Sister School Agreement Signed with Muroto HS

Since 1994, PLHS has shared a close relationship with Japan’s Muroto High School, mainly through three decades of biannual cultural exchanges between the two communities. When COVID-19 made international travel impossible last year, we turned to technology to maintain contact with our friends in Muroto – this was achieved through email and Zoom video calls between our Japanese and their English classes. As the bond between our two schools has developed, it seemed appropriate to establish an affiliation as sister schools.

Accordingly, representatives from PLHS and the broader community signed a sister school agreement with Muroto High School in a formal ceremony (linked to Muroto HS via Zoom) on Thursday April 8^th. Our copy of the document was signed by Ms. Rowena Fox (Education Director, Department for Education), Mr. Todd George (Principal, PLHS), Mr. Brian Gabb (Chairperson, PLHS Governing Council), Miss Ursula Clarke and Mr. Ned Moxey (Principal Student Leaders, PLHS), Mr. Brad Flaherty (Mayor, City of Port Lincoln) and Mr. Rob Watson (Chairperson, Port Lincoln Muroto Friendship Group).

As per the agreement, staff, student and parent representatives from both schools have pledged to continue developing good relations, and to strengthen the ties between Australia and Japan through educational and cultural exchange.

In celebration of our agreement, gifts will be exchanged between the two schools; these were officially presented during the Zoom ceremony. We are privileged to receive a traditional glass fishing buoy from Muroto, whilst our gift to them is a stunning artwork produced by Year 10 Indigenous art student Leightahnee Henry – the screenprint on linen is aptly titled ‘Gadiya’, a Wirangu word meaning ‘friend’.

~ Mrs Tanya Booker (Japanese teacher)

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Gadiya (Friend) – screenprint on linen

Leightanee Henry is a First Nations Noongar/Wirangu/Yamaji artist living in Port Lincoln, South Australia. Leightanee is currently completing year 10 at Port Lincoln High School. The title of the artwork is ‘Gadiya’, a Wirangu word meaning ‘friend’.

This scroll is designed to celebrate the 30^th year anniversary of our sister city friendship between Muroto and Port Lincoln. The overall design is symmetrical to represent that we are geographically in line with each other as cities and that we are equal distances away from the equator with Muroto to the North and Port Lincoln to the South.

The circular patterns in the background are derived from traditional Aboriginal peoples’ circular symbols that signify people gathering together. These patterns are repeated to show the journey across the ocean that we both travel to see each other.

Yellow wattle flowers representing Port Lincoln and the pink cherry blossoms representing Muroto are printed leaning towards each other in friendship and embracing cultures.

~ Leightanee Henry (Year 10)

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