Cultural Knowledge Story: The She-oak, Deep Time and Country

Cultural Knowledge Stories – Bioecological Model – Transcript

[Gentle music]

[On-screen Text: Cultural Knowledge Story: The She-oak, Deep Time and Country

Cultural Knowledge Stories created by Dr Sue Atkinson

AM (Yorta Yorta) and read by Annette Sax (Taungurung)

The Bioecological Model

Image credit: Robert Barnett (of Yorta Yorta descent) with Dr Sue Atkinson AM (Yorta Yorta) Bioecological Model adapted from the work of Bronfenbrenner and Morris, 2006, O'Keefe et al., 2022, and Elliott and Davis, 2020.]

[On-screen Text: Annette Sax Aboriginal Early Childhood Professional Yarn Strong Sista]

Annette Sax: When cut in a cross section, She-oak tree trunks have rings showing the bands of wood formed around the trunk over time. They also have ribbon-like cells, which run like rays from the inside to the outside of the tree trunk, carrying water and nutrients to promote trunk growth. These rays can be imagined as illustrating the reciprocal interactions that occur across and between the systems.

Deep time refers to time past, present, and future. Deep time is founded in the Dreaming or Dreamtime. The Dreaming refers to the time of Creation of all levels of Country and Lore. Lore is the spiritual and cultural knowledge that connects First Nations people with all aspects of Country.

Deep time continues today and tomorrow and is communicated in the Dreaming Creation stories and ceremonies, which are part of the intergenerational knowledges. The interconnections of time and place are complex and a deeply symbolic sacred component of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture and identity.

[Gentle music]

[On-screen Text: How to use the model?

• Early years professionals use the VEYLDF Bioecological Model to understand the multiple systems of people, places and interrelationships that surround each child in their unique ecosystem.

• Knowledge of each child's individual position within the systems guides interactions with children and families, underpins planning for children's learning and development, and inform collaboration with families and other professionals.]

[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.

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