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Aunty Wendy's Mob songs, interactive Performance & Professional Learning celebrating Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures
The Aunty Wendy’s Mob songs honour Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and families and educate non-Aboriginal children.
Following two years of national consultation, Wendy, a non-Aboriginal early childhood teacher, obtained written consent from 34 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Councils, Elders, and Land Councils to respectfully feature their language names and several language words in the lyrics of her songs.
“‘Aunty Wendy chose to produce her songs ‘the right way’ by following correct Cultural Protocols, making sure that Communities felt it was appropriate for her, being non-Aboriginal, to produce the songs and accompanying Resource Books’ (Murawina Aboriginal Education Centre, Redfern)
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“‘I had the songs checked-out for me by some Aboriginal children and their parents. The children loved the songs so much I had trouble getting them back’ (Lyn Riley, Aboriginal Programs Unit, NSW Dept of Education and Training)
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“‘Aunty is a general term used in Aboriginal Community as a sign of acceptance and respect. Aboriginal children have been acknowledging Wendy as ‘Aunty’ since the early 1990’s and is how Wendy is known in many Communities around NSW.’ (NSW Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Early Childhood Sector Advisory Group)”
“PROFESSIONAL LEARNING W’SHOP
Cultural Content: When educators understand the cultural content in the songs, they gain the confidence to share them in their teaching practice.
Dance Choreography: Anchoring the lyrics to physical movement transforms a listening experience into an embodied learning experience that helps children feel and engage with the content in the songs.
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