Acknowledgement

‘Flock off, Schools Out’ recognises the unique relationship between the students and the City of Melbourne as many of us returned to the campus in Naarm after two years of remote learning. The city also holds a unique place in the minds of our offshore students, separated from their colleagues by circumstances beyond their control, however, linked through the idea of a particular place. On behalf of RMIT University’s Bachelor of Communication Design program in Naarm and Eastern Kulin, we acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the land we have gathered on today. We pay our respects to the Elders past and present, for they hold the memories, the traditions and the culture of the Woi Wurrung and Boon Wurrung language groups, the land on which RMIT University’s campus respectfully stands.

Storytelling is the beating heart of eastern Kulin Indigenous culture as it is the primary way in which history has been shared. For millennia, First Nations’ history, educational stories, and the stories of Country, creation and tradition have been passed down through generations. Today, the practice of storytelling sustains communities, validates experiences, nurtures relationships and serves as a form of important cultural continuation for Indigenous peoples.

Our exhibition unfolds the lens of human centred design— we as designers entail stories of our own as we immerse ourselves through spiritual forms of birds and fishes, symbolising movement and growth within our innovative world of design. We embellish our identities, practices and knowledge through a mirrored reflection of ourselves — a vessel of light, painting a personal narrative through our portraits. We acknowledge the stories of Bunjil the Ancestral Wedge-Tailed Eagle, the creator, articulating a sense of belonging and place by evoking ‘ongoing creation,’ and offer our visual response to the glorious creatures of this unique environment; the birds in the air and the fish in the rivers, streams and bay.

We commemorate the efforts of students and lectures, Class of 2022’s commitment, dedication and enriched talent, we also acknowledge that design and storytelling has always existed on these unceded lands and always will, respectfully honouring the Traditional Owners of the past present as we share our journey. The schools of fish and the flocks of birds, for the Graduates of RMIT Communication Design, are now free because School is out and the Flock Is off. We have learned that the practice of stories are never-ending — for us, it is only just beginning!

Written by Shivani Chaudhary