In essence,  this digital resource entails a YouTube video of the ‘I am Australian’ song in Yawuru language as well as presented in English shortly after which promotes reciprocity as it engages with both languages to foster reconciliation, collaboration, relationships and kinship as it is clear that ‘maintaining relationships within the kinship system depends to a large extent on reciprocity’ which this resource does well in striving towards this outcome (Bourke & Bourke:1995:54). Moreover, Bourke accentuates supplying this resource within the classroom learning environment would be beneficial in increasing kinship between Indigenous and non-indigenous peoples as ‘the strength and associated obligations of kinship ties were central to Aboriginal life’ therefore furnishing this video would likely lead to positive outcomes as the song is sung on both languages, underpinning reciprocity and aspects of kinship which in turn provokes reflection on ‘traditional aboriginal society’s family structures and the rights and obligations underlying them extended to the whole society’ (Bourke & Bourke:1995:55). Henceforth, after critically reflecting on the justification of utilising this resource, it is abundantly clear this resource this will encourage children to ‘learn to understand and acknowledge the value of Indigenous cultures and possess the knowledge, skills and understanding to contribute to, and benefit from, reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians’ thus navigating the theme of reciprocity (Shay & Oliver:2021:140). Moreover, by utilising this resource will likely lead to attainment of focus area 1.4 and 2.4 of the Australian professional standards for teachers as showing this video to children in a learning environment conveys the educator ‘comprehending ‘a broad knowledge and understanding of the impact of  culture, cultural identity and linguistic background on the education of students from aboriginal and Torres strait islander backgrounds’, evident through their language presented in the video as well as comprehending and respecting Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander people ‘to promote reconciliation between Indigenous and non-indigenous Australians, achieved by furnishing a video in their language (AITSL:2018:13). In summary, Shay and Oliver determine that ‘through appropriate embedding of Indigenous perspectives, Australian teachers can challenge the negative representations and stereotypes of Indigenous peoples that are so prevalent in the media today’ (Shay & Oliver:2021:140). 

 

Evidently, the Australian Government website outlines a brief description of the Australian Aboriginal Flag as well as the Torres Strait Islander Flag which investigates the theme of identity as it details that these flags ‘were proclaimed flags of Australian under section 5 of the Flags Act 1953 on 14^th July 1995’ for a mutual benefit of the country to promote reconciliation, cultural competence, and cultural responsiveness (Perso & Colleen:2015:1). Further to this, furnishing these flags within the classroom setting can be justified as it leads to fruitful outcomes such as fostering inclusion and cultural diversity as well as understanding the importance of identity thus educators can look back to this website to obtain knowledge regarding what each flag represents (Perso & Colleen:2015:4). Hence, after evaluating the effectiveness of implementing these flags as a resource in the classroom, it is clear that educators must adhere to comprehend what each flag presents, for example the black in the Aboriginal flag symbolises the Aboriginal people, the red presents the earth and the yellow represents the sun which should be explained to children with the intention of creating ‘strong links between culture’ and how students learn thus signifying aspects of identity (Perso & Colleen:2015:119). Moreover, by exploring these flags with children will enhance the likelihood of attaining core values in the classroom such as ‘care and compassion, doing your best, a fair go, honesty and trustworthiness, integrity, respect, responsibility, understanding and tolerance and inclusion because of discussing Australian identity in terms of the three Australian flags which in turn underlines the theme of identity (Perso & Colleen:2015:4). In saying this, the justification of using this resource to explore the three flags within the classroom can be justified as it directly links to the Australian Standards for teachers specifically focus area 1.4 ‘strategies for teaching Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Students’ and focus area 2.4 ‘understand and respect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to promote reconciliation between indigenous and non-indigenous Australia’ (AITSL:2018:13). Further, focus area 1.4 is obtained from utilising the Australian Government website enlisting the flags by having a ‘broad knowledge and understanding of the impact of culture and cultural identity’ in relation to indigenous peoples and on the other hand, the website allows for accomplished of focus area 2.4 as there is opportunity for comprehending a ‘broad knowledge of, understanding of and respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures by inspecting each of the three Australian flags, their meanings and representations (AITSL: 2018:11). To summarise, this website would be a prosperous resource to implement with the intention of understanding identity and its significance to Indigenous people (Perso & Colleen:2015:4).

 

This digital resource entails a poem which conveys the theme of country by underpinning aspects of history through the utilisation of a story which illustrates ‘the annual walk of the Monero people from their mountain homelands to Mallacoota (Tournier: 2014:27). Specifically, this poem delves into the theme of country by exploring the land in the past whereby the Monero tribe set out on their 300km walk as well as animals such as kangaroos’ emus and possums thus accentuating the theme of country (Tournier:2014:24). Further to this, the poem portrays nature relating to country by outlining that this tribe used ‘a large rock to sit on’ while watching the water flowing by fire to cook their food as well as ‘bushes to make a shelter to sleep’ which further accentuates the theme of country (Tournier:2014:24). Therefore, this resource would be beneficial in a classroom learning environment to read aloud to children with the intention of exploring history relating to country (Tournier:2014:24). Thus, it is evident that supplying this poem as a resource to strengthen learning outcomes relating to Indigenous perspectives abides to focus area 1.4 of the Australian Standard for teachers ‘strategies for teaching Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students’ in terms of designing and implementing ‘effective teaching strategies that are responsive to the local community and cultural setting, linguistic background and histories of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students’ by furnishing this poem to students in a learning environment (AITSL:2018:11). In addition to this, by implementing this poem as a digital resource to students enhances the probability of accomplishing focus area 2.4 ‘understand and respect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to promote reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians’ in terms of having a ‘broad knowledge of, understanding of and respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and culture’ through the utilisation of a poem reflecting on the history of the ‘Monero people’ (AITSL:2018:13). To reiterate, it is obvious that utilising this resource can be justified as it complements the theme of country and provides an understanding of the land in terms of there being ‘an intrinsic and wholistic link between Spirituality and relationships to land and landforms, including watercourses, since these are the tangible links between living humans and all that is unseen and eternal’ and ‘this is where the creation ancestors rest and are still actors in the creation drama, releasing spirit children and the life force of their totem; the whole is sacred and contains sites of significance to the creation stories’ (Grieves:2009:13).

Bourke, E, & Bourke C, (1995) ‘Families and cultural diversity in Australia’, Allen & Unwin in association with the Australian Institute of Family Studies.

Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (2022). Australian Flags. Australian Government. URL: https://www.pmc.gov.au/resource-centre/government/australian-flags-booklet/part-3/flags-australias-indigenous-peoples#.

 

Grieves, V., (2009). ‘Aboriginal spirituality: Aboriginal philosophy, the basis of Aboriginal social and emotional wellbeing’ (Vol. 9). Darwin: Cooperative Research Centre for Aboriginal Health. 

 

Phillips, J., & Lampert, J. (2012). Introductory indigenous studies in education (custom edition). Pearson Education Australia.

 

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

 

Price, K., & Rogers, J. (Eds.). (2019). Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education: An Introduction for the Teaching Profession (3rd ed.). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 

 

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

 

Tournier, D, Couzens, V & Wright, J, (2014) ‘Nyernila: Listen Continuously’, Victorian Aboriginal Corporation for Languages.

 

YouTube (2016). Acknowledgement of Country – we honour and respect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders. Queensland Department of Education. URL:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zwB19PARVRc.

 

YouTube (2018). 'I Am Australian' in Yawuru language. ABC Australia. URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NrcUKgP_sks.