In a collaboration of culture and education, Auntie Keitha Rabbitt, a respected Manandanji elder and esteemed woman in the Meanjin Brisbane community, recently visited her grandson Joshua in the 2B classroom to share her knowledge with a new generation. Her daughter-in-law, Ms Nadine Foley, Joshua's mum, assisted her.
The Year 2 students were captivated as Auntie Keitha and Ms Foley shared stories and taught them how to weave a mat the traditional Indigenous way. One of their favourite stories was about Joshua fishing on Country, traditional Indigenous lands, for 'yellowbelly' golden perch, a fish that holds cultural significance in Joshua's Indigenous community.
"We shared stories and knowledge back and forth. The children taught us the Indigenous name for Mt Gravatt [kagarr-mabul, which means 'place of echidnas'] and what they love about it," said Ms Foley.
The visit's purpose was to provide a rich learning experience for the students, going beyond the traditional craft of weaving, sitting, listening and telling stories, and creating a beautiful art project. It was also about exploring new techniques, solving problems using the principles of science, technology, engineering, and maths (STEM), contributing love and energy to First Nations culture, and showing pride in being Australian.
Following Auntie Keitha and Ms Foley's first visit to the classroom, the students spent several weeks finishing their pieces. Year 2 teachers Mrs Weir and Mr Wigglesworth supported them, and students who took their pieces home invited family members to also contribute.
"At home, Joshua's grandma and I added fibres that had meaning to us, which adds to his story and further inspired his creativity," said Ms Foley.
Once the children had finished weaving, Ms Foley and Auntie Keitha added emu feathers and wove the individual pieces into a beautiful, big, interconnected mat featured in BAC's 2024 Multicultural Day celebrations (2 August 2024).
"We hope this project helps children understand that although we are all a small part of a much bigger picture, we can all contribute in ways that will last a lifetime," said Ms Foley.
(See more photos below.)
