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The International Education Journal: Comparative Perspectives,2013,12(1),146–160 iSSN1443-1475©2013www.iejcomparative.org

They throw spears: Reconciliation through music

Jane MooreThe University of Sydney, Australia

‘They throw Spears’ was written as part of the research for my PhD at the University of Sydney. The study was conducted in two primary schools: one in a remote area in the Northern Territory (NT) and one in an urban setting in Tasmania. It was conducted in 2009 and investigated Indigenous and non-Indigenous student, non-Indigenous teacher, non-Indigenous principal and Indigenous Teaching Assistant attitudes towards Reconciliation. The theories of Lev Vygotsky and Kieren Egan and the writing of Karen Martin informed the study. The article focuses on the importance of the contribution of the two Indigenous Teaching Assistants involved in the research and explores their role in its success. It concentrates on Marlene Primary School in Katherine in the Northern Territory. At the time that the research was conducted, the school population was over 90% students Indigenous. I used an arts-informed research methodology and the writing includes narratives written in the first person. I gathered the research data through semi-structured individual and group interviews, student definitions, song lyrics, t-shirt designs, digital recordings, video footage, sketches, collographs, photographs and researcher observations. This approach enabled my personal story to be told. The article also features an image I created to symbolise the spirit of the research. The image is a block printed collograph and depicts the spears that the Indigenous Teaching Assistant (Arthur) used in his classes with the students.

Keywords: Reconciliation, arts informed inquiry, Indigenous education, Indigenous teaching assistants, Indigenous learning styles.

iwasfirstmotivatedtodothisresearchin1995wheniworkedasamusicteacherin theNorthernTerritory. during this time i observed that indigenous students inparticular, responded positively to learning experiences through music. I observed that these students experienced academic success in the classroom through the study ofsongwriting.ithoughtthatperhapsinvolvementintheartscouldhaveapositiveimpact on the learning of these Indigenous students and resolved to design a research project to test my theory.

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The inspiration for the research also lay in the pilot case study that I conducted at aninner-cityschoolwithahighindigenousenrolment inSydney.iapproachedtheprincipal of the school to be involved in a pilot project in 2008. The students at this smallschoolcamefrom“…avarietyofdifferentbackgroundsincludingworkingandmiddle-classandstudentswholivedinthevarioushousingcommissionestatesdottedaroundtheinnercitySydneysuburb”(ExcerptfrominterviewwiththeprincipalofNSWpilotcasestudyschool,July2008).ispenteightafternoonsessionswithone-yearfive/sixclassandranworkshops insongwritingon themesofreconciliation.during the pilot i analysed the definitions and lyrics of the songs written by thestudents for themes and motifs. The pilot study informed the research methodology I used in the Reconciliation through Music investigation. It enabled me to develop my strategiesandunderstandingsbeforemyofficialstudycommenced.Thestudentsatthepilotschool,andthesongsthattheywrote,providedinspirationformeandhelpedgalvanisemyresolvetocontinuewiththeinquiry.

A DEfINITION Of RECONCILIATIONBroadly speaking, Reconciliation is about recognition, rights and reform. It is recognition of Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the original people of this land, and it is recognising the Indigenous history of this land, both the long Indigenous history before the invasion, and the shared history since. reconciliation is recognising the rights thatflowfrombeing thefirstpeoples,aswellasourrightsasAustraliancitizensincommonwithallothercitizens.itis about reforming systems to address the disadvantages suffered by Indigenous peoples and, as I have said, it is about changing the frame of reference of all AustralianstoincludeindigenousAustralia(Burney,2000,p.66).

Thisdefinitionhasbeenusedthroughouttheinvestigationbecauseitcommunicatesconcepts of recognition, rights, and reform for Indigenous people. Moreover, it acknowledgesthesignificanceofthelandtoindigenouspeoples.Thedescriptionalsoconveys a sense of the history of Indigenous peoples and offers the possibility of a collectivehistoryforallAustralianpeople.Whilstsymbolicreconciliationdefinitionshave been theorised since the 1980s, in the past decade theorists have suggested that therearehard,softandassimilationistreconciliationconcepts(Burridge,2007).inthisframework,hardreconciliationreferstoindigenousleadersdemandingtheirlandandsearightsandexactingcompensationandatreaty(makarrata).Thishaswidelybeen seen as a radical movement.

