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A journey where the land (bik) meets the creek waterways (barney)

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https://www.youtube.com/shorts/g-O4pcLLedE

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This experience made me feel a sense of belonging and connection to place. The environment highlights a warm, welcoming, engaging and exploration feeling.

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Song..

This leaf is Boonarong country…

This stick is Boonarong country…

This rock is Boonarong country..

This feather is Boonarong country..

This water is Booarong country…

Bonarong/ Bunarong Country..

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/SdZqWMUqPDo

Song..

Boonarong, bunarong, boonarong, bunarong

Wominjeka, Wominjeka, Wominjeka, Wominjeka

Bunjil, Bunjil, Bunjil, Bunjil

Waa, waa, waa, waa

Boonarong/bunarong

Boonarong/bunarong

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/Jljd6jsNfcQ

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/Z8lYgUz2L28

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As a walk on the bik (land) through Oliver’s Creek Bushland Reserve, I was surrounded by tall rainforest trees, a creek, rocks, and native wildlife on Boonarong/Bunarong country, representing exploration, discovery, creativity and adventure with a sense of wonder. Through deep listening I captured the main music, sounds, movement and drama of this experience. Children need the outdoor natural environment to thrive and reach their full potential.

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As I walked through the reserve, along the path I could feel the movement on the ground as I walked. As my feet walked, the stones crumbled and slid, the leaves crunched, feeling the fresh air on my face and in my hair. This gives a connection to place through movement and allows my mind to wonder. I could see and feel the afternoon sun, peck through the trees, although it was with a temperature drop.

As I critically reflect upon this experience, I have considered both the effect of movement and stillness. In the article, ‘Creative Dance Play for Early Childhood’ draws upon the understanding that stillness gives children an impulse to move. ”Even though dance is about movement it is still important to be still” (Creative Dance for Early Childhood, 2020). However, personally I can see the importance and benefits of mindfulness and stillness as well as moving. This could be implemented by playing games such as musical statues or hide and seek. As a connection to my further teaching practice, I would implement more mindful yoga experiences. This offers opportunity and symbolises both movement and stillness. A sound bowl for mindfulness could be explored for children to self-regulate their emotions. The children could explore animal or nature poses such as tree pose, or bird pose in the outdoor environment. This makes a strong connection to place.

In the article, ‘Let’s Play Outside: The Importance of Pretend Play in Natural Settings’ suggests that “the sounds of children at work and play are collaboration, creativity, imagination, inventiveness, problem-solving, coordination, physical strength. When children are given the space and time to freely play outdoors, truly the whole child is able to grow” Wallin, 2018). This is recognised by giving children time, space and the materials to communicate their curiosity and development is shown through body movements and expressing behaviour.

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In the article, 'Dadirri', Miriam-Rose Ungunmerr's story tells that Dadirri is the practice of deep listening. Miriam states, that "To listen deeply is to connect” (Ungunmerr, 2017). This highlights stillness and a sense of belonging. As a way of connecting to place, deep listening and using all your senses, reinforces and captures your surrounding environment. All children would incorporate this environment differently. Miriam shows the importance of connection with yourself, others, spirit and surroundings. Deep listening and music is a tool to support children's sense of belonging, identity, and recognition in the group and within the community. In my teaching practice, I will encourage the children to make an acknowledgment to country and gather a deep understanding of how to care and respect the land. Also, for the children to respectfully acknowledge the elders for sharing songs and storytelling. This recognises and helps the children explore and learn aboriginal culture. After my creative response, and connecting with place I can see how using clap sticks and the sound helps small groups to gather.

In the distance I could hear and see the native birds chirping to communicate. I could hear the use of different dynamic tones such as loud and soft in my surroundings. I could hear the bushes and trees in the wind and see them sway. Hearing the barney creek waterways splash onto the edge of the creek bed. I could visualise myself as a child throwing rocks into the creek seeing how big of a splash each rock made, or the way that I threw the rock showed it skimmer across the water. Making a connection to the land, creek and waterways made my mind wonder how the first nations people used the creek. The first nations people in the past used the water from rivers and creeks for drinking, fishing, and washing. The waterways were also used as a barrier to separate the mobs. As well as using the water, spending family time on rivers, creeks and billabongs was central to sharing knowledge, songs, stories and a yarn within the Aboriginal cultural. Within Oliver’s Creek Bushland Reserve, the aboriginal culture used message sticks. This was a great way to communicate between different clans and language groups to send messages. They were often used to invite groups to gather, set-fights, and games. For my teaching practice I will embed that the children will communicate and learn through stories, songs and music on country. Giving an understanding and connection to the land. Using songs even to support transitions and gather for example, one, two, three come to the tree.

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The wirra wirra (sky) highlights the swirling dramatic wind that forces the drama of the trees and branches to sway. As I looked up high, I could see Bunjil circling, the ancestral wedge-tailed eagle known as the creator fly above. It was in this exact moment, that I could feel the great significance of Bunjil watching over and protecting this land. Through a connection to place, and storytelling the aboriginal culture is significant. Through this experience, drama shows significance in nature and the surrounding environments. Highlighted in the drama performance, ‘Mutton bird’ suggests that drama symbolises storytelling, and can be shared through expression, creativity and movement (Bangarra Education Resources Mutton Bird, 2015).  The children could experience the use of fantasy, and dramatic play to express stories and songs.

As I walked further, I discovered a magical hut, where I felt sense of belonging and dramatic play. This space reflects childhood memories, capturing imagination, creativity, and role-playing characters through storytelling. Each story changed based on feeling, mood and  characters. In my teaching practice, I would implement dramatic play outdoors, so that children are able to explore and manipulate natural materials creatively. For example, using a stick as a wand, or a rock as treasure. Upon reflection I can see the importance of having dramatic play outdoors and not just in the centre space. Children can also understand working alongside others to choose characters and roles when storytelling. Drama and Yoga activities allows children to be more active and engaged learners. This stimulates children’s confidence in self-expression, creativity, and movement (Department of education, 2022).

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Bangarra Education Resources Mutton Bird. (2015). www.youtube.com. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-PV98Oshkc

Creative Dance for Early Childhood |. (2020, June 7). Dance Teaching Ideas. https://danceteachingideas.com/creative-dance-movement-for-toddlers

Department of Education. (2022). Belonging, being and becoming: The early years learning framework for Australia V2.0. Australia Children’s Education & Care Quality Authority. https://acecqa.gov.au/sites/defaults/files/2023-01/EYLF-2022-V2.0.pdf

Ungunmerr, M.R. (2017). To be listened to in her teaching: Dadirri: Inner Deep Listening and Quiet Still Awareness. EarthSong Journal: Perspectives in Ecology, Spirituality and Education, 3(4), 14–15. https://doi.org/10.3316/informit.732386012034745

Wallin, M. L. (2018). Let’s Play Outside: The Importance of Pretend Play in Natural Settings. Exchange (19460406), 243, 92–94.