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Stage 1 Module

Land, People and Spirit: A Sense of Belonging

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Land, People and Spirit: A Sense of BelongingModule Focus

This module is the first of three ‘Land, People and Spirit’ modules which introduces children to Aboriginal spirituality and explores its connections with Catholic spirituality. In an Aboriginal way of being, everything is connected- land, people and spirit. Aboriginal people ‘learn to be’ largely within their relationship with the land through which they express themselves physically, intellectually, emotionally and spiritually.

Catholic spirituality also sees land and people as being sacred and as revelations of God in the world. There is therefore a beautiful connection between Aboriginal and Catholic spiritualties, which may only be made with the intention of offering respect to Aboriginal beliefs and cultures. Some experiences in this module will offer students an opportunity to ‘learn to be’ in an Aboriginal way, thus moving away from the concept of an external study of Aboriginal cultures. “Learning through experiences…allows people to get a glimpse of an Aboriginal way of seeing the world” (Edwards, O. and Buxton, L Guyunguu: Teacher’s Notes 1998 Catholic Schools Office, diocese of Broken Bay, p. 8)

Sourced from www.scu.edu.au

Land, People and Spirit: A Sense of Belonging Stage 1 Page | 2

Outcomes

GRHD S 1.1: Explores ways a relationship with God is experienced

J S 1.2: Sequences, records and communicates stories about Jesus

PS S 1.4b: Identifies the purpose of prayer

Learn About Learn ToGRHD S1.1: the gift of creation as valued in Aboriginal and Christian

spiritualties God’s presence in creative activity God’s presence in others the relationship between God, humankind and the

environment ( land, people, spirit) senses as an expression of God’s love for people

J S1.2 connections between Jesus’ journeys and the journeys

of Aboriginal peoples

PS S1.4b different ways to pray

GRHD S1.1: locate and identify examples of God’s gift of

creation describe the relationship between humankind

and the environment identify how their senses enable them to

experience and enjoy life describe events that indicate God’s presence in

others

J S1.2

recount stories of Jesus’ ministry and connect to Aboriginal life

reflect on and express key messages from Jesus’ ministry which may be connected to Aboriginal messages about life and spirit

PS S1.4b direct prayers to the Father through the

Aboriginal Our Father participate fully, actively and consciously at an

age appropriate level

DISCIPLESHIP CHALLENGE

Students are challenged to recognise God’s presence in the world Students are challenged to recognise the implications of Jesus’ words and actions Students are challenged to pray in a variety of ways

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Catholic Discipleship

Learning about the sacredness of people and the creation of sacred spaces and places cannot begin too early. In a world where consumerism drives us from one novelty to another, and encourages us to dispose of things so that we can replace them, it is a challenge to introduce children to the thread of sacredness that runs through all of creation. Adults, themselves, can be profoundly challenged by their own children when the children have touched the inner chord and sound it with the truth and simplicity. As children explore the connections between their own faith and the spirituality of Aboriginal peoples, they will be invited to show respect to both land and people through the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Prayer Focus

Aboriginal spirituality calls people to experience wonder in their lives as they connect deeply with the land and with each other. Wonder in life happens as people stop, listen and wait in a way that restores balance. Aboriginal spirituality does not involve prayer in a formal way as is known in the Christian tradition, but is about a spiritual way of living.

Today however, there is a connection between Aboriginal and Christian spiritualties which unites land, people and spirit. Aboriginal Christians connect their Aboriginal spirituality with Christian beliefs. The Aboriginal Our Father has been written to make the Lord’s Prayer more accessible to an Aboriginal way of thinking. It is not written in any particular Aboriginal language, but in Aboriginal English. It must be remembered and respected that not all Aboriginal people like Aboriginal English as they prefer to honour the language of their own country. Aboriginal English however, as used in the Lord’s Prayer is a way of showing unity amongst diverse Aboriginal countries.

Core Scripture

Ex 3:1-5 Moses and the burning bush: You are on holy ground.

Mt 4:23, 25: Jesus teaches, preaches and heals.

Scripture in Context

Ex 3:1-5 Moses and the burning bush: You are on holy ground.

In the story of the burning bush, Moses is told that the ground on which he stands is holy. This is because of God’s presence. The Creator remains present and active in the loving gift of creation and thus the land is holy. Our God is a God of covenant to whose gracious love we are called to respond as stewards of creation within an interconnected community. The biblical call to a covenant of love is central to the Book of Exodus.

Christians believe that the ground that we walk upon today is holy because it is always the sacramental presence of God. This is similar to the belief of Aboriginal people that the spirit is present in the land. This spirituality of place is all encompassing, all inclusive and all embracing.

Mt 4:23, 25: Jesus teaches, preaches and heals

“It is likely that Jesus set out as a disciple of John the Baptist but soon parted company with John and began a life of a wandering preacher with a message that was different from the call to repentance that John so emphasised. Jesus met

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people in their own environment and took every opportunity to speak to them wherever there was a gathering. He spoke to ordinary people” (Woods, L The Christian Story ACU Press, p. 149)

In his journey as a wandering preacher, Jesus also healed people. He didn’t work magic, he shared the hopes and dreams of the sick and downcast that they would again be loved and accepted in society. Jesus reached out to many people who were on the margins of society and they came to find him who were “not only physically and mentally hurt, they were often excluded from society and forced to beg for a living”. (Hari, A. and Singer, C. Experience Jesus Today, Editions Du Signe, Cedex France, 1995, p. 11)

Catechism of the Catholic Church for teacher reference

nn. 293-294,319 Why was the world created? Compendium # 53

nn. 302-306, 321 What is divine providence? Compendium # 55

nn. 342, 354 What kind of bond exists between created things? Compendium # 53

nn. 1699, 1713 What is the root of human dignity? Compendium # 53

nn. 2574-77, 2592 How did Moses pray? Compendium # 537

Background for TeachersLand, People, Spirit

This module, “LAND, PEOPLE AND SPIRIT – A Sense of Belonging” is closely tied with Broken Bay’s approach to learning from an Aboriginal point of view, Guyunggu. Learning in an Aboriginal way is based on peoples’ relationship with the land through the spirit. “People learn and express this connection in all aspects of themselves- physically, intellectually, emotionally and spiritually” (Guyunggu, 1998, introduction).Therefore the three strands of the module~ land, people and spirit, are intimately connected and cannot be considered in isolation. This opportunity to experience Aboriginal spirituality allows children to embrace the sacred, thereby contacting their own spirituality. In some way, every person is connected to the basic force and energy of life.

Aboriginal spirituality comes from the Dreaming, through land and people (as seen in the title of this module, “LAND, PEOPLE AND SPIRIT”). Oomera Edwards (Guyunggu) describes the Dreaming as “the spiritual concept of purpose, time, connectedness and spirit. The Dreaming encompasses spiritual knowledge, past, present and future.”

