Culture through Sport
Celebration of Aboriginal culture by learning and playing traditional games.
Attendance
470 children from 6 primary schools in the South West Metropolitan region participated in the Culture Through Sport program
The Issue
The importance of learning about, and celebrating Aboriginal culture is well established. For Aboriginal children connection to culture underpins social and emotional wellbeing [1]. For all students learning about Aboriginal histories and cultures allows students to develop respect for diversity and understanding of cultural difference. [2]
The Western Australian Department of Education’s Every Day Matters strategy calls on schools to embed culturally responsive approaches to strengthen student attendance, including incorporating local Aboriginal culture and language and building collaborative community relationships. [3]
While we know that positive connection to culture should be an important component of every student’s schooling experience, it can be difficult for schools to access programs that celebrate Aboriginal culture in a fun and engaging way. This project seeks to connect schools to the resources that exist in the community to celebrate Aboriginal culture on a scale that no one school can do on their own.
[1] Aboriginal Social And Emotional Wellbeing Model | Strong Spirit Strong Mind
[2] https://www.reconciliation.org.au/the-national-curriculum-knowing-the-truth-about-australias-history/
The Approach
The Stephen Micheal Foundation’s Culture Through Sport program targeted students in years 4 to 6 and explored a variety of Indigenous games giving participants background into each game’s country of origin, traditional playing style, and resources used for the game pre-colonisation.
This program was delivered to South Lake Primary School and East Hamilton Hill Primary School in Cockburn, Fremantle Primary School and Hiton Primary School in Fremantle and Brentwood Primary School and Caralee Primary School in Melville and reached over 450 students each year.
Following the in-school program, Imagined Futures supported the Stephen Michael Foundation to host a Culture Through Sport interschool carnival. In 2023, 180 primary school students from six primary schools came together to participate in a large scale, fun-filled celebration of Aboriginal culture by playing traditional games at an interschool carnival to mark NAIDOC week. The carnival was held at Fremantle Oval and was an opportunity for all students, both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal to learn about, and celebrate, Aboriginal culture.
Funding for the 2023 Interschool carnival came from the Fremantle Foundation, St Patrick’s Community Support Centre, Anglicare WA, Palmerston, Neami National, Strong Spirit Strong Mind, Right Track, and the City of Fremantle. The Stephen Michael Foundation, Imagined Futures support team and other partners provided in-kind project support.
In 2024, the Interschool carnival was led by Stephen Michael Foundation staff who brought this event to life using funding from the National Indigenous Australians Agency. Imagined Futures continued to support this project in bringing partners and stakeholders along to learn and share in the celebration of culture. In addition to competing in sports, each student had the opportunity to personalize their own boomerang, eat food made with traditional ingredients and watch a dance performance. These events serve as a vibrant celebration of Aboriginal culture.
