STEM

SCIENCE 

TYAMA – A deeper sense of knowing 

Ms Annette Williams and Ms Daniela Lupone attended the teacher preview for the highly anticipated new exhibition at Melbourne Museum Tyama – A deeper sense of knowing. 

This amazing exhibition has been developed with Keerray Woorroong citizens Yoolongteeyt Dr Vicki Couzens and Yaraan Bundle who shared the First Peoples ways of Being, Knowing and Doing that frame this experience, as well as their knowledge and language.  The whale story in Tyama is a part of a much larger narrative, one that belongs to many cultures and communities. For the exhibition the focus is on the Couzens family clan story, shared by Yaraan Bundle, the keeper of the story. It is Yaraan’s voice that narrates your journey through Tyama – a deeper sense of knowing.

Dr Vicki Couzens

Yoolongteeyt Dr Vicki Couzens Keerray Woorroong Gunditjmara citizen with over 40 years’ experience in Aboriginal community affairs. She’s Senior Custodian for the Possum Skin Cloak Story and Language Reclamation and Revival in her Keerray Woorroong Mother Tongue. 

Vicki is employed at RMIT as Research Fellow.

Yaraan Couzens Bundle

Yaraan Couzens Bundle is Vicki’s second eldest daughter, a proud mother of three belonging to Gunditjmara and Yuin Nations. Yaraan has grown up immersed in practicing and living her Culture. Yaraan is a Traditional Dancer and Language Teacher, a passionate advocate in the continuing of Cultural Knowledges and Practices. Yaraan says ... 

‘Being a Whale Dreamer is one of the biggest honours and privileges of my life, it means so much to me on so many levels, being able to share part of the cultural creation story with everyone is a dream come true. It’s that modern connection—bringing the ancient to today. That story is allowed to come to the surface for everyone now, whereas before it was sleeping and sitting within that Tyama—within that living knowledge inside of us whale dreamers. It’s so important for our future generations and for our Country.’ 

Country and Connection

Yaraan and her family are Keerray Woorroong and Gunditjmara citizens of unceded sovereign Country, in what is also now known as western Victoria.   Gunditjmara Country is perhaps best known as home to one of the world’s oldest aquaculture systems—the eel traps at Budj Bim, that date back more than 6,000 years. However, the stories that Yaraan holds, and has shared, come from the coast. Keerray Woorroong people have long had a connection to Koontapool, the Southern Right Whale. These whales travel vast distances across the oceans, from Antarctica, where they feed, to their breeding grounds near the Victorian coast.

The exhibition is interactive with our movements and sounds changing the projected environments. There are four parts to the exhibition apart from the introduction to country.

Sky country – moths: Here moths are seen pollinating native plants.

Earth country – bat cave: In this section the sound of clapping can be used like bat echolocation.

Sea country – schooling fish: Here you can entice a school of fish to follow you, however, you must help them avoid predators like the crabs and sharks.

Whale Dreaming: In this section you are immersed in the Whale Dreaming with Yaraan relating the stories.

Energy Sources

Year 7s are investigating energy sources in Science. In this class students constructed windmills and recorded the number of rotations of the sails when placed at different angles from our fan. The fan was the source of wind for our windmills. Students used their phones to video their windmills and then slowed the vision so they could count the number of rotations. The students are following scientific methodology which includes independent and dependent variables and collecting data. 

Ms Annette Williams Science Teacher

TECHNOLOGY & ENGINEERING 

GIRL POWER in Engineering and IT

During the recent school holidays I attended a 3-day camp with the Girl Power in Engineering and IT at The University of Melbourne. It was an amazing experience as I was able to meet many new people who shared similar interests to me. During the camp we visited the University of Melbourne campus, listened to lectures by various STEM professors, and completed workshops. In the workshops we learnt to program robots, build a wind turbine, and design and create a floating house. During the lectures, we also learnt about the many different types of engineering including mechanical, electrical, bio medical, and civil. I had a great time and I can't wait for work experience with the Girl Power program next year.

Georgia Adams 9 Melba