Students researched and used their learning from and with Aboriginal peoples and/or communities to undertake their creative presentation. They chose an Australian animal that they personally connect to. They researched their chosen animal making links from a cultural, family or life experience perspective and explained their connection. They were able to present their evidence of learning in a creative way and produced a presenter’s statement explaining the intention of the creative presentation.

ON OUR WAY HOME

Turtle – The turtle is a family animal. Once the eggs hatch the turtles return to the sea. This has happened to our family but we always get back together.

6 turtles – representing our 6 family members

The circle – home

Water – Riverland (green/blue) sea colour

Stars – (light yellow)

Stars are something I’ve liked since I was young and they amaze me. I’m not sure about my mum but the moon always seems to make her smile.

Milky Way – (purple,white,yellow)

The Milky Way lights the way home and shows the passage to a safe place. This shows the journey me and my family have been on within the past few years.

Rain (white, light blue)

Rain is relaxing. I loved listening to storms when I was younger. I used to make fun of the thunder and lightning with my brother, underneath the kitchen table, banging pots and pans together.

Description

The turtles are a family animal. Each turtle represents one of my family members going from biggest to smallest, with Mum being the biggest turtle and Reid being the smallest. All of the turtles are following the Milky Way to the resting place at the top of the painting. To me this describes my family; all returning after something has happened and prevented us from being able to come home. The river represents the different places I have called home, either it has been being by the river or the sea. That is why it is the colour on the painting. The turtles are moving from the past to the future, towards the resting place.

Rivers and lakes, parks and people, our final stop, the Riverland.

Casey

BETWEEN

I painted a picture of a pelican swimming between night and day because I feel stuck between day and night, like days are passing and I haven’t had my chance to put my mark on it.  I have a lot of nights looking up at the moonlit sky wondering about my plans in life; what are my desires, my fails or my path, even if I haven’t figured it out yet.  A very special person told me once to find a shape to life, something to hold on to, a sign of hope. Looking at a beautiful bird gives me hope, something so free and innocent.

The pelican starts flying wherever they want, eating when they want something, something so pure.  Being able to do what is best for an animal comes so commonly to them and I sit here dwelling on stuff not even worth it. I mean, think about it, we have figured how to fly but we never get to really experience the actual thrill of being able to control life or death.  

I believe that we were put on this world to make something of ourselves, to be more than you thought you would ever be, to go out with a bang.  A true getaway would be sitting at the river with my very old music. Most of this generation would not know, but I grew up with my Nan and waking with “Little Devil” by Neil Sedaka, which makes me want to get up in the morning. My Nan supported me through everything.  When I was little my Nan would sing around the house “Trouble” by Connie Converse. My Nan always made me feel like I could tell her anything.

I would always have animals at my Nan’s farm so it would just be me and the animals most of the time. To be completely honest I would rather hang out with an animal than a person. I don’t know, I feel like they understand me better. I talk a lot so I guess the animals are good listeners.

At the end of the day, what I am really trying to get across is this world is crazy, and not having control or even a destined path leaves you feeling unsure of where life is leading. Right now, I feel confused and caged.

That's what the pelican and me have in common, we both need the feeling of being free.

Nikki

A WOMBAT'S JOURNEY

In Strong Futures we had to do a painting. I did a dot painting and drawing of a wombat and two people with spears. My story is about a wombat alone, but at the end of the day they like to be alone but always end up with their family and they end up all together.

When I was born, my sister and brother were not there but at the end of the day my brother and sister were at the house and they were happy to see me.

My sister Nikki left to go live with my nana for a while but she made her way home and so did my brother and sister Seth and Roie. I missed them. I once watched a documentary about wombats. They would leave the burrow and go their own way to mature and know how to survive but years after that they would return to the burrow so the story about the wombat journey is like my family's story.      

The person I thank most in Strong Futures is Uncle Barney for helping me with my artwork. He gave me out of the box ideas for how to do it and make my artwork better by adding little extra things like the river.

Stephen