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... on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander arts pedagogy

For many of you, incorporating Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander arts within your learning spaces may be particularly relevant at the moment. After wrapping up Reconciliation Week, you may be focusing on how to authentically include Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives through art, music, stories and dance for NAIDOC Week.

For this edition of Spend a Minute we invited Adam Duncan, the Educational Leader of Wiradjuri Preschool and Childcare and a proud Biripi Man, to share his thoughts on the significance of including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander arts pedagogy into your everyday practice.

This week, Spend A Minute on the importance of including practices based on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander arts as a way of embedding reconciliation practices into the every day with children of all ages.
 

1. Drawing a connection between arts-based practices and First Nations perspectives

Similarly to storytelling, every culture in the world has traditions in the arts. Authentically engaging with art created by First Nations peoples can not only introduce children and young people to a meaningful and varied understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander identity, but also provides an opportunity to engage with cultural and historical knowledge that may otherwise be inaccessible to children.

When early childhood professionals engage with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives through traditional and contemporary arts-based pedagogy and teaching practices, they are acknowledging the value of First Nations ways of knowing and being. Engaging with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories, cultures and contributions is vitally important in effective and authentic teaching that incorporates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives.

Ensure you respectfully attribute any Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander works of art and follow protocol in the use of authentic Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art. This goes a long way to ensuring you are viewed by the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community as respectful and ethical. There is a richness and diversity that can come from supporting children to be inspired by Aboriginal and Torres Strait art and art-making processes, which can be further explored through ECA’s Learning Hub Module, Understanding and Making Art: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art in Early Childhood Settings.

Simply decorating learning spaces with authentic, varied and beautiful examples of artwork by a diverse and interesting range of artists; having conversations about aspects of the artists’ lives that may or may not be reflected in their art; and ensuring children have meaningful and contextually diverse examples of the arts being valued by teachers, educators and peers are all vitally important ways in which educators can begin to engage with arts-based practices. Reconciliation Australia, through the Narragunnawali platform, have created a guide to assist educators in evaluating resources. As mentioned in the guide, it is also important to speak with, and actively listen to, local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people or organisations if you are unsure if a resource is appropriate, and to seek their guidance around which resources would be most relevant and meaningful to your local context.
 

2. Supporting the 0-2 age group in arts-based practices

Educators looking to support children in the 0–2 age group in arts-based practice can benefit from looking at Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander practices, specifically how they teach young people about cultural knowledge and practice. Traditionally Elders, and in this case educators, would demonstrate real-world arts practice, going about their days creating art for cultural reasons such as ceremony. One way this might be explored is through co-creating an artwork. Where possible, such activities should be led by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander educators, families or community members.

With support from early childhood professionals, children of all ages will be able to take what they are exposed to from birth— through witnessing or participating in arts practices—and authentically replicate this learning in various activities and play scenarios.

Providing children aged 0–2 with authentic, contextually relevant and valued arts-based practice, exemplified by their teachers and educators, may instill in children an appreciation and understanding of the value of arts. Play-based opportunities such as music and dance time, story time, creating their own artworks and textiles and playing or listening to musical instruments are all things children can explore in different and practical ways.
 

3. More than a Word, Reconciliation takes Action

The 2021 theme for Reconciliation Week, More than a Word, Reconciliation Takes Action, is a great source of inspiration. Within an early learning context, it speaks to how educators can take action every day through acknowledging country and working together with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, families and communities to learn from our rich history and First Nations’ people. Including arts pedagogy is just one way to explore this theme and to take action. The ECA Learning Hub Module, Reconciliation in Action (part 1 and part 2) can help educators to learn and teach about Indigenous culture and reconciliation with children.

Dr Red Ruby Scarlet, who has worked with and advocated for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and cultures, is the professional voice behind ECA’s Learning Hub Module, Putting Art in Place. This module focuses on the intersection of art and relationships, and Red explains how educators can explore Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art and its relationship with:

  • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Country
  • children and adults
  • materials
  • technology
  • knowledge.
To further foster an understanding of the importance of reconciliation and how it can be used to implement arts-based practices, Jo Goodwin wrote A Guide to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures: The Important First Step to Reconciliation for ECA’s Everyday Learning Series. In this guide, Jo explores what reconciliation is, how to be respectful and who our First Nations people are.
 

4. Exploring different resources 

Arts-based practices are a practical way to closely examine Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander resources and arts pedagogy. Exploring arts-based practices with children is a great way to foster creativity, to look at culture and diversity and to incorporate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives within your learning spaces.

The list of resources provided here is by no means exhaustive, however it may help you in your own journey:

 
 
 
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