Marrung

Marrung (pronounced: MA-roong)  is the Wemba Wemba word for the Murray Cypress pine tree, representing branches of education and knowledge.

Welcome to all our new families joining us at Wonga Park Primary School. Our newsletter regularly has a Marrung page which will share school updates and information, Reconciliation Action Plan progress reports, resources and learning materials, all with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives. 

WHAT IS MARRUNG?

Marrung is the name given to the current Aboriginal Education Plan created by the Victorian Government. The plan acknowledges that learning outcomes for all Koorie students are greatly improved with strong partnerships and connections to, and with, their families and communities. Success can also be linked to culturally supportive and responsive learning environments. 

As part of this plan, schools in the Inner East have a designated staff member who is the Marrung leader, providing a point of contact between the school and the region team in relation to implementing the plan and supporting Koorie students at our school. 

At its heart, the Marrung leader role has two focus areas:

1. Helping with the whole of school embedding of Aboriginal perspectives and cultures
2. Supporting individual Aboriginal students, families and communities within WPPS

To assist the school in these areas, we collaborate with the Inner East Koorie workforce, particularly;

Kira Peters - Koorie Engagement Support Officer

Uncle Arbup Peters - Koorie Education Coordinator

RECONCILIATION ACTION PLAN (RAP) UPDATE

Our school launched our reconciliation action plan this time last year. You can view our RAP here. Our RAP is about to be reviewed to ensure our vision and goals are up to date and relevant. If there are any families who wish to support our RAP by joining our working group, please don't hesitate to contact me for more information. 

FIRST NATIONS RESOURCES

An area of learning that the students take part in at our school is about the Wurundjeri 7 seasons. Each season is marked by the movement of the stars in the night sky and changes in the weather, coinciding with the life cycles of plants and animals. Whilst the start of March brings a change of season from summer to autumn, it also brings a change in the Wurundjeri calendar as it becomes Iuk (eel) season!

Signs that it is Iuk season:

• This month, the Birrarung (Yarra River) becomes muddier and short-finned iuk (eels) migrate downstream towards the sea. These iuk are fat and ready to harvest! Eels play an important role to local communities as a sacred, spiritual protector and as a food source. 
• As the eels migrate, you'll begin to feel the hot winds cease and temperatures cool.
•  Lo-an-tukka (Canopus), the second brightest star in the sky, can be seen at its highest position at due South. 
• This month, days and nights are back to being of equal length.

You can find out more about the Wurundjeri Seasons here

Sources and images from: 

Science Gallery Melbourne 

Museums Victoria

Tim Phillips

Marrung Leader