New entrance stones to be embedded outside South West TAFE in Warrnambool will make Indigenous students feel safe and welcome.
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The stones at the Timor Street entrance will be officially unveiled on Wednesday, July 5 during South West TAFE’s NAIDOC Week celebrations.
The community is being invited to take part in the ceremony.
South West TAFE Koorie liaison officer Locky Eccles said the stones would make sure the TAFE is a culturally safe place for Indigenous people to enter.
They will carry the message ‘welcome to knowledge within’ in both Peek Wurruung and English languages.
A message stick story compiled by members of the Clontarf Academy will also be unveiled on the day.
The stones will form a two-metre walkway into South West TAFE and will also acknowledge that the building is on Gunditjmara–Maar country.
“Many buildings such as public hospitals have similar messages and we wanted to make sure our people feel safe and welcomed at TAFE,” Mr Eccles said. “When they step off the footpath they will be welcomed to TAFE.”
Three new flagpoles will be unveiled during the ceremony which will also include a smoking ceremony, Indigenous art activities for children and live music from Lee Morgan and Michael Ferguson.
The community is also invited to take part in a traditional Indigenous gathering and enjoy food including kangaroo, emu, grubs and a mussel midden demonstration. The food will be served directly from the fire on bark.
