We learned about the indigenous aboriginal groups of Australia who have lived in harmony with their landscape for millennia. While migrating, they shaped the earth with their complex farming practices, making sure to protect the animals and plant-life of each region, and leaving enough resources for their fellow man.
Spark Explorers started our journey at the heart of Australia, at Uluru Rock, also known as Ayers Rock. Almost as tall as the Empire State Building, this sacred site is the biggest rock in the world, and was created over 600 million years ago! We learned that the indigenous Anangu peoples of the region believe Uluru to have been created by 10 ancestral spirits at the beginning of time, also known as Dreamtime.
Australian Symbols
Spark explorers examined the world of symbols in Australian art and storytelling, making what turned out to be very accurate guesses about what certain symbols mean (some examples included “a short journey”, “people around a campfire”, “water passages”). We even learned enough symbols to help us to decipher the art on a piece of Australian fabric and on our digeridoo.
Then, it was time to pick out symbols that resonated with us so that we could create our own stories using lines and traditional dot art. With each dot, our stories came more alive with color.