Aboriginal and Torres Strait

Islander histories, cultures

and epistemologies
Kristie Williamson

530 Victoria Street, North 155-161 Boundary Road, North 41 Boundary Road, North 14-16 Grote Street, Adelaide,
Melbourne, VIC 3051 Melbourne, VIC 3051 Melbourne, VIC 3051 South Australia, 5000
Email: [email protected] Web: www.scei-he.edu.au Phone: +61 3 9602 4110
TEQSA Provider No.: PRV14066 CRICOS Provider Code: 03739K ABN: 79 605 294 997
Copyright 2023 SCEI-HE
 Acknowledgement of Country
Southern Cross Education Institute - Higher Education
acknowledges the proud traditional custodians of the
land upon which we are situated, and where we live,
study and work.
We pay our respect to the Elders, past and present,
across the many Nations, for they hold the memories, the
traditions, the culture and the hopes of Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander peoples across Australia.

TEQSA Provider No.: PRV14066 CRICOS Provider Code: 03739K ABN: 79 605 294 997
Copyright 2023 SCEI-HE
 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories,
cultures and epistemologies
Outline
• The Alice Springs (Mparntwe) Education Declaration
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives in
the EYLF
• Cultural competency
• Culturally Responsive Teaching Practice

TEQSA Provider No.: PRV14066 CRICOS Provider Code: 03739K ABN: 79 605 294 997
Copyright 2023 SCEI-HE
 The Alice Springs (Mparntwe) Education Declaration

• commits governments to ensuring all children learn about the

diversity of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, and to
seeing all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children thrive in
their education and all facets of life.
• the National Agreement on Closing the Gap identifies early
childhood education, care and development as a national policy
priority.
• commits to ensuring all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children
are engaged in high quality, culturally appropriate early childhood
education in their early years.
(Education Council, 2019)

TEQSA Provider No.: PRV14066 CRICOS Provider Code: 03739K ABN: 79 605 294 997
Copyright 2023 SCEI-HE
 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives in the EYLF

• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are the longest surviving Indigenous
culture in the world and the custodians of this land.
• Their knowledge systems, traditions, ceremonies, lore and culture have survived
for over 60,000 years.
• Relationships and continual connections to Country and community are at the
heart of who they are and the contributions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander people – past and present – should be acknowledged and valued in
children’s learning.
• Embedding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives is a shared
responsibility of approved providers, educators, and other professionals working
in early childhood educational settings, regardless of whether Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander children and families are enrolled in that setting
(AGDE, 2022)

TEQSA Provider No.: PRV14066 CRICOS Provider Code: 03739K ABN: 79 605 294 997
Copyright 2023 SCEI-HE
 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives in the EYLF

Educators Roles
• think deeply and seek assistance where possible about how to embed
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives in the philosophy of the
setting, their planning and implementation of curriculum.
• create culturally safe places, working in intercultural ways through
pedagogy and practice.
• seek out ways in which Western and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
knowledge systems work side by side.
• grow their knowledge of kinship systems and cultural connections in their
local communities so they can build engaging reciprocal relationships
between early childhood settings and community.
(AGDE, 2022)

TEQSA Provider No.: PRV14066 CRICOS Provider Code: 03739K ABN: 79 605 294 997
Copyright 2023 SCEI-HE
 National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
Early Childhood Strategy

• The purpose of the Strategy is to pave the way for governments,

non-government sectors and communities to collectively support
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children to grow up healthy, engaged
with education, connected to family and community, and strong in culture.
• This Strategy reflects the views of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
children, families and communities who participated in a national
consultation process, and shared their experiences, aspirations and
priorities for the future wellbeing of their children.
• This Strategy is the foundation for working in partnership with Aboriginal
and Torres Strait Islander peoples to create positive change and lasting
benefits for children and families.
(National Indigenous Australians Agency, 2021)

TEQSA Provider No.: PRV14066 CRICOS Provider Code: 03739K ABN: 79 605 294 997
Copyright 2023 SCEI-HE
 National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
Early Childhood Strategy
The Strategy focuses on five goals:
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children are born healthy and remain
strong.
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children are supported to thrive in
their early years.
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children are supported to establish
and maintain strong connections to culture, Country and language.
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children grow up in safe nurturing
homes, supported by strong families and communities.
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, families and communities
are active partners in building a better service system.
(National Indigenous Australians Agency, 2021)
TEQSA Provider No.: PRV14066 CRICOS Provider Code: 03739K ABN: 79 605 294 997
Copyright 2023 SCEI-HE
 National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
Early Childhood Strategy

More about National

Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander Early
Childhood Strategy
https://www.niaa.gov.au/resource-
centre/indigenous-affairs/national-
aboriginal-and-torres-strait-
islander-early-childhood-strategy

