Thanks to a government grant, the Hilltops Organisation of Public Schools (HOOPS) network have been treated to an informative presentation by Uncle Linton Howarth to mark NAIDOC Week.
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Uncle Linton, from the West Wyalong Local Aboriginal Lands Council, first met with around 105 Aboriginal students from public schools in Young on an excursion to Lake Cowal Environment Education in 2018.
He visited Young Public School last Friday and said his presentation focuses on natural resource management undertaken by Aboriginal people over 60,000 years.
"I try to give them an idea of the complexity of the traditional Aboriginal society and I also attempt to draw commonalities between Aboriginal society pre-European settlement and what we do today," he said.
"I try and remove the exotic a little bit and frame it in a way that makes it relevant to kids because they can identify with things people do today.
"I try to lend it a very local flavour, even within Wiradjuri nation there are certain differences between different clans and groups."
During his presentation, Uncle Linton spoke on a number of different plants and animals that are multi-use and have cultural significance to Aboriginal people, such as the use of grasses to make flour and kangaroo skins as clothing and protection.
He said he also tries to debunk a number of misconceptions about Aboriginal history and culture.
"There was a type of agriculture that wasn't recognised by Europeans and it's only now, when we're starting to recognise some of the benefits of Aboriginal land management," he said.
"Children are sometimes more open, they haven't had the past history and misinformation, in line with the NAIDOC theory, it's providing a bit of truth and thank you to the Department of Education for giving us the voice."
Uncle Linton visited Young High School on Monday and will visit Young North Public School and small schools on Wednesday.
The Aboriginal Education Committee, comprising of trachers from all public schools, thanks the Young Aboriginal Lands Council and the Young AECG for their support.
