Follow us now
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Sign up for our newsletter
Resources by country
Resources by category
Cultural Heratige…do we all have one? By Rebecca Rose Perkins from Rose3 www.rose3.com.au
Recently I was thinking about cultural heritage. Often I feel like don’t I have one. I am from that boring group - white middle-class suburban Australia. I have no second language. I have no interesting or terrifying story of arrival. I am not even the decendant of a convict…my decendants were free settlers (well the ones we can trace anyway!) and probably of that miss-guided group that stole land and supported removing aboriginal children form their families (oh how tradgically wrong could you be). Even what I consider my national day is tainted with the evils done in the past (which horrify and upset us all), which does make it difficult to celebrate my culture proudly, with all my fellow Australians.
I have no amazingly vibrant traditional dress, no wonderful dance. My cultural heritage is not fabulously interesting like the magic of the Aboriginal dreamtime or mysteriously wonderful like asian cultures. Mine does not even have a particular name. I often hear people speak of their interesting backgrounds, colourful festivalsand think how do I celebrate my culture? How do I share my cultural heritage with my children.
Then I looked at some of the small rituals that we have in our house due to my background and in winter time, we make damper. Damper making is something I have been doing all my life. As a child, Dad used to “knock up a damper” every now and again. Sometimes it was cooked in the oven and sometimes in the openfire barbeque (the ones we all had, that you put timber in, before everyone had gas BBQs!). We always had “Squatter’s Damper”, using milk and butter (unlike a “Swaggy’s Damper” that was just flour, water and maybe some salt) In winter, with the fire going, I will make damper once or twice a week.
Now I realise, this simple bit of knowledge and ritual is part of my own cultural heritage. As much as the “Australian” heritage has been embarrassing, lamented and very “un-P.C.” in the past, I feel the need to start celebrating.Here is my little celebration, with my children, of how I grew up and the heritage I come from. For all the early childhood educators out there, I have linked it to the E.Y.L.F and Quality Areas; Key Learning Areas and extention learning experiences to show how so much can be learned through such a simple experience. Maybe there are parents of children in your care who can come and share some of their culture and heritage with the group through such an experience.
Making Damper
Ingredients: 3 cups self raising flour Approx. 60g soft butter
Approx. ¾ cup milk Pinch of salt
AluminiumFoil. A little butter to grease foil
Quality Area Links from the National Quality Standardfor Early Childhood Education and Care & School Aged Care
QA 1.1 The Early Years Learning Framework (or other approved learning framework) informs the development of a program for each child that enhances their learning and development.
QA 1.1.2 Curriculum decision making is informed by the context, setting and cultural diversity of the families and community.
QA1.2.1 Each child’s knowledge, ideas, culture and interests provice the foundation for the program
QA 2.1.3 Effective hygeine practices are promoted and implemented (washing hands before cooking)
QA 6.1.2 Families have opportunities and support to be involved in the program and in service activities
Linked ideas specific to Damper Making:
Key Learning Area Links: SOSE: In the 19th century, a squatter was a person who occupied a large tract of Crown land in Australia in order to graze livestock - the phenomenon is referred to in the song Waltzing Matilda. At first, this was done illegally, and later under license. From the 1820s they were part of the establishment, hence the term Squattocracy.
Linked experiences and ideas:
Sing: Waltzing Matilda, Dress like a swaggie, Research this time in Australian history