Connecting Land, People and Spirit in Aboriginal and Christian Spirituality

There are three ‘Land, People and Spirit’ modules. Each module will create experiences that will allow children to explore aspects of the connection between Aboriginal and Christian spiritualties in light of land, people and spirit.

It is recognised that the three aspects of Aboriginal spirituality~ Land, People and Spirit are intimately connected and cannot be totally separated. Whilst different aspects will be explored, the connections will be maintained.

LAND

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LAND IS SACRED:

In Aboriginal Beliefs

For Aboriginal people land is sacred. It may be said, to Aboriginal people, land is God. For Aboriginal people, to look at their country is to see God near and present. “Without land we are nothing…Without land we are a lost people.” (Djon Mundine O.A.M in Catholic Earthcare Australia On Holy Ground, p.9)

In Catholic Beliefs

Sacramentality is the basis of our Catholic faith i.e. all life is holy and that means that all creation is holy. Catholic Social Teaching principles teach us that we are stewards of creation. The goods of the earth are gifts from God, and they are intended by God for the benefit of everyone. How we treat the environment is a measure of our stewardship, a sign of our respect for the Creator. “To claim to love the Creator but to abuse the world in which we live is like claiming to be fans of Shakespeare whilst burning his plays ” (Rose, M and Fletcher, J Why Should Christians Care for the Environment?)

Creation is a primary revelation of God and so when we care for creation we are really caring for God. St Augustine said that sacrament is a visible presence of an invisible reality and so land is sacrament because it is a concrete way that we can see the presence of God every day. Sr Elizabeth Johnson RSJ states “We need to appreciate all over again that the whole universe is a sacrament, vivified by the presence of the Creator Spirit” (Catholic Earthcare Australia On Holy Ground, p. 13).

LAND: COUNTRY

Aboriginal Country

Australia has approximately 270 Aboriginal countries, each with its own Dreaming, language, art, songs, rituals, behaviours and customs. There is both commonality and diversity within Aboriginal countries. Aboriginal culture in each country is influenced strongly by the land e.g. the art, songs, rituals, behaviours and customs differed in countries near water to those in desert lands. Aboriginal mobs often tell similar stories, but the symbolism behind the stories differs from country to country. Children growing up in their country would develop mental maps of their countries and learnt proper behaviours within those countries. Today, groups of Aboriginal people are trying to maintain this culture and especially the transfer of knowledge from old to young.

Mapping is a way of expressing connections at different points along a particular track or path. In an Aboriginal way, certain ways of behaving are an integral part of seeing and relating to different places. This means that your behaviours show your respect to the particular place.

Aboriginal people have always had special places within their country. These places are used for different reasons. Some are learning places, celebration places, healing places, ceremony places or meeting places.

“Individual clans ‘speak’ in different capacities for particular areas of land and generally have a responsibility to protect and look after sites of cultural and religious significance, known as dreaming or sacred sites…Aboriginal landowners continue to be reliant on the natural environment for both spiritual, social and natural well-being” (Northern Land Council, 2003 Caring for Country http://www.nlc.org.au

“People talk about country in the same way that they would talk about a person: they speak to country, sing to country, visit country, worry about country, feel sorry for country, and long for country. People say that country knows, hears, smells, takes notice, takes care, is sorry or happy…country is a living entity with a yesterday, today and tomorrow, with a consciousness, and a will toward life. Because of this richness, country is home, and peace; nourishment for body, mind and spirit; heart’s ease.”

(Aboriginal Art Online http://www.aboriginalartonline.com/culture/land.php)

Country in Biblical Lands

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The land of the Bible also was made up of different countries and groups of people with different cultures and languages. The story of Jacob from the Old Testament tells us that it was from Jacob’s twelve sons that the twelve tribes of Israel grew. As with Aboriginal countries these biblical countries had similarities and differences and yet there were connections between them and in various ways they influenced each other.

To the south in the Nile Valley, were an important people governed by dynasties of kings or Pharaohs.

To the north on the plains of Asia Minor lived the Hittites.

To the east were the vast expanses of Mesopotamia in a region called the Fertile Crescent. Here powerful civilisations grew such as Sumer, Akaad and Babylonia in the south and Assyria in the north in the area now known as Iraq. Further east in the area which is now Iran lived the Medes and then the Persians.

People then came from the west to invade including the Greeks and the Romans.

In this area was a tiny people called the Israelites who were buffered between great powers. Biblical texts call this area Canaan, now Palestine (taken from the word Philistines). The central region is made up of the plain of Galilee and the hill country of Samaria and Judah. To the east was the Jordan valley.

(Charpentier, E, 1981 How to Read the Old Testament SCM Press, Paris, p. 16)

“The land is often a player in biblical narratives. Often, the writer of a biblical text requires some understanding on the part of the reader of the land and its particular circumstances in order to appreciate the significance of the narrative.” (Ryan, M Teaching the Bible 2001 Social Science Press, Nelson Cengage Learning, South Melbourne, p. 1)

Like Aboriginal countries there were diverse terrains in the Biblical lands. These included:

rich agricultural areas, often on fertile plains barren deserts rivers and seas, including the Dead Sea which is 80km of salt water which does not support fish life mountainous areas, some of which were fertile a sub-sea level rift valley hill regions of low rainfall.

PEOPLE

STORY

Aboriginal Story and Storytelling

Story telling for Aboriginal people is an expression of spirit that not only keeps the lore alive, but links people to place and each other in that place. Dreaming stories tell not only of creation but how Aboriginal people are linked to their country through their ancestors. Aboriginal reality is captured in the Dreaming, which is not limited in time, but is the past; present and future all in one- lived right now.

There are people who have traditional roles of being storytellers. Some storytellers are born into the role and others are able to earn the position. Storytellers learn and pass on the story…that is how the tradition is kept alive. In Aboriginal way, there are categories of stories~ public stories, sacred stories, men’s and women’s stories. Men and women would not know each other’s’ stories. Most of the creation or ‘Dreamtime’ stories are public and would be told sitting around a campfire. Each mob has its own creation stories of how things came into being. Many of the stories came about through the seasons and seasonal festivals in different areas. Until modern days, Aboriginal peoples

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would have only told the stories of their own region. However, today, some Aboriginal people are storytellers to all Australians. These people have to receive permission from the elders to pass on stories to other people.

“The true role of the storyteller is to teach. The storyteller does recite-yes- but the true storyteller teaches the cultural values, passes on knowledge and the beliefs within the stories to the next generation…The true role of the storyteller is to pass on the lessons from the beginning of time.”

