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Resource 1: Welcome to Country- Country 

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Resource 1: Welcome to Country- Country 

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Welcome to Country written by Aunty Joe Murphy and illustrated by Lisa Kennedy is a picture story book that introduces children to the customs and symbols of Indigenous Australia (Welcome To Country, 2003). This story entails welcoming to Country of the traditional lands of the Wurundjeri People. It is provided on a digital platform of someone reading the story from the link above where the children can listen and explore the theme of Country. This resource is ideal for children aged 4-5 in a Kindergarten room.

Using the YARNS approach (Shay & Oliver, 2021) this resource was published in 2016. It was made six years ago and is still relevant for the children to explore as it can be used to introduce to the children about the themes of Country. As this can be used as an introduction where no contextual information will be needed to approach this resource. Aunty Joe Murphy is a senior Aboriginal Elder of the Wurundjeri People of Melbourne and surrounds (Welcome to Country, 2023). Lisa Kennedy who illustrated the story is a descendant of the Trawlwooway people on the north-east coast of Tasmania (Welcome to Country, 2023). They are both recognised as the author and illustrator of this story. This resource shows appropriate, historical, contemporary cultural practices and shows a various representation of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples through the images in the story. It uses descriptions and uses capital letters that are used appropriately. This text names all Indigenous people pictured and is sensitive to the fact there is different First Nations group. It is presenting cultural information that isn’t restricted or problematic which makes it a strong resource.

This resource links to the Australian institute for teaching and school leadership (AITSL) Standard focus area 2.4 Understand and respect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people (AITSL, 2017) as it allows educators to introduce children to the community, environment, respect for culture and importance of connection to land (Rose, 1996). This resource links to the theme Country as it introduces the reader to the connectiveness of people, animals, plants, dreaming’s and through the drawings of earth, soil, minerals and air (Rose, 1996). This then links to the Victorian Early Years Learning Framework (YEYLF) practice principal equity and diversity as it allows for a greater understanding of Indigenous ways of knowing and encourages cultural awareness in all (DET, 2016). It also links to Outcome one: Children have a strong sense of identity as it supports connection to Country (DET,2016).

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Resource 2: Dreaming Stories- Reciprocity 

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Resource 2: Dreaming Stories- Reciprocity 

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This resource titled ‘Aboriginal culture for Early years’ is a website that includes a range of Dreaming stories and resource templates that go hand in hand with the videos to extend the children’s learning. This resource could allow for children to explore Dreaming stories and the use of the worksheet templates to expand their knowledge. The creator Bronwyn Ferguson identifies themselves as Aboriginal and her mission is to share the culture in a positive and respectful way for early childhood centres and primary schools (Aboriginal Cultural in Early Years, 2020). This website has developed programs,  resources and games to make learning fun and memorable experience for the children. The Yarns approach (Shay & Oliver, 2021,) will be applied to the dreaming story Banjora and Uwappa which is displayed on the website.

This resource was made in 2020. It is still relevant and reflects contemporary Indigenous Australia. The contextual information students will need to understand for this resource is the knowledge of the significance of Dreaming stories. The consultation in the making of the resource was consulted with the creator of the website who identifies as Indigenous, she is recognised for her contribution. The Banjora and Uwappa story identifies the traditional owners of the Country and presents the culture and people in a balanced way. It shows historical and contemporary cultural practices as well. This resource is great for children to interact with as there is no racist terms, uses capital letters correctly, and uses language that reflects contemporary language guides. It also uses descriptions for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples that are accepted.

This resource links to Focus area 1.4 Strategies for teaching Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students (AITSL, 2017). Focus area 2.4 Understand and respect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people (AITSL, 2017). This resource allows children to understand reciprocity through the Dreaming stories which creates a respect for culture, history, and languages. This mutual respect relates to Equity and diversity practice principle as it supports cultural responsiveness in all children. It allows for greater understanding within the culture and ways of knowing and being (DET, 2016). This also links to Outcome 1 of the VEYLF as this supports children in having a strong sense of identity where children feel safe, secure and comfortable expressing important cultural and social practices. This  allows children to experience close kinship and attachment with those close to them (DET, 2016).

