One local student has impressed peers, staff and parents at a school assembly when she performed the Acknowledgement to Country in fluent Noongar.
Ashayla Cross, 10, was the first student at South Halls Head to present the tradition which is a way of showing respect to the traditional owners of the land.
Acknowledgement to Country is held before events or meetings.
The year four student said getting up in front of her peers was daunting and scary.
A fast-learner, Ashayla learnt the full sentence in just one week.
She said eventually she would like to learn more of the Noongar language so she could speak it fluently.
South Halls Head Primary integrates Noongar language into many school events and classroom activities.
At each assembly students sing a song called Wanjoo by Aboriginal singer and Noongar language advocate Gina Williams.
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Ashayla said she believe learning the language was important.
Her father Wayde Cross said he and his wife Cynthia Cross were proud of their daughter.
“We don’t actually speak a lot of [Noongar] language at home,” he said.
Ms Cross it was important for the younger generation to maintain their culture through language.
“As the elders die, our language dies with them,” she said.
Ashayla’s peers gave her positive feed back after the assembly.
“They said ‘well done, you did a great job… you didn’t stumble over a word’,” she said.
To find out more about the school visit their website.
