Blak History Month Poster

32/365 Blak History Month poster
Originally uploaded by leesawatego

Last week I ordered a poster created by Aboriginal artist Sam Cook from Redbubble.

Australian Blak History Month is a very grassroots celebration of history, people, events, stories from a Blak perspective. I have written about it elsewhere on this blog, and there is a link also to my Blak History Month website which has a range of free resources.

I highly recommend all schools purchase this poster. Not only does it look DEADLY, supports an Aboriginal artist, but it will resonate with your students and their families when they see it hanging in your school and classroom.

The poster I chose is print mounted on a matte board. I chose the white matte board. There are different options of purchasing with RedBubble including already framed prints.

You can see all Sam's artwork at www.redbubble.com/people/kissmyblakarts.

Leesa Watego

Echo Adventure & Cultural Camp

Found this today, via an Education Qld staff member. Its Echo Adventure & Cultural Camp in North Queensland. South of Cairns and West of Tully, this is Jirrbal country.

So if you're a staff group seeking cultural awareness training, or even with your own students, consider this one.
Looks deadly!

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)

How to start a successful Aboriginal Business by Neil Willmett

Neil Willmett's How to Start a Sucessful Aboriginal Business published by Brolga Publishing (ISBN 1-92122-146-1) is available for business students. 

A very quick google search found these suppliers -

the South East Queensland Indigenous Chamber of Commerce (at their events);

• Australian Online Bookshop - its just over $20.00 - but they're out of stock;
• Abbey's Bookshop - its $24.95 here - but they have it in stock;
• Seek Books - have it $22.46;
• NLA - National Library of Australia Shop - have it for $24.95; and
• Chaos - have it for just over $23.

(Originally published on InquiryBites blog July 23, 2009)

- Amendment - you can check out Artist As Entrepreneur Wiki a 1 semester undergraduate commerce course. Neil's book is the text book.

Resource Preview - Sharing culture the Yolgnu Way

The third of our Easter holiday Indigenous education resource producer series - checkout Sharing Culture. Qld based, but Yolngu culture, this deadly family produce CD-Roms for literacy, art, language, culture learning. These look great - and are very reasonably priced too!

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)

Easter books have arrived!

Easter is Deadly & its on my lounge room floor!

No that doesn't mean my floor is covered in chocolate. It mwans that our teacher books have arrived. Easter is deadly is designed for early childhood educators (including daycare & pre-schools) interested in embedding Indigenous perspectives into all aspects of their curriculum.

I'll be uploading heaps of ideas and additional resources over the next few days as the books start shipping to schools all over Australia. If you haven't ordered yours, just grab an order form.

(Originally posted on criticalclassroom on TypePad 02/23/10)

Easter is deadly

Our new publication, Easter is deadly is almost ready to be shipped. Over the next few days we'll be uploading teaching ideas to help teachers use the book, including lesson plans and art/craft ideas.
Watch this space folks!

(Originally posted on criticalclassroom on TypePad on 02/11/10)

Resource Plug - "Little Red, Black and Yellow" site

Discovered this site today -

The Little Red, Black & Yellow site by the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies in Canberra.

The site is designed to accompany the second edition of the Little Red, Black & Yellow booklet originally released in the 1990s. Where I remember the old book being more chronological this booklet is divided into four main sections:

1. Who are we
2. Culture & Sport
3. Participation & Governance
4. Resistance & Reconciliation

On the site is

* 41 page Teacher's Notes (free download)
* Articles for further reading (free download)
* Audio-visual materials including an online gallery and online exhibitions (free download)
* Links to other resources

The new booklet is available for purchase, usually around $15.00 from most good bookshops.

(Originally posted on criticalclassroom on TypePad on 09/21/2010)