(Pauline McLeod Aboriginal Perspectives on Storytelling at http://www.australianstorytelling.org.au/txt/mcleod.php )

PEOPLE: Storytelling in the Scriptures

The collections of the writings of the Bible happened over many years and were the result of the storytelling and eventual writing by many people.

Old Testament Storytelling

“The first stage of writing relied on oral traditions. For centuries tribal legends and myths, laws, stories, songs and sacred events important to people were passed on orally” (Pennock, M.,1992, Discovering the Promise of the Old Testament Ave Maria Press, Notre Dame, p. 13).

Eventually, people began to collect such stories. Sages and prophets sometimes recorded their own work or had secretaries or disciples to do so for them. Throughout the period of the development of these scriptures, many editors collected, combined and changed the written material which had been handed down to them. “Most of the Old Testament books are compilations, the work of several writers and editors. It was standard in ancient times to borrow and rework written material and apply it to current needs and customs. This made the sacred books timely and meaningful to the current generation” (Pennock, p. 14).

Jesus as Storyteller

Jesus was a travelling storyteller. When Jesus told stories he used words that were easy for people to understand. He used examples from everyday life. He told stories that suited all groups from society e.g. there were stories that were appropriate for people from the land such as the shepherd stories and stories that suited people who were traders or owned businesses such as stories about money, workers. All Jesus stories were open ended allowing people to take meaning that was appropriate to their life situations.

New Testament Storytelling

The gospels and other New Testament scriptures are built out of the faith of New Testament communities who had a strong belief in Jesus’ resurrection. These scriptures mostly arose out of oral tradition and were compiled to address particular circumstances in the communities of each writer.

PEOPLE: FAMILY

Kinship in Aboriginal family structures

Family in Aboriginal culture is based on kinship. Aboriginal children learn the kinship or family structure from a very early age. This structure comes with responsibilities to care for one another and ways of relating to various members of the family. It determines how one meets their own and others needs within this structure and the wider community. Relationships with others outside the family structure must be formed to ensure needs and responsibilities are fulfilled.

Aboriginal societies are based on the good of the whole rather than that of the individual. Therefore, how one relates to others within the family structure is of critical importance. It is this family structure that meets most needs.Land, People and Spirit: A Sense of Belonging Stage 1 Page | 8

A simple explanation of an Aboriginal family structure is as follows: The child’s mother’s sisters are mothers with the same responsibilities as those of the mother. The birth mother

has the responsibility to love and care for the child (physical and emotional). The other mothers are responsible for the discipline of the child and other areas of the child’s growth and development (emotional, spiritual, and intellectual).

The child’s mother’s brothers are uncles. The child’s father’s brothers are fathers with similar responsibilities as those above for mothers. The child’s father’s sisters are aunties. The children of the other mothers and fathers are brothers and sisters. The children of the aunties and uncles are cousins.

“Aboriginal children learn from adults and family members how to express respect. Certain family members have roles in which they teach the children the appropriate behaviours at the proper times. For example, proper behaviours with their elders may be quietness, no eye contact and patience. Children are taught the respectful ways to speak and act to different people in their kinship system (Catholic Schools Office, Diocese of Broken Bay,1998 Guyunguu: Teacher’s Notes , p.26)

Family in Christian Spirituality

We experience love as members of God’s family. We belong to God’s family just because we are part of God’s creation. As baptised people, we are also members of the church family. We are loved and supported by our church family, but are also called to reach out to other people in love, especially those in need. Like our own families and our school family, our church family is a community where God’s love is expressed.

SPIRIT

Spirituality

Spirituality refers to “the ancient and abiding human quest for connectedness with something larger and more trustworthy than our egos- with our own souls, with one another, with the worlds of history and nature, with the invisible winds of the spirit, with the mystery of being alive” ( Palmer, P. Evoking the Spirit in Educational Leadership, Dec1998-Jan 1999, p.6)

Aboriginal Spirituality

“In terms of Aboriginal ways of being, people’s spirituality is central to their way of life” (Guyunguu, Teachers’ Notes, p.15). We refer to Aboriginal spirituality rather than religion. This is firstly because the word “religion” has connotations of established, organised world religions, “indigenous Australian spirituality is localised by definition: it is more a way of life, of connectedness and belonging” (Guyunguu, Teacher’s Notes, p. 15) Secondly, many indigenous people are upset by in-depth studies of their belief systems because of the secret and sacred nature of such beliefs. It is also important to recognise that many Aboriginal peoples also hold mainstream religious beliefs e.g. there are many Aboriginal Catholic people.

Christian Spirituality

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St John tells us that “God is spirit’ (John 4:24) and that spirit is active in us. It may be said that the Holy Spirit is the felt experience of God in our lives. When we see God active in the world through creation and through people, we say that the Holy Spirit is at work.

The Spirit of God was poured out through Jesus’ life. The spirit of love worked through Jesus to heal wounds, free us to serve one another and choose a future, as seen in Luke 4:16-21, which is sometimes known as Jesus’ Mission Statement:

He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. And he stood up to read. The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written: "The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."

The Spirit of God poured out through Jesus’ resurrection lures us together through interpersonal love into a future full of hope.

“To encounter the living Lord is to hear his call to follow him. Our spiritual journey of discipleship is guided by the Holy Spirit of Jesus working within us. Not our initiative, but God’s is primary. We are followers of the way of Jesus…Our spiritual awakening is a sheer gift from God, and continues to be sustained by the sheer graciousness of God” Ranson, Fr D. Living in the Holy Spirit ,Elements of Catholic Spirituality 2008 Australian Catholic Bishops’ Conference.

The connection between Aboriginal and Christian spirituality: Dadirri

There is a deep connection between Aboriginal and Christian Spiritualties, based in the sacramentality of land and people and their connection through the spirit.

The connection between Aboriginal and Christian spirituality has been captured by Miriam Rose Ungenmerr (www.heartlanddidgeridoos.com.au/Cultural/ dadirri .htm ) through Dadirri. Aboriginal spirituality as embodied in Dadirri, forms bridges with Christian spirituality, enabling the development of our own Australian spirituality . Aboriginal spirituality is not seen as being new or different, but as a meaningful way to look again at aspects of life in relation to land, and to each other. Dadirri challenges us to experience wonder in our lives and to stop, listen and wait in a way that restores balance. Dadirri flows into a Christological vision which sees the cosmos as a renewed and re-united body with Christ as its head. Through Dadirri we see land as sacrament. “As we enter more deeply into this mystical being about us, we will listen to the Spirit, the Breath of God, who for ages has blown through this land” (Stockton, E. (1995) The Aboriginal Gift: Spirituality for a Nation, p.131).

