Great Scot May 2020 Great Scot 159_MAY 2020_ONLINE_V3 | Page 19

STANDING, LEFT TO RIGHT: FLETCHER JOHNSTONE
(YEAR 12), MALIK KEEGAN (YEAR 7), MINGARA CLARK
(YEAR 7), JIMMY GADSDEN (YEAR 12), AIDEN JOHNSON
(YEAR 9). SITTING, LEFT TO RIGHT: MAURICE O'LEARY
(YEAR 10), MAURICE RIOLI (YEAR 12), PRINCIPAL, TOM
BATTY, JAMARRA UGLE-HAGAN (YEAR 12), NOAH
MCCAIG (YEAR 10), SCHOOL CAPTAIN, WILL DIXON.
FRONT: PRESTON JOHNSON (YEAR 10).
On Monday 3 February the flags of
the Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander
people of Australia were raised by Scotch’s
indigenous students. They are flying
permanently alongside the Australian and
Scotch flags on the north-east side of the
Main Oval.
In the first School Assembly for 2020,
Fletcher Johnstone, a Prefect and one of
Scotch’s Indigenous students, performed
a welcome to country and an explanation
to the School community. The flags were
raised beside the Main Oval, acknowledging
respect to country and the traditional owners
of the land.
Four of the Indigenous students reflected
on this experience:
‘The Indigenous and Torres Strait
Islander flags are very significant to us as
Indigenous people of Australia. The two flags
represent our people, who are of the oldest
living cultures in the world. I stand tall and
proud as a young Aboriginal man, and am
welcomed when I see the Aboriginal flag, as
the black represents the people of the land;
the yellow circle represents the sun, the giver
of life and protector; and the red represents
the red earth, as red ochre is used in
ceremonies to show the Aboriginal people’s
spiritual relationship to the land.’
JAMARRA UGLE-HAGAN – YEAR 12
‘Having the Indigenous flag raised is
a great honour. It is very special to be
attending Scotch College, and to be here
first hand to see the flag being raised was
important to me and my community. I would
like to thank Mr Batty and all the Indigenous
Old Boys in the past, who have been active
in making this possible.’
‘The two flags being raised at the
beginning of 2020 made this, my final year at
Scotch, very significant personally, as it was
a hope that had finally been realised. I am
proud that I have been part of this process.
The two flags help make the new Indigenous
boys feel welcome, safe and valued. I would
like to thank Mr Batty for allowing the two
flags to fly on the school grounds at all times,
as it helps other students to recognise the
traditional owners of the land.’
FLETCHER JOHNSTONE – YEAR 12
‘When I walk into Scotch every morning,
I have the opportunity to learn and grow as a
young man. I see the Aboriginal flag up there
and I feel proud of my culture.’
AIDEN JOHNSON – YEAR 9
JIMMY GADSDEN – YEAR 12
www.scotch.vic.edu.au Great Scot
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