Bourke and Bourke (1995) state the stories of the Dreaming include unique morals and values, it allows for symbolic and poetic way of oral literature and philosophy. Responsibility and Reciprocity are central within each person. This connects everyone in the group by a range of obligations and responsibilities (Bourke & Bourke, 1995). The story of Banjora and Uwappa represents this where the children view a Koala called Banjora who likes to go on adventures and explore. The video ends with a lesson to be learned from this story that was passed down to the children to remember and respect by listening to their parents and elders (Bourke & Bourke, 1995) in the community to build mutual respect.

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This is an Aboriginal Dreaming story told to the children to teach them about not being greedy.

Dreaming stories were told to teach the children what was the right and wrong thing to do, how the world was created and how the animals were made. They were a way of educating the children.

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Introducing Aboriginal Culture for Early Years Education

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This is an Aboriginal Dreaming story told to the children to teach them about not being greedy. Dreaming stories were told to teach the children what was the right and wrong thing to do, how the world was created and how the animals were made. They were a way of educating the children.

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This interactive online resource displays a map that shows the native languages within Australia. This resource is a website which promotes the diversity of Aboriginal and Torres Strait languages. The map is titled Gambay which  translates to the word "together" in the Butchulla language of the Hervey Bay region in Queensland (ABC, 2023). This resource would suit kindergarten and primary school children to explore the different languages within Australia. The Yarns approach (Shay & Oliver, 2021,) will be applied below.

This resource doesn’t mention when it was made but it is relevant for the children to explore. The contextual information that the children will need to understand is the importance of language to people’s identity and culture. The producer of this website is Faith Baisden who identifies as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander. This map was provided to the ABC from First Languages Australia (FLA).  FLA works closely with speakers and language centres around the Country. They developed the map to reflect the names and groups in the community (ABC, 2023). ABC (2023) acknowledges that the FLA manages community contributions to the map. In Victoria the Victorian Aboriginal Corporation for Languages worked in partnership with FLA. The website allows children to move around Australia to click on each language where it displays videos for children to learn about that language There are Dreaming stories, songs and many more. These videos present Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in a composed way. It  shows historical cultural practices with diverse representations. It also displays a warning for viewers to be informed that this website contains images and voices of people that have died.

This resource allows children to explore language within Australia to build respect and cultural understanding, it allows for children to physically see the range of languages across Australia which builds a respect for diversity.  This links to the AITSL Focus area 2.4 Understand and respect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people (AITSL, 2017) and 2.6 Information and Communication Technology (ICT) (AITSL, 2017). This resource allows children to explore Indigenous culture and languages online through technology. Through this resource children are being connected to the land and the natural world, developing identity and a sense of place. This promotes a shared conversations with the children to explore equity and diversity which therefor promotes children’s sense of identity. (DET, 2016).

Language is an aspect within identity. Identity within the Indigenous culture explained by Perso and Hayward (2015) is about the ancestors and Country of origin. It is about seeing oneself as Aboriginal and Perso and Hayward (2015) further explain that it is about relationships with people, place, and kinship. It is through the identity that art, language, humour, belief, familial and community ties that form the core basis (Perso & Hayward, 2015). This resource allows children to view the different Indigenous languages within Australia and views Indigenous people speaking this language and sharing stories about this language. This resource is a good resource as it allows children to embrace this cultural identity, which then forms cultural awareness and respect for different cultures.

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First Languages Australia in partnership with local language centres across Australia have developed an interactive map to display and promote the diversity of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages. The map, titled Gambay, translates to "together" in the Butchulla language of the Hervey Bay region in Queensland.

Gambay showcases over 780 languages, using data contributed by regional language centres and programs working directly with language communities around Australia.

Find out more about the map on Gambay website. Teachers' notes are also available to use with the map compiled to assist teaching about Australia's first languages across the curriculum.

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Gambay: a map of Australia's first languages - ABC Indigenous

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Welcome to ABC Indigenous - ABC's new portal for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. The Indigenous portal replaces and upgrades the pre-existing Message Stick gateway. It was developed in consultation with the ABC's Indigenous Programs Unit and with members of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community.

