Why are the Arts important for culture? Show understanding that art works stem from particular cultural and historical contexts Why do people produce art works? Why did Aboriginal people paint stories? Ask students where they have seen Victorian Aboriginal art forms, e.g. museums, on TV, in their homes etc. Discuss. Discuss types of dances, songs or stories that are told through Victorian Aboriginal Art. Invite a Victorian Aboriginal artist/dancer/musician to speak about their work. Students take notes. Invite a community member to talk about particular local Aboriginal artwork in their area. Visit a site, museum or cultural organisation in your area to see real examples. Research different Victorian Aboriginal art forms e.g. finger painting, rock art, dance, artefacts, music, song, dance, weaving/basket making - make notes. Research Victorian Aboriginal Art websites (video clips not art galleries) and select one as a basis for your journal. Make written notes about what you liked and why. Discuss your findings in class. Art works stem from particular cultural and historical contexts. Research the different styles of Aboriginal art across the continent. Note some of the features of Possum: Possum skin rug: To draw: Paint (noun): Who (singular): What: Which: What for: When: How: How many/much: Where: See your school’s copy of Meerreeng-an Here Is My Country: The Story of Aboriginal Victoria Told Through Art Refer to the art heritage for your local area – try your website Try your local Aboriginal Cooperative for artwork Aboriginal cultural centres, eg, the , have tours of their facilities and of Melbourne for school groups, a changing art exhibition, and a small cultural museum. National Gallery of Victoria Indigenous Art
Topic 3: Music and Musical Instruments Wherever possible, ask the students to speak and write in Language. Overview Suggested Student Activities Insert words and grammar in target Language Comments/resources for the Language Team and Aboriginal Teacher Greeting routine See Topic 1 Farewell routine See Topic 1 Revision Memory Challenge: Put students into pairs. Give them a time limit and ask them to write down as many words, phrases and/or sentences as they can from a particular topic. Musical instruments How did Victorian Aboriginal people make music long ago? Where did they get their instruments? Invite an appropriate community member to talk about and/or play a Victorian Aboriginal musical instrument. How was their instrument made? Write about the instrument in your journal. Students make their own instruments under the guidance of a community member.* Students form their own musical groups using Victorian Aboriginal instruments they have made themselves and beatboxing, that is, a combination of the old and new. Perform in a school concert showcasing both traditional and modern Aboriginal music, eg, clapsticks, boomerangs.* Research words relating to music and musical instruments in the Language you are studying. Enter them into your personal wordlist. How was a drumming sound produced, eg, beating on a Stick: Boomerang: To sing: Leaf: The was introduced into Victoria through trading. It originated in the north of Australia. *Ensure that you seek approval from the Traditional Owners (see )
Ask a Victorian Aboriginal artist to show how and why people made hand prints on rocks using ochre. What does rock art tell us about the history of the people who made it? What do the drawings mean? Students make an entry in their journal about the meaning behind rock art, eg, at Gariwerd. Sand drawing Sand drawing is an integral part of Victorian Aboriginal story telling. Invite a knowledgeable community member to demonstrate story telling through sand drawings. Ask the students to tell a story using sand drawings. Assessment: observation, quizzes, role-play, contribution to class discussions, written work, oral presentation, performance (delete those not applicable) Topic 6: Dreaming Stories Wherever possible, ask the students to speak and write in Language. Overview Suggested Student Activities Insert words and grammar in target Language Comments/resources for the Language Team and Aboriginal Teacher Greeting routine See topic 1. Farewell routine See topic 1. Revision Revise vocabulary Discussion of oral histories or stories Discuss oral histories or stories that fall into one of the following categories: collective histories - group stories spiritual narratives - law, family relationships, relationships to the land and sea, food cultural practices - handed down from generation to generation See Bringing Them Home oral history project ‘The Filling of the Bay – The Time of Chaos’ in , page 37 Baluk Arts 2016