Gunaikurnai Language and Cultural Perspectives at BWPS – an Overview

Bairnsdale West Primary School (BWPS) stands on the traditional land of the Brabalung, one of the five major clan groups of the Gunaikurnai people. We are strongly committed to the teaching and learning of the real history of Australia and in particular Gunaikurnai country.

In late 2018, with the guidance of Dr. Doris Paton and Aunty Dottie Moffat, a driver group was formed with several members of the BWPS Leadership team, with the aim of working together to build staff, student, and community knowledge of Gunaikurnai history, language & culture.

Dr Doris provided us with a brief history of the evolution of the Gunaikurnai language (currently at a revival stage) and shared her knowledge of Victorian Aboriginal Curriculum rationale & documentation, encouraging our reflection on:

·         What were we already doing in this space?

·         Where could we integrate Gunaikurnai language, culture, perspective within our current areas of curriculum/learning contexts? eg Humanities, Qualities as Learners (QALs), literacy.

·         What relevant resources do we currently have within the school?

Utilising the central idea of Country & Place from the Victorian Aboriginal Curriculum, the group works to clarify that any future teaching and learning of Gunaikurnai history, language & culture would take place at BWPS in the context of:

·         A language program that is much more than translating words from English to Gunaikurnai and vice versa.

·         Being On Country: Learning will take place at and in relation to sites of significance to the Gunaikurnai people, in particular those on The Bataluk Trail

·         Learning stories of significance to the Gunaikurnai people

·         Acknowledging boundaries, rivers, land etc of Gunaikurnai country

·         Utilising key Gunaikurnai people, primarily Dr Doris Paton, Aunty Doris Moffatt & Grattan Mullet for their expertise and feedback.

·         Building our relationship and knowledge with key Gunaikurnai & Aboriginal organisations: Gippsland Land and Water Aboriginal Corporations (GLaWAC), Gippsland and East Gippsland Aboriginal Co-Operative (GEGAC) and Victorian Aboriginal Corporation for Languages (VACL), and more recently the Bairnsdale Regional Health Service (BRHS)

·         Key Gunaikurnai resources including: GLaWAC & Bataluk Trail websites

·         Promotion of the importance of understanding family, history, self, place, culture, others, and identity supports people through transitions, including from Primary to Secondary school.

·         Input from Koorie families, including extending invitations to them to attend our chats with Doris and Dottie as well as our On Country excursions.

·         The Victorian & BWPS curriculum: Victorian Aboriginal Language Curriculum & BWPS P-6 Humanities Core Curriculum

·         Doris teaching students who teach other students: Grades 3-5 students taking part in language & culture workshops with Aunty Doris to help build their knowledge of the language and culture of the Gunaikurnai people, through song and play. These students then went on to help share what they have learned with our school community in following sessions at school or whilst supporting excursion activities and in everyday language at school or home with family and friends.

·         The incorporation, acknowledgement, and acceptance of everyday language our Koorie kids do use, such as animal names, body part names.

·         Integrated into classrooms and specialist areas eg Performing Arts & Choir

·         Recently collaborating with community with an appropriate Acknowledgement to Country

·         Utilising our annual Whole School Reconciliation Assembly to build and share our growing knowledge.