The school wanted to create a space that will be used by students and teachers alike to have discussions and share stories.

A Yarning Circle is a harmonious, creative and collaborative way of communicating to:

-encourage responsible, respectful and honest interactions between participants

– building trusting relationships

-foster accountability and provide a safe place to be heard and to respond (https://www.qcaa.qld.edu.au/)

It helps to foster student-student as well as student to community relationships.

The Yarning Circle can be used to ‘conduct’ a ‘no-language’ method where very few questions are asked; the principle activity is one of observation.

We used large sandstone blocks arranged in a circle as seats.

Three paths signifying ‘it was’, ‘it is’ and ‘it will forever be’ sinuously make way towards the centre where a focal point of the totem of the indigenous community -the possum, is etched on a corten plate.

Tiles painted by the students for Harmony Day were laid out for the paths.