Allira, Rachel and Chris celebrate at NAIDOC day
Since July 2012, I have been collaborating with Kulunga Aboriginal Kindergarten, Hilton, Fremantle, Western Australia, a unique community resource for supporting early years children of Indegenous heritage and their families.
I have gratefullybeen mentored and supported by community artist Michelle Hovane and teacher Chris Simms, with their wealth of knowledge and experience shared to benefit my community arts and professional cultural practice.
Shadow play for ‘How the Birds got their Colours’ Traditional Dreamtime story presented at NAIDOC celebration.
Kulunga Aboriginal Kindergarten classroom activities focus on Noongar Indegenous culture, language, storytelling as well as the national curriculum. My communty partnerships professional development funded by the Australian Council of the Arts, gave space and time to play with the Imaginary Leaps methodology, to document aspects of the universal language of play, unifying cultural connections in storytelling, letting the children lead with inspiring objects and materials – the puppet being the lead communication tool.
‘Really inspiring’ Chris Simms Teacher
Community artist Mentor Michelle Hovane
Now sadly, this essential early years service, which gives under 5’s the best cultural support and nurturing to get on at state school’s is under threat of closure from the W.A government with unecessary education cutbacks.
Please sign the petition below and lend your support –
http://www.change.org/en-AU/petitions/save-kulunga-kindergarten-in-hilton
The most grateful outcome for me is to become ‘Auntie Rachel’ to the children, with deep respect to the local Hilton Noongar community. I dearly wish to continue the relationships which are the cornerstones of working with Indegenous communities and take time to develop,with the weekly creative play sessions with Kulunga Kindy into the future. Please support the petition!