Dadirri is based on five realities:

Reality is not about things, but is a flux of events and processes All reality is interrelated, which leads to the wholeness of the universe Reality is subjective to our experiences and relationships It is purposive, borne of an urge to live fully and creatively It is interconnecting, so elements of nature connect and respond to each other in a purposeful way.

Offering Respect to Aboriginal Peoples and Cultures

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It is important that teachers and children offer respect to Aboriginal peoples and cultures. It is advised that teachers consult with the local Aboriginal community or the Aboriginal Education Officer from the CSO about appropriate behaviours and local terminology.

Children must come to understand that there are many Aboriginal countries, each with its own distinct culture, behaviours and language. Whilst there are commonalities, each country is also distinctive in its own way. Therefore, it is important not to talk about Aboriginal and Torres Strait peoples as if they are all the same.

The term ‘Aborigines’ is inappropriate and can be offensive to Aboriginal people . The indigenous people of Australia are best described as ‘Aboriginal people’. The term ‘Koori’ is not accepted by all Aboriginal people and is more a local term used in some areas. Wherever possible, it is best to use the local community language.

The word ‘tribe’ is a European word which has colonial connotations, especially from North America and Africa. It does not describe an Aboriginal community. Local language names are to be used preferably. However, the word ‘mob’ is an Aboriginal English word which is often used by Aboriginal people to describe people they are connected with, the community they come from or people they live of work with.

“Dreamtime has been used in the past to refer to the period of creation, a time passed, a time period finished. But the reality is that the Dreaming cannot be limited in time- it is past, present and future all in one-right one . Different Aboriginal communities have different dreamings. Some Aboriginal groups will also have a specific word to refer to the Dreaming” (Guyunguu, p.15) Some Aboriginal peoples still use the word ‘Dreamtime’ and this should be respected, however it is best for teachers and children to use the word ‘Dreaming’.

Aboriginal people generally object to the words ‘myth’ or ‘legend’ being used to describe Dreaming stories. This tends to put them in the same category as fairytales, rather than a spiritual reality that happened and still exists . Dreaming stories are true in an Aboriginal sense.

Student ContextPlease cater for the student context of your class in your planning of this module.

Developing the PartnershipPlease make connections between the learning in this module and parents and the wider community.

It is critical to the authentic and meaningful teaching of these modules, to involve Aboriginal people, specifically those from your local area. Therefore it will be important for you to develop partnerships with local Aboriginal people. Please contact the Diocesan Aboriginal Education Officer to seek advice on these matters. Aboriginal visiting speakers may require payment.

Curriculum LinksPlease note connections with other KLAS and cross curricular perspectives in your planning.

Planning a Quality Learning Sequence for your class

Quality religious education will be achieved only by deep thinking about where you are going and how you plan the learning journey to get there. Begin with the end in mind and then consider how you will build field to meet your goals. Remember that you cannot expect children to develop deep knowledge and understanding, unless you as teacher have deep knowledge and understanding yourself. According to the Quality Teaching Framework, quality teaching will occur when you ask yourself four questions:

What do you want the students to learn?Land, People and Spirit: A Sense of Belonging Stage 1 Page | 11

Why does the learning matter? What are you going to get the students to do (or produce)? How well do you expect them to do it?The suggested learning sequence has been planned through such a process. However, it cannot be written with the understanding of the student context of each class and relationship to other learning that is happening in the class. It is therefore necessary for you as teacher to plan your own unit, using this module as a support. Doing so is part of your role as an “activist professional” (a teacher who actively works to improve their professionalism).

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Suggested Teaching, Learning and Assessment Experiences

These are suggested teaching and learning experiences. The essential part of teaching this module is that you, as teacher have deep knowledge and understanding of the subject matter. Reading in depth the “Background for the Teacher” and “Scripture in Context” will give you the basic understanding you need.

It is essential to use the whole module to plan your own unit. You might like to change the questions to suit your class. Your unit should be written in acknowledgement of the student context of your class. The suggested learning experiences are meant to be adapted for this purpose. You should design learning experiences for the purpose of formative and summative assessment. When designing quality learning experiences and assessments, they must address the outcomes, learning intentions and success criteria based on the enduring understandings of the module.

Finding the Spirit in Land and People

Key Concepts

land connections love Dreaming People

country Proper behaviours creation spirit belonging

celebrations scripture sacredness relationships respect

story sacrament Learning to be storytelling language

Art ritual symbols ancestors kinship

family elders wonder mapping community

What is important for Students to Know and Do

There are many Aboriginal countries, each with its own language, customs, art and rituals.Land, People and Spirit: A Sense of Belonging Stage 1 Page | 13

The land of the Bible also consists of many different cultural groups. Aboriginal people have special places in their country including sacred places, learning places, celebration

places, healing places, ceremony places and meeting places. Christian people also have sacred and special places such as churches.

It is important to connect with local Aboriginal communities and to offer them respect. It is important not to offend Aboriginal people by using wrong terminology.

Enduring Understandings

The Dreaming is the heart of Aboriginal Spirituality through which land, people and spirit are connected. To Christian people land and people are sacred, being the face of God in the world.

Respect is a way of being for Aboriginal people. Christian disciples are also called to respect creation and people.

Story is used to pass on knowledge in both Aboriginal and Christian spiritualties. In both Aboriginal and Christian spiritualties, respect is offered to those who have come before us. Aboriginal people know their country and have a special relationship with it. We can learn from their

connection with land.

***The ‘Land, People and Spirit’ modules are designed to be taught in an Aboriginal way of being. Aboriginal children learn through experience. To honour this way of learning, it is important that these experiences offer children an opportunity to experience Aboriginal spirituality, rather than just learning about it.***

Suggested Big Question

How do Aboriginal and Christian people experience the spirit in land and people?

Suggested Essential Questions

How do Aboriginal and Christian people experience the spirit in the land?

Experience 1: Connecting to Country

Experience 2: Journey through Country

How do Aboriginal and Christian people experience the spirit in people?

Experience 2: Family

Experience 4: Celebrating

Suggested Teaching, Learning and Assessment Experiences

How do Aboriginal and Christian people experience the Spirit in land and people? Display big question and ask children what they know about Aboriginal culture. Check for misconceptions which

may become questions that you might ask an Aboriginal speaker during the module. Set up a display area which may contain Aboriginal and Christian maps, art, stories, artefacts etc.

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How do Aboriginal and Christian people experience the Spirit in land?

Experience 1: Connecting to Country

Choose a fine day and take children outside, giving them a spiritual experience of country (the land). Try to find a quiet place, if possible where there is grass or another natural base. If there is only asphalt, that is still okay:Possible way of leading this:

- If possible, allow the children to take off their shoes and feel the surface beneath them, talking about what they feel.

