Primary School
How to Create a Beautify Winter Festival in Makuru
Our school community is amazing for many reasons. One aspect that gets mentioned every year is how over a thousand people can come to our winter festival and hold such a deep feeling of REVERENCE. This is what makes it so special. Everyone gets what it’s about. It’s not a performance for spectators. It’s an event which is co-created by every participant.
What can you do to prepare?
Look Outwards - notice what is happening in nature, the plants, animals, weather, the night sky
Look Inwards – to what is happening in your own soul life; thoughts, moods, tendencies
You may wish to respond creatively with a photo, drawing, or writing.
Begin to build an ‘inner fire’ of winter imagery and reverence. There are many mentions of how to do this in our Pabulum over these preparation weeks.
On a practical note-
- Arrive on time and be well-prepared. Entry: via Front Gate Only.
- Gates open at 5:30pm. Please find parking at Adventure World and allow plenty of time to walk to the classrooms for 6:00pm start.
- Switch off mobile phones, no flash photography.
- Please feel free to bring your own lantern from home.
- Hold a reverent mood for yourself and your child/ren. Please don't socialise on the lantern walk when walking behind your child's class. Save that for when the fire is lit.
- Stay in designated ‘Festival areas‘ i.e. the classrooms, the walk route, the bonfire area. For HS parents, there will be signing in Jarrah Miah and a Winter Meditation in Seekers Place.
- Take your Primary school-aged child home once ‘Goodnight, Stars are Bright‘ has been sung at the fire circle.
A map of the lantern walk route will be published next week. Please let Kevin know if you require seating at the fire circle. (kmazzer@pws.wa.edu.au)
Wanted for the Festival spirals
They can be delivered to the school or arranged to be picked up. If you have suitable greenery or flowers please text Anita on 0423 523 613. A photo and location would be helpful if you need them picked up.
First Rains, Walliabup (Bibra Lake)
You hear wind in the trees first.
then they come...the veils of rain
vertical lines drawn across the grasses of the dried lakebed.
The glassy shard of water that has survivied Summer
comes alive with rain-fleas
just as quickly it eases
the solomn machinery of rain
slows to a stop.
Ibises
daub the distance
with white
sheltered by the great tree
dead now (though it still holds the odd crow)
and I am absorbed by the energy
of the scene.
The sky is a white smudge,
like an erased charcoal drawing
a grebe dives into its upside-down world
pellets of rain strike as the downfall intensifies.
Ducks mill around in the sluicing mud on the overflowing flat
dabbling at whatever has been dislodged
now boundaries are blurred
wind-wraiths pulse across the water
squadrons of ducks take off
and so, I recreate
the rain.
Kevin Mazzer
Head of Primary School
Winter Festival Practical Planning
Tomorrow Wednesday, 11th June, there will be a planning meeting for all interested in helping create the practical aspects of the festival. It will be from 3.15 pm- 4.30 pm in the Primary staffroom. Please email me if you are interested in helping.
Winter Festival Singers Wanted
Claire Williamson will be leading the adult choir to welcome people to the school on the night of the Primary and High School Winter Festival on Thursday 19th June from 5:30pm.
Practices will be Tuesdays 8:45am-9:30am in the High School Music Room.
Please contact Claire if you would like to be a part of the choir.