This is an expansive and generous Welcome to Country from a most respected Elder, Aunty Joy Murphy, beautifully given form by Indigenous artist Lisa Kennedy.
Welcome to the traditional lands of the Wurundjeri People. We are part of this land and the land is part of us. This is where we come from. Wominjeka Wurundjeri balluk yearmenn koondee bik. Welcome to Country. Aunty Joy Wandin Murphy is a most respected senior Wurundjeri elder of the Kulin alliance. This is a very accessible welcome that introduces and gives meaning and explanation within the text to the customs and symbols of Indigenous Australia.
Aboriginal communities across Australia have boundaries that are defined by mountain ranges and waterways. Traditionally, to cross these boundaries or enter community country you needed permission from the neighbouring community. When this permission was granted the ceremony now called Welcome to Country took place. Each community had its own way of welcoming to country, and they still do today.
From Miss Hailey Birchers Early Learning Beaconsfield:
"One of our Kinder friends spoke of a recent camping adventure and seeing kangaroos. This led us to discussing Australian animals and our Acknowledgement of Country. As it was the beginning of the year for us, we were still very much discussing what we are acknowledging and this included what was in our community. Where we are located there are a lot of house developments alongside kangaroos and other wildlife.
From this we had a craft activity On Country in our outdoor classroom using clay and native floral from the community around us.
As a group we listened as Miss Hayley read the book ‘Welcome to Country’ by Aunty Joy Murphy. We then set to creating whilst Indigenous music played and we had our amazing loose parts to creative with. It was encouraged to name the Aussie animals being created and then we created a display in our indoor classroom for our families to see."
From Rose Park Community Childcare:
"As the seasons change so too does the curriculum design in the Kuula room. Using the Kaurna seasons from the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM), educators are able to implement Aboriginal culture and histories into curriculum design, with a particular focus on seasonal indicators of change.
With the season of “Wirltuti” (Wirltu-ti) upon South Australia, the educators of the Kuula room, recreated the journey from bush to sea as did the Aboriginal people on Kaurna land in warmer months. Around the yard we placed pictures that we could stop and talk about, with context to animals that we may find on country in the season of “Wirltuti”. Through dramatic play and coming together in learning experiences, we are able to provide a deeper level of understanding that other resources may not provide for this age group (under 2). Recognising the value of providing many lenses of learning, we incorporate First Nations story books, use natural resources that relate to the theme (in this scenario the beach), use visual media such as art and introduce mapping.
What we observe in our seasonal curriculum design is an emergent program that ebbs and flows as the children and families take us on a journey of their own connection to country, throughout various months of the year. Children are aware of their environment and interdependence with the natural world."
About the Author
Joy Murphy Wandin is the Senior Aboriginal Elder of the Wurundjeri People of Melbourne and surrounds. We show respect for her and other Elders by calling them Aunty or Uncle. Aunty Joy has had numerous government appointments including as a member of the Equal Opportunity Commission of Victoria and of the Anti-Discrimination Tribunal. She is a storyteller and a writer and is passionate about using story to bring people together and as a conduit for understanding Aboriginal culture. Welcome to Country is her first book.
Lisa Kennedy is descendant of the Trawlwoolway People on the north-east coast of Tasmania. Lisa was born in Melbourne and as a child lived close to the Maribyrnong River. Here she experienced the gradual restoration of the natural river environment alongside cultural regeneration and reclamation. Through sense of place she feels connected to the Wurundjeri country and all that entails - the water, the land, the animals and the ancestors. The experience of loss and reclamation is embedded in her work.
ISBN: 9781922244871
Audience: Children
For Ages:3 - 5 years old
Format: Hard Book
Language: English
Number Of Pages: 26
Published: 1st April 2020
Publisher: Walker Books Australia
Country of Publication: AU
Dimensions (cm):2 x 22.3 x 19.3
Weight (kg):0.452
