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Sound/Music Activity: Inanay Capuana – Aboriginal Song

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Sound/Music Activity: Inanay Capuana – Aboriginal Song

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For this activity, I employed clapping sticks to engage the children in Indigenous culture, through sound and music, using the song Inanay Capuana.

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Clapping sticks are used by Aboriginal people to connect land and spirit.  I believe it is vital for the children in the classroom to understand the significance of country, and by using the clapping sticks as we sing to an Indigenous Inanay Capuana, we are paying homage to the ancestors that came before us.

Inanay Capuana is a song from the Yorta Yorta tribe, and the specific meaning of the song is that it relates to a lizard. In assessment two, we discussed the importance of nature and the positive impact it has on the development of children through its duality in being a place for children to explore and engage in creative play (Wilson, 2007).

In a scenario that I provided, I talked about a family BBQ, specifically magpies that were swooping my family. Inanay Capuana celebrates Indigenous peoples' connection to the land.  Utilising clapping sticks and singing this Indigenous nursery rhyme is similarly beneficial to the development of children as it promotes belonging and pride in the land.

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As expected, the children enjoyed the motions of clapping the sticks together and the reverberation of the sounds generated. During group time at my centre, the children often hear Inanay Capuana, so they are quite familiar with the song, so the use of the clapping sticks made it more enjoyable. Although the children enjoyed the experience, I observed that some of the children preferred it to be child-led rather than a structured activity. They preferred songs that were more reflective of what is mainstream and on television. Some children suggested using music from The Wiggles, Paw Patrol, and The Gummy Bear song, which are catchier in tune and more contemporary.

This activity exposed the children to the significance of sound in Indigenous culture. In the future, I will incorporate this activity using the clapping sticks, but I will also include the children's preferred music and allow the children to explore the use of clapping sticks in a less regimented manner.

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For this activity, the props used were chairs and music. The children were instructed to go around the chairs and stop when the music came to a halt, quickly finding a seat. Initially, we began with one chair per child and gradually decreased as time went on, eliminating the last child standing without a chair.

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The use of musical chairs as a movement/dance activity provides children with the chance to strengthen and enhance their coordination skills. Musical play should be a regular part of the early childhood curriculum, as children are engaged physically as they move, dance, dramatize, or play instruments (Niland, 2009). In assessment two, we explored walking in nature to encourage children to enhance their coordination skills. Similarly, during musical chairs, children were given the autonomy to go round and round the chairs and stop once they remembered to. Both activities encouraged mindfulness and attentiveness, as I stated in assessment two. Taking time to notice the details, as the children would in nature, fine-tunes their ability to focus on their surroundings

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The children enjoyed this activity, which highlighted that music is an effective tool to convey feelings and bring joy and happiness. Musical chairs are such a fun way to get children to be active, listen, concentrate, and work on their coordination, as well as work with others.

Some children had a hard time when they were eliminated from the game, which was no surprise. There were some frustrations and a few tears, but the children were able to understand the concept, and as we kept playing, the children cheered on one another and were focusing.

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In this activity, the children participated in Cosmic Yoga for kids. Using a blend of storytelling, role-playing and movement whilst still practising mindfulness in a fun and engaging way for children.

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Throughout this activity, the children were able to exercise mindfulness and attentiveness. During this activity, children used the movement 'drama' to engage in re-enactment and imaginative play. The children impersonated the dinosaur as they saw it in the yoga video and employed stretching techniques as demonstrated. In cosmic yoga, the children utilise imaginative play. They reproduced the dinosaur's poses in their own interpretive ways. In assessment two, I discussed going for walks in nature and its effects on the mind. During the dinosaur yoga the children engaged in, I felt the same sense of calmness and serenity that I had experienced during my on-country visit. It reminded me of the concept of Dadirri, inner deep listening, and quiet still awareness (Ungunmerr-Baumann, 2002).

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The children were able to follow instructions. They maintained focus and, in doing so, were able to reproduce the movements, thus cultivating their own interpretive play.

Throughout this activity, I was stunned by the children’s sustained focus. I did not expect the children to participate so intently in the activity.

Given the success of the activity, I would not have done anything differently. In the future, I will reflect on this experience and recognize that children have the capacity to practice mindfulness in activities that promote movement and imaginative play.

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My perspective of music, movement, and drama changed due to exploring these tools with the children. I was able to understand how imperative these languages were in promoting child development in areas of independence, expression and cognitive ability. For example, through the use of musical play, children were able to connect with Country, their peers and their immediate environment, which is crucial in promoting their self-identity.

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Niland, A. (2009). The power of musical play: The value of play-based, child-centered curriculum in early childhood music education. General Music Today, 23(1), 17–21. https://doi.org/10.1177/1048371309335625ISSN: 1931-3756

Ungunmerr-Baumann, M.-R. (2002). Dadirri: Inner deep listening and quiet still awareness (pp. 1–4). Emmaus Productions. http://www.dadirri.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Dadirri-Inner-Deep-Listening-M-R-Ungunmerr-Bauman-Refl1.pdf

Wilson, R, 2007, Children, creative play, and the natural environment, in R. Wilson (edn) Nature and Young Children : Encouraging Creative Play and Learning in Natural Environments, Routledge. Ch 1, pp 1-18. Children, creative play, and the natural environment opens in new window