Language and Culture

Kii, Deadly TPS community, biladu-njan wat/how are you all? And in the words of my Yawuru language...Ngaji gurrjin/Hello everyone!

Wominjeka/welcome to a new year, and to all of our students and families, especially those of you who are just starting your journey at TPS!

As part of a Specialist Team focus, we started the year with attention being paid to our TPS Behaviour Expectations in the Classroom to support student learning.

All classes started the year with a focus on learning about or reviewing what we know about Wurundjeri Woiwurrung Country and the significance of and difference between ‘Welcome to Country’ and ‘Acknowledgement of Country’ rituals.

The beautiful book Welcome to Country written by Aunty Joy Murphy, was read to F-2 classes to assist learning about the meaning of the words wominjeka and Wurundjeri.

3-6 classes are also reviewing and deepening their knowledge and understanding of the five language groups that make up the Kulin Nation. They will be learning about some of the key connections these five groups have with each other e.g. spiritual totems and kinship relationships, as well as some of their key cultural Dreaming stories. The purpose for this is to ground the students in the Aboriginal Country upon which they learn; to connect their learning to this land; to deepen their knowledge and understanding of the Wurundjeri Woiwurrung people’s unique history, culture and connection to their land; and to develop a greater appreciation for this land on which we live and learn and to be more caring and respectful for Country.

The 5/6 students have been creating Kulin Nation posters to take home as prompts to share their learning with their families.