Utju has a long and esteemed reputation for incredible musicians and over the past few years Red Dust has been very fortunate to have worked with some of these musicians on storytelling projects.

This year the next generation of those musicians stepped up and drove the storytelling project in a way that celebrated the lineage and heritage of Utju music and brought the whole community together to share the values of Pukulpa, Pukultju and Ngaltunutju.

During the week the community gathered to practice Inma (traditional song and dance) for an upcoming school and community trip back to traditional Pitjantjara Country.

Singing brings the community together - everybody sang, everybody shared language. It gave us an opportunity to speak with elders about the "right way/proper way/straight way" to say things and tell our story - this is important. The video shows us as a community - we all see ourselves and see each other, when I watched it the first time I felt very proud.

> Dickie

Seeing children and young people participating in and celebrating cultural practice with elders on country is truly humbling and indicative of the strength of connection in Utju and a clear example of how Areyonga School is championing community led learning.

Engaged and connected communities are healthy communities.

The team have a respectful and beautiful way of working with the community. Activities are facilitated but led by community. Engagement of the whole community is at a high when storytelling trips are on.

> School Principal

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