St Joseph's Carnivale Cobram 2023: Ada Kennedy, Evie Aldridge, Ayla Sim and Hayley Sherwood.
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It was a day of decorations on Tuesday, February 21 as students at St Joseph’s Primary School in Cobram tapped into their artistic side and decorated masks in commemoration of Carnevale.
The Italian festival made famous by people wearing masks, colourful costumes, and partying in Venice may be a far cry from rural Cobram, but students got in on the act as part of their Italian lessons.
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They also got to dress up in colourful clothes.
St Joseph’s Italian teacher Carmel Natale said the masks and the chance to dress up in different colours made the students’ day extra special.
“It added a little colour to their day,” she said.
Cobram has a large Italian population and St Joseph’s has been teaching students the language for decades due to the town’s cultural heritage.
Mrs Natale said the language was offered to all year levels from Foundation to Year 6 and that students took part in an hour-long lesson each week.
St Joseph's Carnivale Cobram 2023: Brooklyn Ellis and Demi Gemmill.
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Students are taught greetings, numbers, colours and the days and months of the year, along with basic Italian language foundation skills and social etiquette.
“They sing Happy Birthday in Italian when it is someone’s birthday and learn how to introduce themselves,” Mrs Natale said.
Along with the Italian language, classes are also used to teach about Italian culture, including food, customs and geography.
“We learn how Easter and Christmas and other equivalent festivals in Australia are celebrated in Italy,” the Italian teacher said.
Mrs Natale believes learning Italian is vital in not only helping students become more rounded but also teaching them about respecting other cultures.
“It teaches an appreciation of other cultures and what others have brought to our country,” she said.
