Telling stories through art
Schools
A Kaurna art workshop was one of the many activities held at FAME Flexible Learning Centre to honour Reconciliation Week from May 24 to June 3.
Run by Kaurna artist Corey Turner, all three classes from the senior campus came together to hear from him and his mother Buster about the history of Aboriginal art and learning that the artwork has a purpose and tells a story.
The young people were introduced to various symbols to use in Kaurna art and then wrote their own stories using the symbols. Once they had a design concept for their artwork, they transferred it onto canvas.
FAME head of campus Yvonne Schultz said the results were “fabulous”, with a huge array of individual stories and designs.
“The young people engaged so well with the artwork and many were proud of their creations,” she said.
“During Reconciliation Week we decided to take the focus off normal schoolwork and place all our heart, thinking and energy on what the week really means.
“However, our teachers did not let all this learning go untapped and organised for the week’s activities to be linked to Community Studies that provided 20 SACE credits to students.”
Ms Schultz said another popular activity was an excursion to buy native plants that will help brighten the community garden and improve the native ecosystems at the FAME campus. Selections included species to attract insects, bees, birds and other native wildlife, as well as some medicinal plants and bush tucker plants that will be used in the kitchen.
“The young people also loved participating in a traditional damper making activity in our new commercial kitchen,” Ms Schultz said.
“Staff purchased a range of traditional jams such as Green Ant Marmalade, Bush Apple Jam and Native Bush Dukkah for the students to try with their fresh hot damper. It was highly educational, with students gaining an insight into native produce in Australia, as well as native sustainability and teaching them how simple and affordable making their own bread can be.”
An activity that stirred some heart-warming responses was the learning around Acknowledgement of Country.
“Students were then encouraged to write their own Acknowledgement of Country using words, phrases and sentiments which represented their awareness of the connection the Kaurna people have to spirit, land and people,” Ms Schultz explained.
“This activity was beautifully celebrated by reading their Acknowledgments out in our native garden and closed with a minute of silence whilst listening to the words of Eddie Mabo.”
At the conclusion of the week students made a product, such as a poster, based on a specific topic that had been covered. These were displayed around the school and included topics such as the national apology to the Stolen Generation and the health care gap experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders.
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