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Resource 4: Artwork by Brendan Kennedy- Country

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Resource 4: Artwork by Brendan Kennedy- Country

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This resource is an Artwork painted by Brendan Kennedy. It is titled ‘Dindi Thangi Wudungi.’ This resource could be an inspiration piece for the children to engage with and explore Country. Educators can display artwork for children to gain inspiration and bring this into their own artwork. Brendan explains his artwork represents the knowledge’s, spirality, customs, culture heritage, language, dance, songs and the  Ancestral people’s connection to mother earth ‌(Artlink, 2020). This resource would suit kindergarten and primary school children to explore. The Yarns approach (Shay & Oliver, 2021,) will be applied below.

This resource was created in 2020 and is relevant and up to date. It reflects contemporary Indigenous Australia and the conceptual information children will need to understand to engage with this resource is the importance of Country and the elements within the painting. The artist identifies themselves as “Tati Tati, Latji Latji, Wadi Wadi, Mutti Mutti, Yitha Yitha and Nari Nari peoples of the Murray River, Murrumbidgee River, Lachlan River, Edwards River and Wakool River Country in Australia” (Artlink, 2020). This website in which the painting is provided does not state the traditional owners of the Country in which the resource was produced.

This resource links to the Focus area 2.4 of the AITSL standards. As it allows children to view artwork created by an Indigenous person and the importance of Country within his painting. This allows for respect and an understanding for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people (AITSL, 2017). This creates a sense of belonging and respect for diversity. This resource allows children to develop a sense of place, identity and relationship to land and the natural world (DET,2016). This then relates to outcome 1: children have a strong sense of identity as the connection to land, including learning on Country in the natural world (DET, 2016). This resource relates to the theme Country as it demonstrates to the children that Country is not just earth, soil and water but how its multi-dimensional (Rose, 1996). It allows children to engage and view how Country is the key or essential heart of life and how Country has a future and origin where it exits both in and through time (Rose, 1996). This artwork has different elements or paintings of animals, plants, water which all holds important meaning for the children to explore and incorporate into their own art experiences.

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ABC. (2023). Gambay: a map of Australia’s first languages. ABC Indigenous. https://www.abc.net.au/indigenous/gambay-languages-map

Aboriginal Cultural in Early Years.  (2020). Introducing Aboriginal Culture for Early Years Education. Aboriginal Culture for Early Years.
https://aboriginalcultureinearlyyears.com/dreaming-stories

Abbynr1. (2017). Welcome To Country by Aunty Joy Murphy & Lisa Kennedy. Music by Geoffrey Gurrumu Yunupingu. In YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zNYjXliUW7o

AITSL. (2017). Australian Professional Standards for Teachers. Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership. https://www.aitsl.edu.au/standards

Artlink. (2020). Brendan Kennedy: Dindi Thangi Wudungi. https://www.artlink.com.au/articles/4834/brendan-kennedy-dindi-thangi-wudungi/

Bourke, C. Bourke, E. (1995). Families and cultural diversity in Australia. Allen & Unwin in association with the Australian Institute of Family Studies. https://aifs.gov.au/sites/default/files/publication-documents/families_and_cultural_diversity_in_australia_0.pdf

Department of Education and Training [DET]. (2016). VICTORIAN EARLY YEARS LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK. https://www.education.vic.gov.au/Documents/childhood/providers/edcare/veyldframework.pdf

Perso, T., & Hayward, C. (2015). Teaching indigenous students : Cultural awareness and classroom strategies for improving learning outcomes. Taylor & Francis Group.

Rose, D. B. (1996). Nourishing terrains: Australian Aboriginal Views of Landscape and Wildness. Australian Heritage Commission. https://web.archive.org.au/awa/20170226002424mp_/https://www.environment.gov.au/system/files/resources/62db1069-b7ec-4d63-b9a9-991f4b931a60/files/nourishing-terrains.pdf

Shay, M., & Oliver, R. (Eds.). (2021). Indigenous education in Australia : Learning and teaching for deadly futures. Taylor & Francis Group.

Welcome To Country. (2003). In www.booktopia.com.au. Booktopia https://www.booktopia.com.au/welcome-to-country-aunty-joy-murphy/book/9781922244871.html

Welcome to Country. (2023). Reading Australia. https://readingaustralia.com.au/books/welcome-to-country/