The staff at our Children and Families office in Nerang understand the difference it makes for young people in foster care to reconnect with their Indigenous heritage and develop their cultural identity.
They know that even though children in care have typically been through a great deal of disruption in their short lives, culture is something that remains a constant that will be a part of them, no matter where they are in life.
Dedicated to their work, the team have implemented several projects and activities that represent the unique journey of each child in care and support the development of cultural connectedness.
The Cultural Library
After going into homes and connecting with children, staff noticed that many children only knew the stereotypical aspects of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture. They identified a need to introduce a broad range of activities to help deepen children’s understanding of their culture.
The creation of a Cultural Library supported the growth of cultural knowledge for our children and young people in care. At our Nerang office, children are given their own Jarjums Library Card and can sign out different resources from the library. This includes things like Dreamtime books and stories, puzzles, games, DVDs and more.
‘Our Journey’ wall mural
The ‘Our Journey’ wall mural is another addition to the Nerang office. It uses traditional symbols, motifs, techniques and language to express the unique story of each child in care.
The mural tells a story (from the bottom to the top) with every drawing having a different meaning. It starts with children walking their individual journey, as represented by the long single line with dots inside.
The artwork then follows the children as they come into care and are connected through communities and culture. The fish swimming through the ocean symbolises the children on their journey of connection to land and sea. The pea pods surrounded by dots represent the community of support that the children are wrapped in, through the dedication of staff, carers, Elders and external services.
The artwork concludes with everyone walking together. The Torres Strait Islander drums represent everyone working together to the beat of the same drum and the footprints signify us walking with children in the same direction.
In the bottom right-hand corner is the Jarjums Connect Group symbol which tells the story of the children coming together at the Nerang River.
Acknowledgement of Country video
As Anglicare continues to advocate for the real and lasting change in the treatment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in this country, the Acknowledgment of Country has become a key component in the organisation’s projects and in-house policies.
The Acknowledgment of Country animation, recorded at a Jarjums Connect Group event, uses the voices of children to provide an acknowledgment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture and the ongoing relationship that the traditional owners have with their land.
The team at Nerang strives to support children to live the life that they deserve. These projects have contributed deeply to Anglicare’s mission of restoring respect, empowerment and opportunity to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
Originally written by Tiffany Falconer.
Edited by Jenny Nguyen and Emma Newman.
University of Queensland Advanced Humanities, 2020.