Teaching & Learning News

Indigenous Weaving Workshop

In week 1 of this term, the Marrung student representatives were lucky enough to participate in a weaving workshop with a local Boon Wurrung artist named Bianca Easton. Bianca taught us how to weave bracelets, earrings and keyrings. Instead of using string, we used raffia. To make a bracelet, first we collected some undyed raffia and made a circle that could fit over our hand. This became the base of our bracelet. Next, we chose some coloured raffia, which we had to tightly wrap around the circle. We had to carefully loop the raffia back through itself, kind of like a knot, so it would stay in place. It was really hard! Bianca helped some of us make key rings using gumnuts and emu feathers. She also brought some cultural artefacts to share with us. We got to look at some possum skins and a football made of possum skin. Indigenous people use this football to play a game called marngrook, which is similar to AFL. The weaving workshop was so much fun, and we would like to share our appreciations to Bianca. Thank you, Bianca, for teaching us how to weave! The Marrung representatives will share more about our incursion at assembly in week 8.

Thank you, 

Tess and the Marrung Student Representatives