Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultural Needs:
“Cultural Knowledge needs to be in control of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people so that our children’s cultural needs are met”.
This diagram portrays different aspects of cultural connections that enhance a young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander person’s sense of identity and wellbeing. It should be used as a way of thinking and reflecting, so that the diversity within Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures is acknowledged.
Domains of the cultural needs diagram:
· History
History refers to where you come from; it includes:
o Oral History
o Who you are and where you fit in
o Knowledge of one’s family tree and the stories that go with your family
o Culture changes throughout the generations, and how these have evolved
o The passing of knowledge through generations
o The impact of Australia’s History – pre and post colonisation
o Where an individual fits in within their own community, state, country and globally so an understanding of a break in connection is developed, influencing the importance of reconnecting.
As Educators we need to:
o Recognise the importance of cultural knowledge and how this can benefits our children’s education now and in the future
o Positively influence our children with cultural knowledge and experiences so that we enable them to understand and value their culture and the cultures within Australian society.
· Personal Identity
Personal Identity refers to who you are; this includes:
o A sense of belonging to a certain group, clan, family, or community
o Being taught the knowledge, customs and languages of your groups
o Knowledge of culture, in order to form our own identity and develop a uniqueness
As Educators we need to:
o Encourage a culturally safe environment for children to ensure that they can connect to their culture
o Create a connection to country, by going bush/ fishing.
· Extended family and community
Extended family and community refers to who you belong to; this includes:
o A child’s knowledge of who their family is and their family heritage
o A families encouragement and support for children through the practice of culture
o Learning from people within your family and community
o The family and communities role in building a child’s cultural knowledge and experience
As Educators we need to:
o Empower communities to embrace their culture
o Provide services that will meet cultural needs for children
o Provide services that will meet the cultural needs of the community and then share this information with families
o Balance the education experience children have with an integration of culture
· Land and water
Land and water refers to where you belong; this includes:
o The notion that ‘place’ is sacred
o The notion that a connection to land and water provides the opportunity for one to form their own identity
o The understanding that place is the centre of culture, and contributes to all thought processes of life
o The ability that place has to contribute to a child’s sense of self
o The importance of land and water for survival
As Educators we need to:
o Foster understanding of a child’s background, to ensure that their connection to land can be enhanced in forming knowledge of their own cultural needs
o Encourage the sharing of stories for varying communities with relation to place
o Create community connections to ensure that an understanding of place in that particular area is recognised
· Cultural Expression
Cultural Expression refers to what you do; this includes:
o A sense of pride for one’s culture
o The opportunity for a unique identity to be formed, empowering children with a voice
o Traditional cultural practices, ceremonies and laws
o The connection one feels to their culture
o The expression of emotions through culture and the increase of a child’s well-being
o Feelings of comfort and safety through cultural expression
o Visual representations of culture
o The sharing of stories as a means of education
As Educators we need to:
o Allow students to express points of view and create comfortable situations for children to be able to do this
o Encourage children to write and speak in their own languages, enhancing the opportunity for explicit cultural expression
o Ensure cultural needs are met, to ensure that children are happy and confident in the schooling environment
· Cultural Values, Beliefs and Practices
Cultural Values, Beliefs and Practices refer to what you believe and how you behave; this includes:
o Singing and dancing as a means of sharing stories
o The gathering for ceremonies related to place
o Body painting for ceremonies and dance
o The importance of respect
o Teaching by example – the modelling of good/ appropriate behaviour
o Values of love, goodness of heart, goodwill and a strong spirit
o Totems
o The responsibility demonstrated by the community as a whole – e.g. discipline being carried out by a group of people rather than just one person.
As Educators we need to:
o Balance mainstream lifestyle with culture, so that children have the opportunity to learn their own cultural practices and beliefs
o Incorporate cultural needs in everyday life so that we foster the building of life skills appropriate to the child
o Encourage participation in cultural practices to create a sense of achievement
o Assist children in learning the importance of support
o Allowing students to learn an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander language
o Value children for who they are, respect their values and beliefs
o Assist children in learning interdependence
o Create an environment where children have the opportunity to participate in a wide range of cultural, artistic and recreational activities.
