Acknowledgement of Country

We, the members of the Brighton Secondary School community, gather on this Land with humility and gratitude, recognising that our school is located on the traditional Lands of the Kaurna People. We pay our respects to Kaurna People who have cared for this Land for thousands of years.

We acknowledge that Kaurna People were here first, and we stand in awe of their deep connection to this Land as well as their knowledge. We understand that Land and knowledge have been lost through invasion – an invasion that the Kaurna People have persevered through with continued resilience and strength. As a school community we believe in the importance of coming together to acknowledge and respect all peoples, cultures and histories. We thank Kaurna People for allowing us to use Kaurna Language in our house names, Tarnta, Wilya, Tantutiti, Mirnu, Yarlu and Karrkala.

We acknowledge that our school sits between many sites of significance to Kaurna People, extending from Kingston Park to Brighton and onto Glenelg. We take this moment to reflect on the significance of the Tjilbruke Dreaming and other local areas that breathe life into Kaurna Dreaming, like the sand dunes and the freshwater springs where reeds once grew in the marshy soil.

We are thankful for the strength of those who were here first, whose culture and knowledge enriches our lives every single day.

We recognise that this Country always was and always will be Aboriginal Land.

Living and learning on Kaurna Land

The artwork is called “Living and Learning on Kaurna Land”.

The story of the artwork represents the six house groups that compete every year at Brighton Secondary School on Kaurna country.

The centre circle and U shapes represent the school and students competing. The lines linked to the group symbols are their connections to the groups. The outer U shapes represent family and supporters, the footprints are their journeys and the kangaroo and emu tracks represent moving forwards continuously. The lines with dots indicate rain on country and the regrowth of plants and handprints of the students shows their connection with the land, water and our ancestors.

Aboriginal people hold a deep connection to country and have looked after country for thousands of years.

Artist: David Booth

Warumungu & Yuggera Artist