Foundation

The Knowing Project African Drumming Incursion

As part of our current unit of inquiry, students have been exploring the central idea, 'People share stories in many ways', through the transdisciplinary theme; 'How we express ourselves'. This inquiry came alive during our African Drumming incursion led by the talented Lamine Sonko from The Knowing Project.

Students took part in an 45 minute workshop where they were immersed in African drumming, song, and storytelling, fostering connections to key curriculum areas: Social and Emotional Wellbeing, Creative Learning and Cultural Competencies. Lamine introduced students to the ‘Kalimba’ (or ‘Thumb Piano’) while sharing stories about life in Africa, the significance of water and fascinating African animals. The calming tones of the Kalimba and Lamine’s storytelling had students mesmerised! 

The energy then shifted as students participated in African drumming, exploring rhythms, patterns and movement. They engaged in a fun ‘Call and Response’ activity on the drums, highlighting the power of music to connect and communicate.  

This experience was the perfect way to learn how people use music and storytelling to share cultural stories. We are so proud of our learners and their open mindedness to embrace new cultural perspectives through this creative and meaningful experience.

The Foundation Team

Ainslie McArthur, Samantha Hanks, Lana Harris and Macalie Vlah