Testimonials
Schools we have provided Aboriginal Education & Entertainment Programs with recently:
- Scots College, Bellevue Hill
- Glenmore road,Paddington
- St Vincents College, Potts point
- Our Lady of Fatima,Caringbah
- St Josephs, Belmore.
- Domremy College, Five Dock
- Kambala, Rose Bay
- St Patricks, Kogarah
- Bronte Public School, Bronte
- St Raphaels, South Hurstville
- St Pius X College, Chatswood
- Sacred Heart , Cabramatta
- La Salle Catholic College, Bankstown
- John the Baptist,Bonnyrigg Heights
- Paddington Public School, Paddington
- Holy Spirit, Carnes Hill
- St Francis Xavier Catholic primary, Ashbury
- Casamir Catholic College, Marrickville
- Claremont College, Coogee
- All Saints Catholic primary, Liverpool
- St Michaels Catholic primary, Belfield
- Bondi Public School, Bondi
- St Josephs, Belmore
- St Clares College, Waverley
- St Brigids, Coogee
- St Joseph the Worker, Auburn
- Holy Cross College, Ryde.
- Marion Catholic, Horsley Park
- St Fiacres, Leichardt
- St Columbas, Leichardt
- Bondi Beach public School.
- Claremont College, Coogee
- St Jeromes, Punchbowl.
- St Patricks, Summer Hill
- St Marthas, Strathfield.
- Rosebank College, Five Dock
- Burwood girls School
- St Pauls, Dulwich Hill
- St Therese Catholic primary, Lakemba
- Bronte Public, Bronte
- St Bernards Catholic primary, Botany
- La Salle College, Lithgow
- Northmead Public, Northmead
- Randwick Public, Randwick
- Waverley College, Waverley
We were fortunate to experience something that is rare in o school setting a program that was truly tailored to our school community and enriched Our school for years to come. We approached Wandana to assist us in meeting some specific community goals and aspirations. They met our request for assistance with professionalism, understanding and relevance as they considered what could work for our particular school.
The concept we presented was to draw into the school environment an experience for students and parents. We wanted to honour the original owners of our lands and to expose our community to the richness of the aboriginal culture. The first step taken by Wandana was to learn about our school. Wandana starts off with this approach to allow a personal expression to be incorporated into the piece of artwork that is eventually created by the community. On the day of the program we were blessed with a smoking ceremony and acknowledgement of land by Sean, touching the souls of our aboriginal and non aboriginal students. He involved all of our students in completing the large artwork, now prominently hanging in our multi-purpose room.
The engagement of the school community and the authenticity of the presentation by Sean exceeded our expectations and resulted in one of the best incursions we have ever had at our school.
It has been my pleasure to work with Wandana and Brian Cook for more than five years. Brian’s dedication to the vision that has become Wandana has brought understanding and enlightenment to hundreds of school students since its inception.
Having known Brian for twelve years, having worked with him throughout the Wandana development and having observed the outcomes of Wandana’s work to date, it is clear that the Wandana school program provides many positive outcomes for both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal students. One of the original aims of the Wandana program was to provide employment opportunities for Aboriginal people. That aim has now come to fruition as Wandana continues to provide opportunities for Aboriginal people to be trained, employed and to share their culture throughout schools in all areas of New South Wales.
The structured schools program created by Wandana also fulfils areas of compulsory education department requirements, including engaging with the local Aboriginal community and the quality and breadth of the program creates both awareness and understanding of Aboriginal culture.
I have watched Brian dedicate his work life to the fulfilment Of this project for many years. His early work with Aboriginal artists clearly gave him not only a great interest but an understanding of Aboriginal culture and his work provided many Aboriginal artists with encouragement, opportunity, and employment. Brian brings the same enthusiasm and sincerity to Wandana.
The Wandana programs are a wonderful educational resource and I am sure it will continue to be a great educative success providing positive outcomes for students as well as the Aboriginal people who present the program.
At St Pius X College, Chatswood, we realised we needed to educate our students further about our Aboriginal people, particularly in our College that has no Aboriginal students. We were most fortunate to meet Mr Brian Cook from Wandana Events who we were then able to create a program that gave our College genuine connection and understanding of our local culture.