- Ask children to close their eyes and focus on what they can feel on their skin. Ask questions like: Can you feel a breeze/ wind? Does it tickle? Does it cool you down or make you feel cold? Is the sun warming your skin? Do you like that feeling? Or if it is a cold day, maybe you can you feel the cold on your skin. How does that feel?

- Allow children to gently touch trees, leaves, flowers etc (without picking them). Tell children that like Aboriginal people, they will offer respect to these gifts of creation. Ask children what they see, feel, touch, and smell. Ask children to look at a tree from a distance and then to look up closely making a telescope with their hands by curling their fingers and looking through the hole they make.

- Again, ask children to close their eyes and listen intently to the sounds they can hear. Ask: Can you hear natural sounds like birds? Do the man-made sounds like trucks and cars block out the sounds of nature? Can you hear the sound of the wind blowing the leaves? Do you know that the wind travels on a journey? You can actually watch it moving on its path as it travels from tree top to tree top.

- If possible, allow children to lie on the ground and watch the clouds. After a while children might talk about what they see. Ask: Can you see patterns or picture in the clouds today? Are the clouds moving? Why do you think they seem to move more quickly on some days than on others? What sort of clouds can you see today? Can you think of a different type of cloud that you might see on a different type of day (rainy/ sunny etc)?

- Ask children then to close their eyes and quietly feel that they are part of creation. Guide them to meditate about how amazing is creation e.g. How amazing that we have day and night…day for things to grow, light for us to see flowers and trees, and the smiles of our friends; that plants grow to give us shelter and provide us with food and beauty; that the wind travels on a journey, travelling from tree top to tree top and picking up things like leaves as it goes etc. Tell children that Aboriginal children learn about the land by experiencing it, just like they have today. The Aboriginal elders help them to come to know the land in a special way. Christian children learn about the wonder of creation through prayer and listening to the scriptures and through respect taught to them by their parents, teachers and also by priests at Mass.

Allow children to express their experience of finding the spirit in the land freely using art (e.g. just provide them with paper and paint, crayons or chalk). Afterwards, ask children to reflect on their artwork and on the experience that led to their art.

Teaching Point: Tell children that Aboriginal people love the land very much. It is so important to them to be respectful of the land.. Aboriginal people show this respect in their artwork which, despite similarities is unique to different Aboriginal countries (and there’s over 270 countries).The art of peoples who live by the sea has differences to the art of people who live in the desert areas, but both show a great love of the land. Aboriginal people deeply feel the spirit in the land.

Explore respectfully some pieces of Aboriginal art, with children simply saying what they can see and how the art shows the spirit working in the land.

Teaching Point: It is possible for children to view Aboriginal art by looking at galleries online, however for copyright reasons these artworks should not be printed. (Children also should not copy Aboriginal art, it is best to paint in an Aboriginal way by using their own symbols to tell their own stories).Some suggested galleries that can be viewed on IWBs are:

Gallery of the Australian Museumhttp://www.aboriginalartcoop.com.au/aboriginal-art/

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Aboriginal Paintings Galleryhttp://www.aboriginalartonline.com/aboriginalpainting/index.phpSonglines Aboriginal Arthttp://www.aboriginal-art.com/

Explore stained glass windows as a way that Christians see God in the world.

Teaching Point Some churches have windows especially dedicated to the creation stories from the Bible. However, creation will be present in other windows that are focussed on things like Bible stories or saints through the inclusion of images like flowers or the sun. If the parish church has stained glass windows, children might look for elements of the environment in them. Some examples of stained glass windows of creation can be found at :http://unitingchurchwa.org.au/kalamunda/the-stained-glass-window/ Kalamunda Uniting Church, Western Australiahttp://crystaledges.org/the-message-of-modern-stained-glass-windows/ ‘Ceation’ window in Church o fteh Holy Spirit, Lake Forest, Illinoishttp://spectrumstainedglassstudio.com/church-windows.html Spectrum stained glass church windows

Possible assessment GRHD S 1.1 Children think about how God gave us the gift of creation and so we say that God lives in creation. Make a stained glass windows that shows the spirit of God creation . Children write about how their artwork shows the gifts of God in creation

(These can be made by using greaseproof paper and then painting over the artwork with vegetable oil. Here are other suggestions as to ways to do this. http://www.playideas.com/25-beautiful-stained-glass-crafts-for-kids/ .)

Listen to Monica Brown’s “ Holy Ground” song if possible whilst completing art.

Our scriptures tell us that creation is holy and so we must respect it. In the story of Moses and the burning bush, we hear that God told Moses that he was standing on holy ground (Exodus 3:1-5). When Pope John Paul II visited Australia in 1986, he reminded us that we walk on holy ground which we must care for. Read the story of Moses and the Burning Bush in an adapted Reader’s Theatre with 1/3 of the class being Moses, 1/3 being God and 1/3 being the readers. If this is too difficult, choose confident readers to read the story or ask older children to come in and read it for the class (See Appendix 1).

Children can view the extended story with You Tube versions at

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZpYMr-Ed0Q&feature=related ( God Speaking to Moses through the Burning Bush)

Experience 2: Journey through Country

On a few occasions, take children in to the playground or nearby park. Guide their experiences to:- Become aware of the different scents around them- Watch for different birds and observe what they are doing. Listen for their calls. What do you think they are

communicating? If you encounter different types of weather ask children if they can notice any different bird behaviour on different types of days.

- Look for tracks, animal imprints such as the footprints of birds. Can you tell what they were doing or where they were going according to their tracks?

- Imagine what other animals might be hiding and which animals might come out at night.- Try to find an ant trail, look for the nest, and observe how the ants react to different weather conditions.

Look at ant behaviour (rubbing feelers to tell others where food is).- Notice significant features on the land (both natural and made by humans) and think what might be a

meeting place, a sacred place, a place of celebration, a learning place, a watering hole etc.

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Tell children that Aboriginal people often map their journeys using symbols to represent important things in their country. This builds up their knowledge of the land and its special places. Tell children that they will map a journey around the school.

Teaching Point: This would have originally been done on the sand or dirt with sticks, but some modern Aboriginal people may use paint and paper. Tell children that they are going to map country in their play ground or a nearby park.

Prepare for the journey: o Children choose an animal whose footprint is to be used to track their journey. These should be

brainstormed and symbols drawn on the IWB first (e.g. kookaburra tracks, wombat tracks, kangaroo tracks etc.). There are some examples below to help under this activity.

o Discuss special places they might see along the way on their journey through the school playground e.g. ~ the school buildings (learning places); the church (sacred place); bubblers (watering hole); lunch seats (meeting places);trees; bird’s nests; various plants etc. Have a look at the sorts of symbols that Aboriginal people have used in their mapping and art. Children can make up their own symbols and practise on scrap paper.

http://www.aboriginal-dreamtime.net2go.info/Aboriginal/Aboriginal_Symbole.htm https://au.pinterest.com/pin/360428776406465926/

Teaching Point The idea is that children create their own symbols to tell the story of their own journey. Whilst they will look at Aboriginal symbols for ideas, they will create their own. They are therefore learning the process of Aboriginal mapping, not copying it.

