Creating Indigenous-inspired art and craft, building a bush tucker garden and sharing dreamtime stories are all on the agenda for Goodstart Broadmeadow this year.
As part of a commitment to embedding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture at the centre, the children will also get the chance to take part in creating a mural and enjoying visits from special guests.
Goodstart Broadmeadow educational leader Sandy Bennett said the activities were all part of a vision held by the centre to ensure all Australians had a sound knowledge and understanding of Indigenous culture.
“Three of our families identify as Aboriginal and as a team we recognised that embedding Indigenous culture into our centre with all children and families would be extremely valuable not only for these children, but for everyone.”
“We wanted to ensure that moving forward we can all have an increased understanding of and respect for our Indigenous culture and its people.”
Ms Bennett said she incorporated research, ideas from other centres and guidance from the Narragunnawali website to develop a centre Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP).
“We had an amazing response from families who shared a variety of ideas they would like to see in regards to implementing our indigenous culture throughout our centre. Two of our parents also asked to be a part of our RAP working group.”
The centre’s RAP Vision is:
“To provide children with a range of indigenous learning experiences in a respectful way which enhances children’s knowledge and understanding of our country’s indigenous heritage and encourages connectedness to Indigenous people within our centre and broader community, maintaining positive relationships and links to the Awabakal people which is embedded throughout our centres program and daily routines.”
Other activities planned for the year include:
As a part of the centre’s preschool graduation for 2016 one of their Indigenous families was invited to share a Welcome to Country and two of their children performed, playing didgeridoos.
This centre then wrote its own acknowledgement of country song which has been given the nod of approval by the Miramaa Language and Technology centre for the Awabakal people, along with one of the centre’s Aboriginal families.
Watch the children perform their acknowledgement of country song here.
Awabakal acknowledgement of country song
(Tune is ‘If you’re happy and you know it’)
Today we are on Awabakal
Today we are on Awabakal
Our home is the great bushland
By the sea
Today we are on Awabakal
We respect the Awabakal people
We respect the Awabakal people
True owners of this land
Past, present and today
We respect the Awabakal people
Today we are on Awabakal
Today we are on Awabakal
Our home is the great bushland
By the sea
Today we are on Awabakal
Hooray!
As part of a commitment to embedding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture at the centre, the children will also get the chance to take part in creating a mural and enjoying visits from special guests.
Goodstart Broadmeadow educational leader Sandy Bennett said the activities were all part of a vision held by the centre to ensure all Australians had a sound knowledge and understanding of Indigenous culture.
“Three of our families identify as Aboriginal and as a team we recognised that embedding Indigenous culture into our centre with all children and families would be extremely valuable not only for these children, but for everyone.”
“We wanted to ensure that moving forward we can all have an increased understanding of and respect for our Indigenous culture and its people.”
Ms Bennett said she incorporated research, ideas from other centres and guidance from the Narragunnawali website to develop a centre Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP).
“We had an amazing response from families who shared a variety of ideas they would like to see in regards to implementing our indigenous culture throughout our centre. Two of our parents also asked to be a part of our RAP working group.”
The centre’s RAP Vision is:
“To provide children with a range of indigenous learning experiences in a respectful way which enhances children’s knowledge and understanding of our country’s indigenous heritage and encourages connectedness to Indigenous people within our centre and broader community, maintaining positive relationships and links to the Awabakal people which is embedded throughout our centres program and daily routines.”
Other activities planned for the year include:
- Sharing Indigenous symbols with the children to incorporate in their play
- Inviting special guests and/or elders to visit our centre and share stories, music, dance and art with the children
- Sharing Indigenous language experiences with the children through stories, artwork, songs
- Creating a visual display for the centre which shows respect and acknowledgement for the links with Indigenous people in the community
- Cooking experiences.
As a part of the centre’s preschool graduation for 2016 one of their Indigenous families was invited to share a Welcome to Country and two of their children performed, playing didgeridoos.
This centre then wrote its own acknowledgement of country song which has been given the nod of approval by the Miramaa Language and Technology centre for the Awabakal people, along with one of the centre’s Aboriginal families.
Watch the children perform their acknowledgement of country song here.
Awabakal acknowledgement of country song
(Tune is ‘If you’re happy and you know it’)
Today we are on Awabakal
Today we are on Awabakal
Our home is the great bushland
By the sea
Today we are on Awabakal
We respect the Awabakal people
We respect the Awabakal people
True owners of this land
Past, present and today
We respect the Awabakal people
Today we are on Awabakal
Today we are on Awabakal
Our home is the great bushland
By the sea
Today we are on Awabakal
Hooray!