Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ways of knowing

Key characterisitcs of A&TBI ways of knowing

• Holistic and Relational Learning

• Connection to Country

• Learninh through Relationships

Holistic and Relational Learning

learning is not seperated into categories

Interconnected with:

• country

• community

• ancestral and spiritual ties

country

a living entity- includes physical and spiritual dimensions

pivotal to identity and learning

Connection to Country

includes ancestral ties, spiritual connection, and responsibility to care for land

when introducing themselves, A&TBI people typically name their country/ cultural group

Learning through Relationships

knowledge is embedded in relationships with family, community, country and sky

behaviour is learned by modelling and mimicking other in community settings

learning is experiential, happening through daily life, not seperate from it

Narrative (Stories)

• used to pass on knowledge, history, values, and behaviour

• teach how to live, what to value, and how to act

Songlines

• navitgational tracts across the land, ties to spiritual and ancestral journeys

• store knowledge, law and memory

• act as a map and knowledge system

Multimodal Learning

knowledge taught through stories, dance, song, ceremony

Key features of Respect and Responsibility in Learning

• Relational Values

• Cultural Expectations and Behaviour

Relational Values

• all learning grounded in respectful relationships

• everything is seen as having spirit - even rocks, rivers, and trees

• knowledge is shared with the understanding that everything is alive and interconnected

Cultural Expectations & Behaviour

• Stories teach values which guide behaviour

• Behaviours are modelled, mimicked, and reinforced over generations

• creates a culture of expectation- each person has a responsibility to uphold cultural values

Holisitc Learning

Interconnected with land, people, spirits, and environment

Connection to Country

shapes identity, values and responsibilities

Multigenerational Teaching

knowledge passed down via story, modelling, and practice

Living Knowledge

all elements of nature are alive and hold spirit

Cultural Values through stories

stories teach behaviour, expectations, and obligations

Reciprocity and responsibility

individuals must live by and pass of cultural knowledge