[Gentle music]
[On-screen Text: Cultural Knowledge Story: The Fern
Cultural Knowledge Stories created by Dr Sue Atkinson
AM (Yorta Yorta) and read by Annette Sax (Taungurung)
Image credit: Robert Barnett (of Yorta Yorta descent) with Dr Sue Atkinson AM (Yorta Yorta)]
[On-screen Text: Annette Sax Aboriginal Early Childhood Professional Yarn Strong Sista]
Annette Sax: The unfolding Austral Bracken Fern, representing learning and pedagogical practices shows us a spiral pattern that often connects humans to nature visually and emotionally.
The unfolding fronds of a young bracken fern, as a spiral, represents the evolving growth of the child and their identity. The fern reminds us of child-led nature play as the basis of First Nations pedagogy and its growing significance in Western pedagogy. The three adult fronds also serve as a reminder of the interconnection of all parts of learning, development, and culture.
The way in which the fern adapts to its environment reflects how pedagogical practices shift and change in response to children’s learning dispositions, or habits of mind, and engagement. This indigenous fern is significant to First Nations Victorians in its use as medicine and bedding.
Taungurung Elder, Aunty Glenys Merry, took Annette Sax, Taungurung, along the Rubicon River and shared how our people layered the fern, alternating the position of the fronds so the ferns were thick like a mattress and used for bedding. Aunty Glenys also shared that the bracken fern was used as an insect repellent. This intergenerational knowledge demonstrates our connection to nature.
[On-screen Text: Dr. Sue Atkinson AM Author]
Sue Atkinson: Thank you for listening to my Cultural Knowledge Stories and connecting to Annette Sax’s, Taungurung and Robert Barnett’s, of Yorta Yorta descent, artworks throughout the VEYLDF.
[On-screen text:
The Education State
Victoria State Government Logo
Department of Education
vic.gov.au/education]
[End of transcript]
Updated