Birrguu Matya: A Wiradjuri board game

Birrguu Matya. Have you heard of this game before? Its great. My kids love this game. It comes wrapped in a little foldable felt mat (which doubles as the game board). I hang it up so it doesn't get lost.

I've not been able to find very much information at all about the game, nor its creator Donna Hensen. Well, when I say creator, I mean creator in its current format, as its based on a traditional game from the Wiradjuri people.

I highly recommend this game for students. I'd purchase one or two sets at least for the classroom, then inspire the students to make their own games using whatever is around them.
Here is a summary of the information that I can find about the game, including where you can purchase it.

• here is a link to a unit on Mathematics in Indigenous contexts at Quirindi School (NSW Board of Studies)
• you can purchase it from Dreamtime Kullilla Art Products , Echidnas on the Loose,   Eco-Toys,    Gecko Educational,  Kangaroo Valley Woodcrafts,   Bud's Toys , and many others. The prices are probably all very similar once you take into consideration credit card fees and postage. Though I've bought mine from Dreamtime Kullilla Art Products as they are an Aboriginal Owned Company (some of the others listed above may be as well, but i've not researched them).

I've not been able to find any further information on the internet about Donna Hensen the designer. But I thoroughly recommend this game to every family.

(Originally published on InquiryBites blog on August 4, 2009)

Resources - Sisters Dreaming

Am really conscious that I've spent too many of my last posts talking about me/us/ourwork.

To rectify that imbalance, I'll spend the next few posts over this Easter school holiday break checking out other Indigenous Australian educational resource creators.


Sisters Dreaming is a New South Wales based enterprise (but they sell online to all over the continent) focusing on literacy and numeracy activities (word bingo, alphabet cards, puzzles etc). You can find them at http://www.sistersdreaming.com.au. Fantastic for early childhood educators everywhere!

I love their illustrations that were created by Cecily Wellington-Carpenter. I met the SistersDreaming mob at the WIPC:E Conference in Melbourne a few years back - they're pretty deadly.

I love their byline - Indigenous Resources for All. Its really important that schools and teachers realise that these resources are relevant for ALL kids, not just Indigenous kids and "Indigenous" schools.

Check out their website and support this deadly business.

(Originally posted on criticalclassroom on TypePad on 04/06/2010)