21 June

5/6s Creekulum started this week!
With a smoking and welcome to Country ceremony lead by Uncle Bill Nicholson at Merri Merri creek, 5/6s students, teachers and pre-service teachers started their first week of creekulum last Monday. We had a great time learning about Wurundjeri culture and thehistory of this land and waterways. Students told Uncle Bill about their play presented last week and he was very pleased listening to students telling a truer version of Australian history.

We learned some greetings and words in Woi-wurrung language as well as the importance of lore, language, land and family with interesting conversations about land rights. For instance, we learned that Wurundjeri tribe owns only 0.7% of land in Victoria. We talked about the importance of caring for Country and how this is a practice we all, as Indigenous and non-Indigenous people to this land can cultivate and practice in our everyday life.

Next week 5/6s students will be working on digital storytelling with Meg Petrie who has
been working with young people and storytelling for years in ACMI.

Uncle Dave Wandin visited 1/2s last Tuesday
It was wonderful to welcome Uncle Dave Wandin in learning area 1/2 last Tuesday. Students were able to talk to him about their experiences and findings along Merri Merri creek. They talked about the importance of collecting rubbish and keeping Country healthy, they told Uncle Dave about the moth’s casing they found and Uncle told them about their importance in the ecosystem from a Wurundjeri perspective.

Uncle Dave also told 1/2s students about Bunjil the creator spirit and some very amazing stories. Everyone loved the story of the creation of the Birrarung (Yarra) river and Merri Merri creek by Bunjil and Balayang (the bat spirit). That is an ancient story that was passed to Uncle Dave by his ancestors and we’re very honoured that he shared it with us, ask your children to tell you the story at home!

He also brought to school hardcopies of his award-winning book “Parent trees are talking”, written in collaboration with children of Dixons Creek Primary School. You can download it and share it with your children following this link:

https://www.schools.aidr.org.au/media/6175/firestick-parent-trees-book.pdf

Social media
If you want to keep up to date with our program, follow us in Instagram:
@creekulum_moreland_primary
Upcoming dates
Creekulum start date for 3/4 learning area: Monday 26th August with Indigenous
Knowledges in Term 3.