. https://au.pinterest.com/annalochiatto/aboriginal-art-lessons/

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http://the8aspects.weebly.com/aboriginal-spirituality.html

The mapping journey: Children take art paper and pencil and map their journey though the playground using animal prints. Point out special places. Children mark them on their map to be illustrated with an Aboriginal style symbol.

After the walk, come back to the classroom and improve finish their maps using symbols.

Discuss how Aboriginal people have often mapped their journeys like this. Years ago, they may have done it on bark or stone. Type “Aboriginal mapping art” into Google and sing images, you will find many examples to explore.

Complete a gallery walk of maps, with children explaining their maps to others.

Read a story about how Aboriginal people walk country e.g. Walking with the Seasons in Kakadu by Diane Lucas available at : http://www.antar.org.au/shop/books

Discuss how the people of the Bible also walked country. Choose some favourite stories of journey from the scriptures. Read to the class from a good childrens’ bible. Some can be viewed on You Tube ( see below). Children might like to dramatise some of these scriptures. Some suggestions are:

- The Israelites walked for 40 years through the desert until they finally reached the Promised Land.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vs0pqLqgv6U (Moses parts the sea animation)

- Jesus was a wandering teacher and healer who walked in the area from Jerusalem to Galilee.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2t3-S6eSUU&feature=youtu.be (Jesus walking on Water)

- St Paul travelled by foot, by boat and on donkey to spread the word of Jesus after Jesus had died.- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zd-vMA-6H70 (Paul’s travels)

Focus on Jesus as a travelling teacher and healer. Look at a map of the Holy Land and pictures of some of the places he travelled at http://www.kidsbiblemaps.com/jesus-ministry.html

Think about what symbols could be used to map his journey in the same way that we mapped our journey around the school. See images of such places in Appendix 2. Experiment with symbols for places he would have visited such as: temple~ sacred place and learning place; Lake of Galilee~ fishing place; markets~ trading place; well~ watering hole; desert~ praying place; vineyard~ growing place; carpentry workshop~ working place; town square~ meeting place; olive tree~ resting place; Jordan River~ cleansing place. Read core Scripture, Mt 4:23,25 and discuss what Jesus’ journeys would have been like.

Suggested Assessment JS 1.2 Create an art board showing places that Jesus would have visited from the stories we know of him and especially from the story you just heard. Write questions that you would like to ask Jesus about his journeys?

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How do Aboriginal and Christian people experience the spirit in people?

Experience 2: Family Connections

Explore how Aboriginal people experience the spirit in connections between people. This is similar to how Christians say that people are the face of God today. Talk about how we make connections with people in our lives. We have our own families, but belong to other “families” in our lives. Discuss how our school family is one family to which we belong. Discuss how each class is different, but connected as part of the school. The school in an Aboriginal way is the student’s country and what brings them together in relationship. Make a friendship chain about our school family.

Home School Connector : Children discuss with their families who is in their extended family including grandparents, cousins, aunts and uncles. Discuss what people in their family mean to them. Recall family times such as Christmas, birthdays, Baptisms and weddings. Discuss how respect is offered to older families of the family and how children learn from older members such as grandparents.

Tell children that Aboriginal people have special understandings of family and relationships in their families based on what we call kinship. People in their larger (or extended families) have responsibilities especially in the care for and education of children.

For the teacher A simple explanation of an Aboriginal family structure is as follows:- The child’s mother’s sisters are mothers with the same responsibilities as those of the mother.

The birth mother has the responsibility to love and care for the child (physical and emotional). The other mothers are responsible for the discipline of the child and other areas of the child’s growth and development (emotional, spiritual, and intellectual).

- The child’s mother’s brothers are uncles.- The child’s father’s brothers are fathers with similar responsibilities as those above for mothers.- The child’s father’s sisters are aunties.- The children of the other mothers and fathers are brothers and sisters.- The children of the aunties and uncles are cousins.

Read some Aboriginal stories that feature Aboriginal families. Some suggestions:- Sylvia Emmerton and Jacquanna Elliott My Mob Going to the Beach available at

http://www.antar.org.au/shop/books - Delphine Sarago- Kendrick Nana’s Land available at http://www.magabala.com/index.php?

cPath=1&&page=3&osCsid=f4c8671807c097e56ec45bd94dcb9e9f - Dee Huxley You and Me: Our Place

http://www.booktopia.com.au/you-and-me-leonie-norrington/prod9781876288846.html

Discuss how Aboriginal elders pass on language and knowledge to children If possible, invite a local Aboriginal elder to talk to the children about families (it is respectful to ask if they require payment beforehand). They might teach children local Aboriginal family words.

Discuss Jesus’ family. Jesus’ immediate family is called the Holy Family (Jesus, Mary and Joseph). Question what children know about them. Record facts about Jesus’ family e.g.

- They lived in Nazareth

- Jesus was said to have been born in a stable in Bethlehem

- They were faithful Jews

- Joseph was a carpenter

- Mary was young

- They weren’t wealthy

- They cared for Jesus very much and searched for him when he was lost in the temple when he was twelve.

We know about Jesus’ cousin, John the Baptist and his aunty and uncle, Elizabeth and Zechariah. We know that Jesus had a special group of friends, his twelve disciples who were like family to him. We also know that Jesus

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reached out to people who were poor and hungry and were left out of society. Those people are part of the human family, which is Jesus’ family. Jesus, like Aboriginal people had a deeper concept of kinship, even though it was expressed in a different way. Let children explore childrens’ bibles and big books to see pictures of people in Jesus’ life.

Read the core scripture Draw and label some of the people in Jesus life.

How do Aboriginal and Christian people experience the spirit in land and people?.

Revisit the childrens’ maps of the school and discuss how the spirit is present in the land … as the sun rises and sets every day; as the seasons change; as the rains come; as the plants grow and provide us with food, beauty and shelter; as the animals reproduce. We say that this is God working through the Holy Spirit, just as Aboriginal people say that the spirit is alive in the land.