Brian’s expertise and knowledge put us in contact with Aboriginal Artist and Performers, who along with Brian, we have journeyed over the last two years. Together we have created an Indigenous artwork that combined the totems of our local indigenous people as well as the totems of Pius. We have had a variety of performances that have all been outstanding, entertaining as well as very moving ceremonies about Aboriginal culture. This has been the mainstay in the educative process of our students in becoming “Ambassadors of Reconciliation” in understanding their role and cultural connection to Indigenous Australians.
Brian Cook is a most personable, knowledgeable and accommodating Director of Wandana Events. He is perceptive to our needs and able to provide the exact requirements always of a most professional standards. We look forward to continuing our relationship with Wandana Events, that is blessed by the professional and friendly assistance of Mr Brian Cook.
The experience provided by Wandana was unique and memorable for all of the Scots students and teachers involved. The depth of detail, wealth of history and diversity in culture that is portrayed in the artworks reflects The Scots College beautifully. The incursion was a perfect opportunity to learn about Indigenous Australia, whilst integrating curriculum outcomes in a fun and exciting way. All boys were engaged throughout, with our Indigenous students taking a leadership role in facilitating the design, painting and encouraging younger boys to get involved.
Balarinji would like to thank you for your work over December and January at Sydney Wildlife World’s Dreamtime installation.
Your hard work is greatly appreciated and enhanced the success of the installation. The market researchers gathered many positive comments about the installation and most mentioned the enjoyable interactions they had with the friendly Dreamtime staff. We are also aware of your professional approach ¡n dealing with SWW staff and ¡n keeping the program running smoothly and punctually.
Best of luck in your endeavours.
I can tell you that we have thoroughly enjoyed working with Wandana this year. We find that in our school community programs such as this provides children with opportunities to appreciate and better understand not only Indigenous culture but all cultures within our community. Passionate and engaged Indigenous presenters and educators encourage children to celebrate their own uniqueness and individuality. Children have been captivated by the programs these presenters have led.
So impressed have I been that we are exploring an Indigenous Education Program in 2016 that will run for the duration of a term. This program will be run by Wandana.
Thanks for being involved with our school and community.
The Wandana School program provided a great opportunity for our school to engage all students about the beauty and importance of Aboriginal culture on our annual International Day celebration. Brian and Trevor provided an organised and well run program that allowed students from ages 5 – 18 to immerse themselves in aspects of Aboriginal culture including traditional knowledge of weapons, art and traditional story telling. The students all reacted positively and the Indigenous students at the school were proud to have their culture on display. Our Senior students were able to show their leadership skills in guiding the younger students to their final artwork that represented a tale of the school and coming together from all corners of the globe. The Board of Studies mandates that Aboriginal perspectives are a part of the curriculum and this program helped us to consolidate this with a fantastic masterpiece to remind our children of the importance of Aboriginal culture to our school and wider community. They were all proud of their contribution no matter how big or small.
Programs such as this are vital for Indigenous people to be able to share their knowledge of culture to the wider community and pass on information to our new generations and to see Trevor do this so proudly and openly was of great benefit to our school community.
We had such a wonderful learning experience with Wandana. The planning and organisation before the event was consistent and well thought through. Brian worked hard to create a package that suited our needs.
Trevor was such a wonderful role model for the children-especially our Aboriginal children. He shared his knowledge with such respect and passion. All our children gained so much knowledge from the day and are now able to articulate their thoughts on a deeper level. Having this authentic experience was incredibly inspiring for all. Our teachers would certainly do this again, especially with such a wonderful leader such as Trevor.
Bronte Public School recently sort help from Wandana to create an Aboriginal mural of special significance. The whole process, from collaboratively developing the design to the outstanding finished product, was easy and impressive. There were many positive outcomes for our Aboriginal students as well as non-Aboriginal students. The Wandana School Program covers many of the compulsory Department of Education requirements including engaging with the local Aboriginal community, and provides opportunities for Aboriginal people to be trained, employed and share their culture. Both Brian and Trevor were enthusiastic, knowledgeable, sensitive and patient throughout, and on the day, their rapport with the students, staff and community was wonderful. We love our mural, thank you Wandana!