The Canning Education District
Traditionally Aboriginal people would welcome visitors to their country if it was the first time they had been in their territory or if they hadn't been there for a long time. There were also welcomes for special ceremonies or customs. Colin Hansen, a Aboriginal Noongar Language speaker, has written the following welcome for our Aboriginal Perspectives Across the Curriculum website.
Ngaany warnda baal kwodidak boorkadja.
Noonook noonan djerap ngnoap.
Dointj - dointjl kolbang baranginy. Noona koondarm.
I welcome you to my beautiful country. May you feel welcome enjoy your stay. And together let’s go forward pursuing/ achieving our dreams.
The Canning District begins at the Darling Range (the Noongar name for the Darling Range is Moorda) follows the hills to Armadale where the Gargongara people lived, then down to Kelmscott to the Goolamrup people, then towards Canning where the Canning river (The Dyerlgarro) meets the Swan River (The Derbil Yirrigan) and where the Wadjup people lived. Maps shows the Perth area before settlement according to Robert Lyons as told to him by Yagan, and the Canning Education district today.
Many Aboriginal people still reside in the Cannington District and their children attend our schools. Some of the families that have lived in the area for a long time are the Hills, Collards, Fogartys, McNamaras, Hansens, and Browns to mention a few. We know today there are many other families that can be added to this list. Some are Noongar people, others are Wongi, Yamatji , Kimberley and Torres Strait Islanders. The name ‘Noongar’ was given to the Aboriginal people of the south West of Western Australia in the 1950's. Until Aboriginal people find and are accepted by their traditional names then the word Noongar is used.
The Canning Education District office is situated at 303 Sevenoaks Street Cannington WA 6107. It caters for 112 schools and approximately 37,700 students including about 2,350 Aboriginal students.
The Canning web site has been set up to encourage and guide teachers to explore and implement Aboriginal culture and history into their everyday class programming. It describes protocols for dealing with Aboriginal perspectives and introduces teachers to Aboriginal sites places that have cultural significance for Aboriginal people from this area. Using Tomato Lake as an example, the web site shows teachers mind maps and lesson plans which are easily accessible for integration into their educational programs.
The Canning Education District office would like to thank all those who assisted in the creation of this web site including Aboriginal people, educators, teachers and AIEOs from the region.