Tell children that in traditional Aboriginal spirituality, formal prayers weren’t said. People experience the spirit through their close connections with people and land. However, today many Aboriginal people are also Christian or of other faiths. The Aboriginal Our Father has been written in what we call Aboriginal English for Aboriginal people. That means that it is not in the language of any particular Aboriginal country, but in a form of English that some Aboriginal people feel comfortable with (it must be noted that not all Aboriginal people like using Aboriginal English). Introduce children to the Aboriginal Our Father (Appendix 3), perhaps saying it at class prayer times.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2GZdPEsAZCo (You Tube version of Aboriginal Our Father)

Suggested assessment PS S 1.4b Give children a printed copy of the Aboriginal Our Father which allows space between each line. Children illustrate what each line means to them. At the end of this page, ask children to write about if this prayer helps them to pray and why/ why not.

Celebrate the module through a liturgy which uses the scripture of the module and the Aboriginal Our Father. Focus on how the spirit is experienced through land and people. The quilt may be used in the sacred space. If possible invite Aboriginal elders to participate

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Appendix 1

Moses and the Burning Bush

Readers: One day while Moses was taking care of his sheep and goats, he took them to the Holy Mountain called Sinai. There he saw a bush with flames coming from it. He thought to himself:

Moses: This is strange, why isn’t the bush burning up? I will go closer and see.

Readers: When the Lord saw that Moses was closer he called to him from the middle of the bush and said:

God: Moses! Moses!

Moses: Here I am!

God: Do not come any closer. Take off your sandals because you are standing on holy ground.

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Appendix 2

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sea-of-Galilee-1900.jpg Wikipedia commons

Free Bible Images

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Free Bible Images

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Appendix 3ppendix 3Land, People and Spirit: A Sense of Belonging Stage 1 Page | 25

Aboriginal Our Father

Chorus

You are our Father, you live in heaven. We talk to you, Father you are good.

Echo: You are our Father, you live in heaven. We talk to you, Father you are good.

1 We believe your Word, Father, we your children give us bread today.

Echo: We believe your Word, Father, we your children give us bread today.

2 We have done wrong, we are sorry. Help us Father not to sin again.

Echo: We have done wrong, we are sorry. Help us Father not to sin again.

3 Others have done wrong to us, and we are sorry for them, Father today.

Echo: Others have done wrong to us, and we are sorry for them, Father today.

4 Stop us from doing wrong, Father. Save us all from the evil one.

Echo: Stop us from doing wrong, Father. Save us all from the evil one.

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Appendix 4

Liturgy Outline

Liturgy Definition: “work of the people” (in this case - the children)

A liturgy to celebrate module learning usually has four parts of which these can contain all or some one of the suggestions.

Before you begin some other considerations!! Where will the liturgy be celebrated? Does not have to be celebrated in the church or the classroom. Outdoors is a possibility - weather permitting. Consider the placement of chairs and sacred space. Who to invite? (parents, staff, priest etc)

WE GATHER: Setting the scene Sacred Space (cloth, candle, Bible, icons etc) to be created in this part. Procession Hymn or songs of welcome Welcome and introduction to celebration Opening prayer

WE LISTEN: Stories From the Bible Outline of what has been learnt Multimedia presentations Dramatisation/ dialogue of story Hymns Liturgical Movement of story Stories of their life and families Related narratives (eg Dreamtime story)

WE RESPOND:Responding to the stories Hymn or songs Liturgical movement Prayers of Intercession Prayer Multimedia presentations Sharing work from module (eg artwork)

WE GO FORTH:Sending Forth Recessional hymn or songs Liturgical movement Prayer Thank you statement

Liturgy can be followed by offer of hospitalityResources

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Children’s Liturgy of

Note: The resources indicated below are recommended but not essential to assist with the teaching of this module. Please locate those available in your school and add to those below.

Teacher Abbott. M., 2001, Sparks of the Cosmos Rituals for Seasonal Use, MediaCom Education Inc: South Australia.

Abbott. M. & Callanan. J., 2003, Sparks of Life, MediaCom Education Inc: South Australia.

Brown. D., O’Keefe. B., Bailey. S. & Allen Knight. B., 2000, Dhirrabuu Mari Outstanding Indigenous Australians, Coolabah Publishing: Australia. (various units of work using Gardner’s and Bloom’s) (unit of work on the Dreaming and its People)

Edwards. O. & Buxton. L., Guyunggu, An Aboriginal Way of Being, Diocese of Broken Bay.

Harvey. B., & Nicholls, C., 2002, Reconciliation Lower Primary Teachers Resource Book, Scholastic Education: Australia.

LabOra Worship

Audio Visual CD Rom-Notely, W. 1996, Aunty Wendy’s Mob Growin’ up Strong, Australian Broadcasting Commission, Australia.

Kit: 1995, The Dreaming A Thirteen Part Animation Series, Aboriginal Nations P/L: Australia. (Aboriginal Nations Chippendale 02 0319 6688)

Literature Sylvia Emmerton and Jacquanna Elliott My Mob Going to the Beach available at http://www.antar.org.au/shop/books

Delphine Sarago- Kendrick Nana’s Land available at http://www.magabala.com/index.php?cPath=1&&page=3&osCsid=f4c8671807c097e56ec45bd94dcb9e9f

Dee Huxley You and Me: Our Place available at http://www.australed.iinet.net.au/aust_aborigines.html

Abdulla. I., 1994, Tucker, Omnibus Books: Sydney. (Family, lifestyle)

Adams, J. 1991, Going for Oysters, Omnibus Books: South Australia.

ATSIC, 2000, Aboriginal Australia Kit ATSIC: Australia.

Barlow, A., 1999, Aboriginal Technology Housing, Macmillan Education Australia Pty Ltd: Australia.

Barlow, A., 1999, Aboriginal Technology Watercraft, Macmillan Education Australia Pty Ltd: Australia.

Barlow, A., 1999, Aboriginal Technology Women’s Technology, Macmillan Education Australia Pty Ltd: Australia.

Barlow, A., 1999, Aboriginal Technology Fibrecraft, Macmillan Education Australia Pty Ltd: Australia.

Barlow. M., 2002, Jirrbal Rainforest Dreamtime Stories, Magabala Books Aboriginal Corporation: Western Australia. (Dreaming stories, language, connectedness to country and all things in the country)

Breeden, S. 1995, Growing up at Uluru, (Steve Parrish children’s publishing)

Cowan. J., 2000, KUN-MAN-GUR The Rainbow Serpent, Peribo Pty Ltd: NSW.

Edwards, K., Choopadoo: Games from the Dreamtime. 1999, QUT Publications Brisbane

Green. G. & Tramacchi. J., Tjarany Roughtail Lizard Dreaming and Other Stories of the Kukatja.

Haagen. C., 1994, Bush Toys: Aboriginal Children at Play, Dominie: Australia.

Harvey. B., & Nicholls, C., 2002, Reconciliation Lower Primary Families Book, Scholastic Education: Australia.