(National Indigenous Australians Agency, 2021)

TEQSA Provider No.: PRV14066 CRICOS Provider Code: 03739K ABN: 79 605 294 997
Copyright 2023 SCEI-HE
 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives in the VEYLDF

• VEYLDF recognises and respects Aboriginal

cultures and their unique place in the
heritage and future of Victoria. Learning
about and valuing the place of Aboriginal
people will enhance all Victorian children’s
sense of place in our community
• For Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
children, connections to country, including
through learning on country in the natural
world, support identity
• Story description of Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander perspective reflected in
story description of VEYLDF
(DET, 2016)
TEQSA Provider No.: PRV14066 CRICOS Provider Code: 03739K ABN: 79 605 294 997
Copyright 2023 SCEI-HE
 A Yarning Space or a Yarning Cicle

• A yarning circle is the practice of speaking

and listening from the heart, for sitting
together to talk and listen and share ideas
and stories.
• Yarning circles are a timeless way of
learning and have been used by Aboriginal
people for thousands of years to discuss
issues in an inclusive and collaborative
matter.
• Yarning together is always focused on
strengths not problem solving or criticism.
It should focus on abilities, knowledge and
(https://aussiechildcarenetwork.com.au/articles/c
capacities rather than on what children do hildcare-articles/yarning-circles-in-early-
not know or cannot do. childhood-services)

TEQSA Provider No.: PRV14066 CRICOS Provider Code: 03739K ABN: 79 605 294 997
Copyright 2023 SCEI-HE
 A Yarning Space or a Yarning Cicle

• A yarning Space provides opportunities

for building trust and sharing
'leadership, power, and responsibility'
so that family and community
members are able to 'yarn up' rather
than listen to educators 'yarning down'
(Diamond & Jones, 2012, pp 57-58 as
cited in Arthur et al., 2020, p.41).
• Yarning space can also be used with
children to encourage respect for all
speakers

(Arthur et al., 2020, p.41)

TEQSA Provider No.: PRV14066 CRICOS Provider Code: 03739K ABN: 79 605 294 997
Copyright 2023 SCEI-HE
 Cultural Competency
• Early Childhood Teachers (ECT) need to develop and
enact cultural competency to work effectively with
children, families and staff who may have diverse
experiences, values and beliefs

• Cultural competency includes respect for diversity and a

focus on equity and social justice

(Arthur, Beecher, Death, Dockett, & Farmer, 2020, p.62)

TEQSA Provider No.: PRV14066 CRICOS Provider Code: 03739K ABN: 79 605 294 997
Copyright 2023 SCEI-HE
 Culturally Responsive Teaching Practice

• Culturally Responsive Teaching Practice honours diversity

and empowers participants from diverse cultures and
backgrounds in the class, viewing them as rich resources
for teaching and learning and for expanding understanding
of diverse worldviews

(Irving & Carter, 2018, p.482)

TEQSA Provider No.: PRV14066 CRICOS Provider Code: 03739K ABN: 79 605 294 997
Copyright 2023 SCEI-HE
 References
Arthur, L., Beecher, B., Death, E., Dockett, S., & Farmer, S. (2020).Programming and planning
in early childhood settings (8th ed.). Cengage Learning Australia.
Irving, E., & Carter, C. (2018). The child in focus: learning and teaching in early childhood
education. Oxford University Press.
Australian Government Department of Education [AGDE] (2022). Belonging,
Being and Becoming: The Early Years Learning Framework for Australia
(V2.0). Australian Government Department of Education for the Ministerial Council.
Department of Education and Training [DET] (2016). Victorian Early Years Learning and
Development Framework. State of Victoria (Department of Education and Training).
Education Council (2019) Alice Springs (Mparntwe) Education Declaration.
https://www.education.gov.au/alice-springs-mparntwe-education-
declaration/resources/alice-springsmparntwe-education-declaration
The Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority. (2020). Early Years Planning
Cycle Resource For the Victorian Early Years Learning and Development
Framework. Retrieved from https://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/Documents/earlyyears/EarlyYea
rsPlanningCycle.pdf

TEQSA Provider No.: PRV14066 CRICOS Provider Code: 03739K ABN: 79 605 294 997
Copyright 2023 SCEI-HE
 Copyright Notice
The material contained within this presentation and communicated
to you by or on behalf of Southern Cross Education Institute –
Higher Education is in accordance with section 113P of the
Copyright Act 1968 (Act).
The material in this presentation may be subject to copyright under
the Act.
Any further reproduction or communication of this material by you
may be subject to copyright protection under the Act.

DO NOT REMOVE THIS NOTICE

TEQSA Provider No.: PRV14066 CRICOS Provider Code: 03739K ABN: 79 605 294 997
Copyright 2023 SCEI-HE