The children learned about Australian animals and their significance in the ancient Aboriginal stories that have been passed down through word of mouth over the generations. The stories explain how things have come to pass, such as how kangaroos came to evolve into an animal that stands on two legs and not four. The stories also teach important moral lessons, such as the importance of being truthful and respectful to others. Handling original artefacts and re-enacting these stories allowed the children to fully engage with the narrative and appreciate the underlying message.
The visual expression of these stories into paintings creates a unique art form with dots and symbols that work to build up their own narrative. The workshops developed both individual painting skills in this style and, with the ‘big paintings’, the children’s ability to work together on concepts and ideas and decide on areas of responsibility for the collaborative artwork.
The two days of workshops provided a cross curricular experience for our pupils, covering Aboriginal Australia, its culture and the indigenous oral history passed down through the ages. Australian animals, their habitats and some of their more peculiar features (such as the lyre bird that loves to imitate both urban and rural sounds) were introduced and discussed to the fascination of the children. Self esteem and leadership skills were given a perfect opportunity to flourish as groups worked together to produce some magnificent Aboriginal style artwork.
