gum leaves to make the smoke. Ms Isaacs said the ceremony could represent many things, such as cleansing or helping a loved ones’ spirit to pass on after death.

She said it meant “everything” to be able to share her culture with the school.

“Just to be able to pass it on and show the kids. A lot of the kids haven’t seen this kind of stuff,” she said.

Introducing the NAIDOC assembly, relieving principal Ally Campbell said that 24 per cent of of Inverell Public students were of Indigenous descent and that it was important to include their culture as part of the learning. 

Aboriginal education officer Farren Boney shared his yearning to use his family’s language  and encouraged the community to think about the NAIDOC theme ‘Our Languages Matter’.

“Language to Aboriginal people is more than just a way to have a chat,” Mr Boney said. He said language was a way to share culture and history.

“Where the language is lost, knowledge is lost.” 

“Our languages matter. If they don’t matter, then we lose.”

Students echoed Mr Boney’s discussion of the pain caused by lost language in a short video he produced. The children were asked how they would feel if they couldn’t speak their own language (English) at home. Many said they would be sad, angry or confused, and expressed frustration in being unable to communicate with family or friends.

Indigenous children also had the chance to celebrate the positives, and were asked to share the best thing about their culture. Being part of a family and having lots of Aboriginal friends were at the top of the list.

Inverell High School’s Miles Jerrard, who ran a music workshop the previous day, performed the didgeridoo for the crowd.