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I am at Merri Creek, traditionally known as the Merri Merri, one of my favourite places to walk, especially with my dog.  We walk down here often and every time it grounds me.  There’s something about the sound of the creek flowing, the birds calling overhead, and the scent of eucalyptus in the air that gives me the feeling of connection to the land.

It’s not just a beautiful natural spot, it’s also a place of deep cultural significance. The Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung people of the Kulin Nation have cared for this land for thousands of years. Walking through this particular spot, my attention was captured by the bird's darting overhead from branch to branch and tree to tree. The bird's were dancing to their freedom from tree to tree. Their song chirping loud and clear. I wondered if they were in search of materials for their nests or they are just enjoying the morning sunshine.

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This was used for many things during my play:

Broom

Pointer

A wand

A shield to protect my nest

A musical instrument

A tool to draw on the ground

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There was a large nest in the tree that had to be made by humans, this inspired me to create my own nest.

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Inspired by the big nest in the tree, I felt the need to create my own. I gathered different materials, bark, leaves, branches and started to build my own nest.

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These beautiful etchings carved into the stumps inspired me to draw my own etchings on the ground using sticks, and branches.

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This provocation invited me to pick up the palm branch and explore sound and movement.

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I tried to recreate the sounds I heard whilst exploring my surroundings. The crunching sound as I walk on dried leaves and branches, bird's chirping in the trees, the faint sound of the flowing creek and the sounds of me darting from stump to stump and jumping to the ground. I wanted the sound to reflect my movements as I played and explored the area, darting around excited of all the possibilities that surrounded me. I pretended I was a bird flying from tree to tree, collecting materials to make a nest, protecting my space with a palm branch. Inspired by the etchings I saw, I began to etch my own illustrations in the dirt, using the palm branch to sweep it clean and recreate again. I experimented with shadow play, with birds flying from branch to branch. Then I saw a puddle with another palm branch in it. This invited me to make music by brushing the branch through the water and letting the movement of the water create drama and music. This space inspired me to explore in many different ways: I moved like a bird, made music with the water and darted around to create drama.

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Whilst I was in this space, I reflected of the Dadirri video, Miriam-Rose’s opening line resonated with me.  “"To know me is to breathe with me, to breathe with me is to listen deeply, to listen deeply is to connect".  So, as I was walking through, I really tried to breathe with Country, connect and listen deeply.  What was it telling me? After what was a rushed morning, I entered the space and realised my body and mind was still occupied.  I needed to slow down, be one with the space.  As I immersed myself with Country, taking in all the sounds, smells and the beautiful landscape that surrounded me, I started to hear its story.  I called on my Dadirri, the deep inner spring inside me and my senses became alive.  I heard the faint flow of the creek, the rustle of the trees, the sound of my footsteps on Country and the smell of Eucalypt.  (Ungunmerr 2017).  The words of Allara’s (2018) song came to mind once focused on the sound of the creek, “after the rain, the rivers flow.” I started to gently move my body to the beat in my head, then my focus shifted to the bird songs and the bird’s movements.

As I was moving like a bird, my body swaying, arms out, circling the ground, I realised I was now telling a story like Mutton Bird by Bangarra (2015).  My movements mimicking the birds around me, darting around above me, I was focused on my movement, the light flickering through the trees and the sounds that surrounded me.  I was using one of the 100 languages of children to express myself in that moment. The light filtering through the trees reminded me of the Manda Lane nature’s canopy installation at the Michelle Guglielmo park that I used in the previous unit.  It inspired me to play with the shadow and pick up branches and imitate birds.  As I moved around this space, I was drawn to a puddle with another palm branch beside it.  I saw that as a provocation to pick up that branch and let it make music with the water and was mesmerised with the water’s dance.

I let the natural space that I was in, determine how I explored and moved.  This environment sparked my curiosity, exploration and engagement.  I understood how children learn through their senses and how rich the natural environment is for sensory output.  This type of learning is essential for young brain development.  Whilst in this environment I used most of my eight senses:

Auditory: Listened to the sounds of nature, the occasional faint car and plane.

Visual: Observing details near and far.

Olfactory: the smell of Eucalypt, wet mud, earth

Tactile: The roughness of bark, the softness of flowers.

Vestibular: walking along the fallen tree trunk and keeping balance

Proprioception: Jumping from stump to stump

Interoception:  After jumping about, my body needed a quick rest  (Gano & Krull 2020)

After this experience, I felt that my cup was full.  I had such a great time exploring and experimenting within this natural environment.  I felt the freedom as I immersed myself in the space.  It felt good to let that child within me be in charge again.  Might have to let her out more often.

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Allara. (2018, Nov 14) Wala Is Life. [Song] Allara. YouTube. Wala Is Life

Bangarra. (2015, May 20). Mutton Bird.  [Video]. Bangarra Dance Theatre. YouTube. Bangarra Education Resources Mutton Bird

Gano, D & Krull, S. (2020, July) Natural Sensory Learning. [Article] Community Play things. Natural Sensory Learning

Ungunmerr, M. (2017, Nov 29). Dadirri. [Video] MiriamRoseFoundation. YouTube. DADIRRI (Official Miriam-Rose Ungunmerr Video) :: 3 minute promo

Wilson, P. (2010) The Playwork Primer. [Text] Alliance for Childhood. PlayworkPrimer_2010_forpdf.indd

Wilson, Ruth. (2007). Nature and Young Children : Encouraging Creative Play and Learning in Natural Environments. [Text] Routledge. ProQuest Ebook Central, http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/vu/detail.action?docID=324894.