It was a heart-warming sight for Aboriginal elder and Kamilaroi Wailwan woman Aunty Jill Jessop watching a sea of children circle Rathmines Park for the third annual reconciliation walk.
"Just look at them," she said with her hand on her chest.
More than 1500 primary school students from the Lake Macquarie local government area formed on Thursday morning, May 30 to walk across the foreshore in a show of unity with the Awabakal people of Lake Macquarie. This foreshore is known as 'derah-bambah', meaning 'rising ground'.
"It has been the most wonderful thing that's happened in this area," she said.
"It's just all that learning and for them to understand what reconciliation is all about. All the elders are so proud."
For year 5 Wangi Wangi Public School student Lucy Jephson, reconciliation means "to acknowledge what we've done in the past and try to change that to make it better".
"... and continue to change that," she said.
She said it was a nice day to get outside among nature with other schools and celebrate Indigenous culture.
"It's been really nice to be here among the trees and hear the leaves in the wind and hear tapping sticks and didgeridoos," she said.
Coal Point Public School captains Ava Dean and Nicholas Kagen were proud to be leading their school in the walk.
"It's really cool how we all get together in the one place for reconciliation and respect the Aboriginal people," Ava said.
Nicholas said he enjoyed walking through the smoking ceremony before gathering at the park for a welcome to country in language, and dance performances from Hunter Sports High Schoo.
"It was a way of washing the evil spirits away and cleansing us before coming together," he said.
Rathmines Public School parent Lisa Smith said her daughter encouraged her to come along to the walk today after learning about Indigenous culture in school.
"She wanted me to come and it's been an amazing turnout. I asked her on the way here what the smoking ceremony is about and she was able to tell me," she said.
"I think education is the key in bringing everybody together."
Reconciliation Week runs from May 27 to June 3 each year and this year's theme is Now More Than Ever.