It is through and understanding of the cultural needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Students that teachers can become culturally proficient in their practice. Evidently, teachers will be able to utilise their knowledge of Indigenous culture in a way that will be appropriate to all students, not just Indigenous students.
Domains of the cultural needs diagram:
· History
History refers to where you come from; it includes:
o Oral History
o Who you are and where you fit in
o Knowledge of one’s family tree and the stories that go with your family
o Culture changes throughout the generations, and how these have evolved
o The passing of knowledge through generations
o The impact of Australia’s History – pre and post colonisation
o Where an individual fits in within their own community, state, country and globally so an understanding of a break in connection is developed, influencing the importance of reconnecting.
As Educators we need to:
o Recognise the importance of cultural knowledge and how this can benefits our children’s education now and in the future
o Positively influence our children with cultural knowledge and experiences so that we enable them to understand and value their culture and the cultures within Australian society.
· Personal Identity
Personal Identity refers to who you are; this includes:
o A sense of belonging to a certain group, clan, family, or community
o Being taught the knowledge, customs and languages of your groups
o Knowledge of culture, in order to form our own identity and develop a uniqueness
As Educators we need to:
o Encourage a culturally safe environment for children to ensure that they can connect to their culture
o Create a connection to country, by going bush/ fishing.
· Extended family and community
Extended family and community refers to who you belong to; this includes:
o A child’s knowledge of who their family is and their family heritage
o A families encouragement and support for children through the practice of culture
o Learning from people within your family and community
o The family and communities role in building a child’s cultural knowledge and experience
As Educators we need to:
o Empower communities to embrace their culture
o Provide services that will meet cultural needs for children
o Provide services that will meet the cultural needs of the community and then share this information with families
o Balance the education experience children have with an integration of culture
· Land and water
Land and water refers to where you belong; this includes:
o The notion that ‘place’ is sacred
o The notion that a connection to land and water provides the opportunity for one to form their own identity
o The understanding that place is the centre of culture, and contributes to all thought processes of life
o The ability that place has to contribute to a child’s sense of self
o The importance of land and water for survival
As Educators we need to:
o Foster understanding of a child’s background, to ensure that their connection to land can be enhanced in forming knowledge of their own cultural needs
o Encourage the sharing of stories for varying communities with relation to place
o Create community connections to ensure that an understanding of place in that particular area is recognised
· Cultural Expression
Cultural Expression refers to what you do; this includes:
o A sense of pride for one’s culture
o The opportunity for a unique identity to be formed, empowering children with a voice
o Traditional cultural practices, ceremonies and laws
o The connection one feels to their culture
o The expression of emotions through culture and the increase of a child’s well-being
o Feelings of comfort and safety through cultural expression
o Visual representations of culture
o The sharing of stories as a means of education
As Educators we need to:
o Allow students to express points of view and create comfortable situations for children to be able to do this
o Encourage children to write and speak in their own languages, enhancing the opportunity for explicit cultural expression
o Ensure cultural needs are met, to ensure that children are happy and confident in the schooling environment
· Cultural Values, Beliefs and Practices
Cultural Values, Beliefs and Practices refer to what you believe and how you behave; this includes:
o Singing and dancing as a means of sharing stories
o The gathering for ceremonies related to place
o Body painting for ceremonies and dance
o The importance of respect
o Teaching by example – the modelling of good/ appropriate behaviour
o Values of love, goodness of heart, goodwill and a strong spirit
o Totems
o The responsibility demonstrated by the community as a whole – e.g. discipline being carried out by a group of people rather than just one person.
As Educators we need to:
o Balance mainstream lifestyle with culture, so that children have the opportunity to learn their own cultural practices and beliefs
o Incorporate cultural needs in everyday life so that we foster the building of life skills appropriate to the child
o Encourage participation in cultural practices to create a sense of achievement
o Assist children in learning the importance of support
o Allowing students to learn an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander language
o Value children for who they are, respect their values and beliefs
o Assist children in learning interdependence
o Create an environment where children have the opportunity to participate in a wide range of cultural, artistic and recreational activities.
It is through and understanding of the cultural needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Students that teachers can become culturally proficient in their practice. Evidently, teachers will be able to utilise their knowledge of Indigenous culture in a way that will be appropriate to all students, not just Indigenous students.