Activity 1 - Film and discussion

Have students watching up to three of the digital animations related to astronomy, keeping notes about particular aspects of the films, and participating in an in-class discussion.

The teacher can present up to three of the Wunungu Awara films that are linked to astronomy.

They include:

• “Winjara Wiganhanyin (Why We All Die)” ⁰

• “The Groper (a-Kuridi)” ⁰

• “Yagun Gulinj Wiinj (How Man Found Fire)" ⁰

Key summary

• Year level: 5 and 6

• Subject: Technologies (digital technologies)

• Curricula: Australian, VIC, NSW

Required resources

1. TV/computer

2. Notebook

3. Pen

Suggested timing

• 30 mins - 1 hr

Step by Step guide 

1. “Winjara Wiganhanyin (Why We All Die)” 

Winjara Wiganhanyin (Why We All Die) is the first animation produced by the Taungurung (Victoria) Dolodanin-dat Animation Project Group. Winjara Wiganhanyin has been developed from an amalgamation of the Taungurung creation stories retold and handed down through generations and various publications.

2. Yagun Gulinj Wiinj (How Man Found Fire)

This animation is told in the form of classic Yanyuwa Dreaming narration. The animation details the journey of the Groper (a-Kuridi) around South West Island. It describes the various other Ancestral Dreaming beings that she meets and her responses to them as well as showing acts of creation that are still highly significant today.

The animation details the significance of place names, kinship and the role of Songlines in storytelling and their relationship to country. This animation is an outside, public, telling of a story that is very important to the Yanyuwa Wuyaliya clan.

3. The Groper (a-Kuridi)

This animation is told in the form of classic Yanyuwa Dreaming narration. The animation details the journey of the Groper (a-Kuridi) around South West Island. It describes the various other Ancestral Dreaming beings that she meets and her responses to them as well as showing acts of creation that are still highly significant today.

The animation details the significance of place names, kinship and the role of Songlines in storytelling and their relationship to country. This animation is an outside, public, telling of a story that is very important to the Yanyuwa Wuyaliya clan.

Step by step guide

Step 1: Watch the video/s and ask students to make notes on 5 or so discussion topics.

Discussion topic ideas:

1. What is the story about?

2. What are the astronomical links in the story?

3. What did you find interesting or engaging about the story in terms of the animation?

4. How might animation be used to help sustain traditional knowledge and language?

5. Looking at the credits, how many people contributed their expertise to this project? What groups do you notice? Why is this important and essential?

6. What is the moral, philosophical, or scientific lesson of the story?

7. What are the astronomical links in the story?

8. What did you find interesting or engaging about the story in terms of the animation?

9. How do the animations meet the needs of the relevant Aboriginal communities and how does it help sustain traditional knowledge and language? (ACTDIP021)

10. How is this done ethically? (Do the researchers just do it on their own or are the Traditional Custodians involved? Why is this important and essential?) (ACTDIP021)

Step 2: Facilitate a classroom discussion about the discussion topics.