• New Yarning Circle at Charles Sturt in Wagga Wagga to be used an extension of the Children’s Centre teaching spaces
• Yarning Circle will offer a variety of experiences to foster children’s and educator’s knowledge of Indigenous culture

In May the Children’s Centre at Charles Sturt University in Wagga Wagga constructed a Yarning Circle on its grounds for its educators to use as an extension of the Centre’s teaching spaces.

Director of the Charles Sturt Children’s Centre in Wagga Wagga Ms Megan Isaac said, “We will use this area in many different ways to offer a variety of experiences to foster the children’s and educator’s knowledge of Indigenous culture.

“The purpose of a Yarning Circle is for all people to be able to speak and to be heard in a safe and respectful environment on equal footing with all speakers and listeners.

“Yarning circles can be used in formal and informal situations, for lore making, meeting new people, conducting regular social gatherings, and for family or staff meetings.

“We also have signs in and around our Yarning Circle next to certain plants naming them and explaining their uses in the Aboriginal culture.”

On Thursday 23 May an Aboriginal educator from Bundyi Aboriginal Cultural Knowledge, Mr Mark Saddler, enabled the children and educators to widen their knowledge of Aboriginal culture and to broaden their understanding of the different cultures within the wider community.

During this session the children were involved in a variety of experiences that included learning to say Aboriginal words, looking at and exploring artefacts, drawing, building, and listening to stories about shelters, rivers, animals and more.