GEKA Caulfield South

Respecting our Indigenous Heritage 

Claire McIver, Early Childhood Teacher

This week I overheard my colleague Liz talking to our student Cass, who was reflecting on whether she is ready to take on the role of an Early Childhood Teacher.  While encouraging Cass, Liz explained that as a teacher you will forever be in the space of learning and growing, and that this was the nature of the work with children. As teachers, we are constantly reflecting on our practices, collaborating with colleagues and participating in professional development opportunities to deepen our understandings and inform our practice.

This year Liz and Claire have participated in the Yarning Circles sessions hosted by Glen Eira City Council in partnership with The Department of Education and Training. Through these sessions we have had the opportunity through shared conversation to develop our understanding of Koorie culture, history and experience. These sessions have inspired us to develop a stronger foundation for culturally inclusive practices. 

Each morning at meeting time we pay our respects to the First Nations People by participating together in an Acknowledgement of Country.  While we carried on with our words from the previous year, this year the children have added some additional words that are important to them. This year the children have inspired us by sharing some different Acknowledgements of Country that they participate in while attending other early childhood services. Children have been invited to share their words as they stand up and speak in front of the group. 

In recent weeks Liz has introduced some Indigenous children’s games. While in the playground yesterday, I watched as Jax excitedly ran down to the tan bark area and hid behind the big log, he looked up at me grinning from ear to ear. Then, a group of excited children came running down and found Jax shouting ‘Brajerack’. This game is a take on Hide and Seek, with the difference being that one child hides and then the group are the seekers. When they find the child, they shout ‘Brajerack’. 

A second game the children have played this week is called ‘Pirrha’.  This game is one ball spinning. The objective is to try to make the ball spin for as long as possible. Children were given marble and a frisbee. The person who can make their marble spin the longest is the winner.

Cass has worked with the children in an Indigenous art project based on a story.  The following is an exert of her documentation:

Bartja and Mayila is a children’s book written by Sue Atkinson and illustrated by Annette Sax as a part of the Yarn Strong Sista Series, a collection of books focused on giving young children insight into Indigenous Victorian culture. This resource has been chosen due to its level of complex language suitable for a 3-5-year old audience, and for exposure to culturally diverse material including language, history and art. The book also contains illustrations which will provide a basis for an art project and ongoing learning.

After hearing the story during a book reading the children first created the backgrounds for their art pieces using paint, and finished off by creating a collage using a mix of natural materials and culturally relevant pattern prints.