30 August
MPS has totem animals: Welcome Tawny Frogmouth and Iuk the Short Finned Eel to our school community!
Last Thursday during smoking ceremony with Uncle Bill, 3/4D students, teachers and parents were given the task to communicate to our school very important news. After many encounters with Tawny Frog Mouth along the Merri Merri and stories shared about the Short Finned Eel, Uncle Bill invited us to notice that their presence was important for us and proposed us to receive them as our school Totem Animals!
But what is a Totem Animal?
The totem is usually an animal or other natural figure that spiritually represents a group of related people such as a clan.
What does it mean to us?
We all need to figure it out this together! But a good step is start learning more about these animals and how they might live good lives along the Merri Merri!
MPS’s ceremonial grounds along Merri Merri creek
After many smoking ceremonies with 5/6 and 3/4s students, Uncle Bill recognised a particular spot along Merri Merri as our ceremonial grounds that’s where we get together to have smoking ceremony and learn with Country. You probably won’t notice this special place if you walk along Merri Merri because we leave no trace but a bit of ashes! But if you talk to any 3/4s students or 5/6s students they can take you there! Even more, a group of 5/6s chose the specific fire place as their metre square for the project.
3/4 program it’s going amazing!
It’s been two excellent weeks with 3/4s students, teachers and parents/carers learning with the Merri Merri creek. On week 1 we had smoking ceremony and learning with Country with Wurundjeri Elders Uncle Dave Wandin and Uncle Bill Nicholson. We all learn so much!
And this week we’ve been exploring soil with Briony and Gregory from Scale Free Network and students have explored the Merri Merri (and the school) using all their senses and also microscopes! We’ve been listening, storying, and playing with soil. Briony and Gregory shared with students their last book: “Nema and the Xenos, A story of soil cycles” (published by CSIRO).
Next week they will take us on water wonderings! All parents/carers with Working With Children Check are welcome to join the fun…and you will also learn heaps!
Land rights conversations in MPS
After studying the Land Rights movement through Eddie Mabo’s story in Torres Straight Islands and the implication to Australian history on land rights, next Wednesday 4th September at 9:30 am, 3/4s students will welcome Ross (Sim and Ben’s grandfather) who as a lawyer was part of the Land Rights process in NT and was involved in the famous case of Gurindji station and Vincent Lingiari that inspired Paul Kelly’s song “From little things big things grow”. If you are a parent/carer interested in coming along please contact Sarita (creekulum@gmail.com).
Treaty in Victoria
We are living historical times in Victoria in relation to Aboriginal land rights and sovereignty. There is a group of parents/carers interested in creating spaces for our community to discuss these topics and how we can learn more to support this process. If you are interested in connecting and making this happen get in touch with Emma at creekulum@gmail.com.
More info, https://w.www.vic.gov.au/aboriginalvictoria/treaty/what-is-a-treaty.html