Harmony Week
Harmony Week is a time to celebrate Australian multiculturalism, and the successful integration of migrants into our community.
Harmony Week is about inclusiveness, respect and belonging for all Australians, regardless of cultural or linguistic background, united by a set of core Australian values.
Australia is a vibrant and multicultural country — from the oldest continuous culture of our first Australians to the cultures of our newest arrivals from around the world.
Our cultural diversity is one of our greatest strengths and is at the heart of who we are. It makes Australia a great place to live.
Orange is the colour chosen to represent Harmony Week. Traditionally, orange signifies social communication and meaningful conversations. It also relates to the freedom of ideas and encouragement of mutual respect.
At the start of our day today students were put into groups; North America, Europe, and Asia. With a rotating timetable each group took a turn visiting a different country. Each student had a passport to take along with them to be stamped. Visiting Japan, China, and the Middle East all groups had a chance to experience each different culture.
In our Prep/1 room groups enjoyed making origami animals and listening to the book, read by Ellen, Fold Me A Poem by Christine O'Connell George.
Origami comes in many different forms and is often shaped as animals! One legend even says that if you make a thousand origami cranes then you will be granted a wish!
Our 2/3 classroom offered the experience of China. Groups decorated paper plates to put together as a bigger piece, a Chinese Dragon. Unlike in Western cultures where Dragons are protagonist creatures in every story, in China they are considered benevolent and majestic creatures that are kind and bring luck. The dragons are considered important because they are believed to be present during the earth’s creation.
In our 5/6 classrooms students experienced making flatbreads from scratch. Everyone had a turn mixing, kneading, cooking their own then choosing a spread and munching on it.
Some of the most common varieties of flatbread from cultures around the world are as follows:
Chepati is a whole wheat flatbread native to South Asia and parts of Africa.
Focaccia is a leavened bread from Italy that can be flavored with a variety of toppings, like olive oil, herbs, cheese, meat, or even fruit.
Frybread is an Indigenous flatbread that's fried in oil or lard. Lavash is a large unleavened Armenian flatbread that is cooked against the hot walls of a clay oven.
Matzah is an unleavened flatbread eaten by Jews during the Passover holiday when traditional leavened breads are not allowed by Jewish law.
Naan is a soft, pillowy flatbread native to India and other areas of West and South Asia. Naan is a leavened bread cooked in a special oven called a tandoor.
Pita is a type of slightly leavened flatbread native to the Mediterranean region. These soft, round breads often form a large interior pocket of hot air when exposed to the high temperatures during cooking.
Roti is another flatbread native to South Asia. Unlike naan, roti is not leavened, is made from wholemeal flour, and is traditionally cooked on a flat or concave griddle called a tawa. Tortilla is a general term used to describe a variety of flatbreads native to the Central Americas and Spain.
Lots of fun has been had throughout the day exploring different cultures.
