Yarning on Wiilmen Boodjar and Traditional Doll Making 3-4
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples please be aware that these resources contain images, voices and references to deceased people.
Kaya! (Hello!)
Before commencing this course, we respectfully ask you to refer to the "Getting Started" section below. Here you will find information that pertains to our Deadly Arts courses, including statements from the First Nations artists and individuals featured in the videos as well as teaching tips to help you use the resources appropriately in your classroom.
Discover the significance of yarning, yarning circles and storytelling from two Noongar artists, Marcelle Riley and Yolande Yarran-Ward. Listen and watch as they explain the process of eco-dyeing used to create unique fabrics that reflect the boodja (country) where they are made and find out how traditional dollmaking is used to share stories with communities.
Explore yarning circles with your class to develop an inclusive and respectful space where students feel safe to share ideas and be listened to.
Inquire into the natural world to discover how plants release natural dyes. Reflect on connections to people, places and communities and make traditional dollsso that students can share their own stories.
We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and pay our respects to Elders both past and present. We acknowledge the rich heritage of ceremony, singing, dancing and storytelling that powerfully embodies one of the oldest living cultures in human history. We recognise the valuable contribution Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists have made to the cultural expression of life on this land and deeply respect their creativity, knowledge and resilience.
Listen. Respect. Connect. Reflect.
1. Listen
These resources recognise First Nations peoples as true educators, passing wisdom and knowledge onto generations of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and wider Australians. Every effort has been made in the design of videos, lesson plans and accompanying materials to amplify First Nations voices in the classroom.
Please read the relevant statements from the artists and individuals involved with this course before teaching the associated content. These statements provide information about each individual's identity and provide context to the people in the videos. The First Nations Teaching Artists share insights into their connections to Country/place and explain what Noongar culture means to them. These reflections provide students with direct insight into the diverse range of First Nations peoples across Australia.
Listen to the voices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait students and families in your community.
Consult with local Elders and listen to their advice and knowledge. Take the time to ask questions and learn from and with First Nations peoples.
2. Respect
As you read the resources you may notice we have used different spellings of Noongar as wehave tried, wherever possible, to use the preferred spellings of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people involved with the resources.
Noongar are made up of fourteen different language groups. There are many variations in the spelling of Noongar, e.g. Nyoongar, Nyungar, Noongah, Nyoongah or Nyungah, as it was traditionally an oral language.
We have respectfully chosen to use the spelling Noongar throughout the Deadly Arts collection as this is the spelling used by the WA Department of Education and the spelling used in the official native title claim.
The learning experiences developed from the videos are designed to cater for a wide range of school settings. We appreciate that every school is different and that the resources may need to be adapted to suit your context. Please take the time to read the local Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander educational protocols, associated with your State or Territory's education setting.
We encourage teachers and students to read and respect the advice included in the artists' statements and appreciate that their advice is related to the content discussed in the videos.
Respect the advice given by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples within your community and maintain relationships through ongoing consultation.
3. Connect
We encourage learning communities to connect with the First Nations people in their area and learn from the First Nations people within your community.
Communicate your intentions to families and invite them to share their cultural knowledge with your class. Building these relationships develops stronger communities, deepens cultural awareness and understandings.
If you are considering working with Aboriginal or Torres strait islander artists on a community school project please consult with the local Elders and Traditional Custodians in your community, to deepen relationships and to ensure your project is culturally appropriate for your context. We advise that you consult with your local educational authority and read the relevant cultural protocols related to your community.
The courses and the accompanying learning experiences could be revisited from different perspectives. We have provided ideas in each course to take the students' learning further so that the videos can be revisited and connect and embed Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures to other areas of the curriculum.
4. Reflect
We hope our courses encourage rich dialogue and spark curiosity within your class to learn more from First Nations peoples. As you embark on a journey of open and continuous dialogue with your community and learn together, we all make a positive step towards reconciliation.
The Song Room and ARTS:LIVE are always keen to improve and hear feedback from teachers who use our resources. Please share your experiences with us via this link or contact us directly here.
"Our First Nations cultures are so rich and we have so much to share, and it's fantastic when people want to learn... Lift up aboriginal voices, listen to Aboriginal people so we can all benefit from this old, cultural knowledge"
(Rickeeta Walley, Noongar Teaching Artist)
Teacher Packs
The Teacher Packs below contains all the lesson plans associated with this course.
All other activity sheets and course materials can be downloaded through the Lessons Tab.
The Curriculum Alignment document below maps this course against the Australian Curriculum.
This is a valuable resource for students in Years 3-4. The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders Histories and Cultures Cross-Curriculum Priority is embedded throughout the course. Students learn from Noongar artists about the significance of yarning and yarning circles in Noongar culture. Students are taken on a journey with two Noongar artists to discover different art making processes and learn from the artists how the concepts of identity, country and culture are expressed through their artwork.
As both artist and audience member, students participate in individual and collaborative hands-on Visual Arts learning experiences where students can authentically apply the General Capabilities of Critical and Creative Thinking Skills, Personal and Social and Intercultural Understandings. Students are invited to explore different materials and processes throughout the course. Through an exploration of their own environment, students are encouraged to consider how an artwork can reflect the place where it was created. Students share their own stories through the dolls they create.
Embedded throughout the course are opportunities for students to reflect and discuss and share their thoughts and ideas with their peers. They are encouraged to engage in dialogue and share information about their own cultures, personal stories and feelings and reflect on the importance of listening and talking together as a class.
A strong element of the course is building a culturally safe space where students respect each other's views and feel valued. These experiences contribute towards a sense of belonging and connectedness.
Educators are encouraged to connect with community members and invite parents to the sessions to share their cultural knowledge. It is also beneficial when students create their own traditional dolls to have the support of community members.
It is highly recommended that educators invite local Elders and Traditional Owners to speak to students and staff about the histories and cultures of the area on which their school is situated to enhance the learning outcomes and their school's relationships with local community.
The Deadly Arts Collection was produced in partnership with The Song Room Teaching Artists:
Olman Walley, Rickeeta Walley, Yolande Yarran-Ward, Marcelle Riley, Charley Caruso, Tyrown Waigana, Della Rae Morrison and Olivia Samec.
Filming took place in the south-west of WA on Noongar boodja (Country).
Thank you to all the wonderful principals, teachers and school communities who collaborated with us throughout the project, including:
Brookman Primary School, Medina Primary School, Neerigen Brook Primary and Coolbellup Community School.
With special thanks to Rachel Riggs, Colin Watego for sharing his School Acknowledgement Song, Duncan Imberger from Deeper Richer, Merindah Hansen, Community Arts Network (CAN) WA, Madjitil Moorna and Irma Woods our Community Liaison Officer in WA.
Produced by The Song Room with the generous support of Lotterywest.
Have feedback to share about this resource? Take our quick survey to tell us about your experience or contact us directly here.
Learning Intentions:
To understand the importance of listening when yarning.
To create a painting that represents how it feels when someone listens.
Learning Intentions:
To appreciate that eco-dyeing can connect Noongar artists to Country and reflect on my own connections to place.
To research plants in our area through observational drawing.
Learning Intention:
To explore and reflect on the process of collecting seasonal plants and using different dyeing processes.
Learning Intentions:
To appreciate the significance of a "story doll" and storytelling to Noongar textile artists.
To understand the process of creating a traditional doll with a template.
Learning Intentions:
To reflect on my connections to place, people and my community.
To use a variety of sewing skills, techniques and materials to create an artwork.
Learning Intention:
To reflect on the purpose of creating a story doll and share my own personal story.