Djidi djidi is Noongar for willy wagtail, a vivacious little native bird which skips around waving its tail. After 20 years of hard work, the Djidi Djidi Primary School for Noongar children held its official opening.

When artist Troy Bennell grew up, he didn't know how to speak Noongar, the language of people from the South West corner of Western Australia. Now, he speaks of his delight at hearing his daughters come home from school speaking the language. "It's awesome," he says. Troy was one of the many parents, friends and helpers who were at the official opening ceremony with the teachers and students.

What had started out as Koala Kindy in 1979 is now a school with over 100 students catering for Kindergarten to Year Seven.As well as having two children at Djidi Djidi, Troy teaches dance and dijeridoo and has contributed art work to the the school environment. These cultural links to the past help create a sense of pride in the students, he says. "The past creates their future.

"Noongar elder Gloria Dann, the Chair of the school board, also speaks of pride. In her speech, she says that there's no more saying poor old Noongar. The dream for a school catering for Aboriginal children began back in 1979 with the Koala Kindy on a site closer to the centre of the regional city of Bunbury. Now Gloria sees high school students using Djidi Djidi for after hours study. "The big kids look after the little ones," says Gloria adding that it's great for the younger ones to see the older students doing their schoolwork.Djidi Djidi is also a focus for the wider Noongar community, says Gloria.

Adults on work experience contribute their time, either as teacher helpers, or in other practical ways. "It's been a long time coming," she says, "many years of work and planning."Listen to the report from Jacqui as she talks to Troy and Gloria and hear the children themselves as they sing their school song Djidi Djidi Koolangka.