Horton. D.,1994, Map of Aboriginal Australia, Acton House

McLeod, P, Aboriginal Art and stories, Aboriginal Dreaming Playscripts and Masks, (Intechnics Pty Ltd 02 9869 1322)

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Macquarie Library, (ND), Macquarie Aboriginal Words, Macquarie Library: Australia.

O’Brien. M. L., 1990, The Legend of the Seven Sisters A Traditional Aboriginal Story from Western Australia, Aboriginal Studies Press: Canberra. (Dreaming story)

Oodgeroo. 2001, Stradbroke Dreamtime, HarperCollins Publishers: Australia. (Dreaming Stories old and new)

Papunya School, 2001, Papunya School Book of Country and History. (Country, connections to country, Dreaming)

Roughsey. D., 1984, The Rainbow Serpent, William Collins Publishers: Sydney. (Dreaming story, creation)

Stokes. D., 1992, Desert Dreamings, The Jacaranda Press: Queensland. (Dreaming, lifestyle, expression of spirit through art, various sites)

Trezise. P. & Roughsey. D., 1985, The Magic Firesticks, HarperCollins Publishers: Australia. (Dreaming Story, lifestyle determined by Dreaming story)

Trezise. P., 2000, Land of the Snake People, HarperCollins Publishers: Australia. (Dreaming tracks, Dreaming, Creation)

Trezise. P. & Roughsey. D., 1993, Turramulli the Giant Quinkin, HarperCollins Publishers: Australia. (Dreaming, Dreaming story, lifestyle)

Trezise. P. & Roughsey. D., 1991, Gidja, HarperCollins Publishers: Australia. (Dreaming, Dreaming story, lifestyle)

Trezise. P., 1997, Quinkin Mountain, HarperCollins Publishers: Australia. (lifestyle)

Trezise. P. & Roughsey. D., 2000, The Quinkins, HarperCollins Publishers: Australia. (Dreaming, Dreaming story, lifestyle, country and connections to country)

Trezise. P. & Roughsey. D., 1984, Banana Bird and the Snake Men, HarperCollins Publishers: Australia. (Dreaming, Dreaming story, lifestyle)

Trezise. P., 2001, Land of the Brolga People, HarperCollins Publishers: Australia. (Dreaming, Dreaming story, lifestyle, songlines, dreaming tracks)

Trezise. P., 2001, Land of the Kangaroo People, HarperCollins Publishers: Australia. (Dreaming, Dreaming story, lifestyle, country, dreaming tracks, songlines, connections to country)

Trezise. P., 1997, Land of the Magpie Goose People, HarperCollins Publishers: Australia. (Dreaming, Dreaming story, lifestyle, country, dreaming tracks)

Trezise. P., 1998, Land of the Emu People, HarperCollins Publishers: Australia. (Dreaming, Dreaming story, lifestyle, country, dreaming tracks)

Aboriginal Books

Antar http://www.antar.org.au/shop/books

Sylvia Emmerton and Jacquanna Elliott My Mob Going to the Beach available at http://www.antar.org.au/shop/books

Delphine Sarago- Kendrick Nana’s Land available at http://www.magabala.com/index.php?cPath=1&&page=3&osCsid=f4c8671807c097e56ec45bd94dcb9e9f

Dee Huxley You and Me: Our Place available at http://www.australed.iinet.net.au/aust_aborigines.html

Music Monica Brown Holy Ground 2000 Emmaus Productions

Internet Mission and Religious Education (Lighthouse) http://missionandreligiouseducation.dbbcso.org/

http://www.grinningplanet.com/6001/environmental-songs.htm

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Aboriginal Our Father http://acmlismore.org.au/prayersDetail.php?Aboriginal-Our-Father-6 http://www.aboriginal.sydneycatholic.org/index.php/programs-a-resources/resources/prayer (Inc Sheet music)

Interactive Map of Aboriginal Australia: http://www.abc.net.au/indigenous/map/

Lore of the Land:http://www.loreoftheland.com.au/

Thukeri http://www.aboriginaldreamtime.net/2011/10/dreamtime-story-thukeri.html

Yarra Healing:http://www.yarrahealing.catholic.edu.au/

Aboriginal Plant use of South Eastern Australia: http://www.anbg.gov.au/aborig.s.e.aust/index.html

The Sydney Museum (information on the Sydney area):http://www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/barani

Yothu Yindi (culture, spirituality): http://www.yothuyindi.com/

South Australian Museum (culture, land, spirituality):

http://www.samuseum.sa.gov.au/learn/for-educators/in-the-museum/australian-aboriginal-cultures-gallery

Sites containing information regarding symbols used in Aboriginal Art http://www.cooinda-gallery.com.au/ http://aboriginalart.com.au/culture/default.htm http://aboriginalart.com.au/gallery/traditional.html#meaning

Aboriginal nations of the Sydney area and other Aboriginal sites for names of places

http://www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/barani/themes/theme1.htm

http://www.newcastle.edu.au/group/amrhd/awaba

http://sydneyforeveryone.com.au/aboriginal-place-names/

http://www.sydneybarani.com.au/sites/aboriginal-people-and-place/

Aboriginal Land Councils

NSW ALC (02) 9689 4444 http://www.alc.org.au/

Darkinjung Local Aboriginal Land Council (Central Coast) Ph: (02) 4351 2930 Fax: (02) 4351 2946)

Metropolitan Local Aboriginal Land Council (Northern Beaches and North Shore) (02) 4568 2294

General sites

http://www.abc.net.au/message/blackarts/culture/default.htm

http://www.naidoc.org.au/

http://www.catholic.org.au/whatsnew/1999/99mayjune_reconweek.htm

Prayer/Liturgy/Reflection

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Must be localised as much as possible. Explore the website for localised information.

http://www.yarrahealing.catholic.edu.au/

Indigenous Seasons

Indigenous weather knowledge: http://www.bom.gov.au/iwk/climate_culture/Indig_seasons.shtml

Aboriginal seasons: http://www.bom.gov.au/iwk/nyoongar/

Aboriginal seasons Sydney: http://www.planetark.com/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/20198/story.htm

Aboriginal seasons: http://www.abc.net.au/science/features/indigenous/default.htm

Storytelling

Make short art-inspired storieshttp://storybird.com/

Capzles social storytellinghttp://www.capzles.com/

General

http://wallwisher.com/ http://www.wordle.net/ http://www.tagxedo.com/ http://www.surveymonkey.com/home/ http://www.ning.com/ http://www.wikispaces.com/

Interactive Bible Map http://wild.biblesociety.org.au//wild/index.php

Other Resources

Family tree templates

http://www.familytreetemplates.net/category/kids

Useful Apps

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Superbook Bible App The Holy Bible Bible for kids The Pope App

Educreations PuppetPals Show Me Comic Maker

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