Soft Reconciliation is described in more conservative terms, and refers to programs thatfocusoncorrectingindigenousdisadvantage(Burridge,2007).Softreconciliationhas generally been seen as a movement led by non-Indigenous community leaders and hasbeenreferredtoasthepeople’smovement.Marches,ceremonies,gatheringsandcelebrationsareviewedassoftreconciliationactivities.Assimilationistreconciliationisknownaspracticalreconciliationandaimsat standardisinghealth,housingandeducation for all Australians as one nation.

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METHODOLOGyThis inquiry embraces a qualitative approach and I gathered data from students, teachers,principals,andindigenousTeachingAssistants.imadefieldnotes,tookphotographs, made digital recordings and sketches, recorded video footage and conductedinterviewswiththeparticipantsfrombothschools.iworkedasteacher,researcher,andobserverintheschoolforfourweeks.iwasanactiveparticipantintheresearchandafterobservingtheclassesforoneweek,itaughtthetwoclassesofyearfiveandsixstudentseachdayforaperiodoftwoweeks.Aftertheprojectculminatedinacommunityconcert,ispentoneweekcompletingtheprojectandinthistime,iinterviewedthestudentstocollecttheirthoughtsontheirinvolvementinthe project.Thestudyintroducedreconciliationasateachingtopic.inthefirstsessionasprojectfacilitator,imetthestudentsandaskedthemtowritedownwhattheythoughtreconciliationwas.Afterihadcollectedthestudentdefinitions,idiscussedthemeaningofthetermwiththestudents.iusedachalkboardandchalktowritedownimportanttermsforthestudents.ThisinformationwasaccessedfromtheeducationportalSkwirkthatfeaturessyllabus-specificcontentforAustralianschoolstudentsineveryStateandTerritory.TheSkwirkwebsiteoffersacomprehensivehistoryof the Reconciliation movement and presents current issues and future approaches possible for the Reconciliation movement in simple language designed for students andteachers.itexploresissuesofindigenousculturalidentityandhowreconciliationimpactsindigenouspeoplesinacontemporarycontext(https://www.skwirk.com;www.skwirk.com.au/...reconciliation...reconciliation.../challen...accessed21/02/08).After I had discussed the history of reconciliation and the students had asked questions, I delivered a series of singing, clapping and chanting exercises to the class.iintroducedthestudentstothenotionthatweweregoingtowritesongsabout reconciliation and the students broke off into self-selected groups. Arthur andMaggieworkedwiththeclasseswhoparticipatedinthesong-writingsessionandlaterreflectedthattheyenjoyedbeinginvolvedinthesongwritingprocessandobservingthestudentswritinglyrics,experimentingwithtunesandtryingoutrhythms and beat box patterns. The non-Indigenous classroom teachers, the school principals,andthetwoindigenousteachingassistantswerealsoconsultedthroughinterviewastotheirownunderstandingsofreconciliation.Theywerealsoaskedto give their opinions on the effectiveness of using the creative arts in exploring Reconciliation in schools.

LITERATURE REVIEw

Theterm‘indigenous’hasbeenusedthroughoutthearticle.Forthepurposesofthisarticle,anindigenouspersonregardsthemselfasofindigenousdescent,self-identifiesasanindigenouspersonandisrecognisedbytheirownspecificindigenouscommunityas an Indigenous person. But more than that, an Indigenous person maintains an indigenousworldview.For thepurposesof this research,an indigenousworldviewencompasses a belief that regards all beings as interrelated and interconnected. Karen

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Martin(2003)namedthisrelatednesstheory.Thistheoryemphasisestheimportanceofanindividual’srelationshipwithothers.Anindigenousworldviewregardsindividualsas existingwithin a network of related entities where people, animals, plants andspiritsaredeeplyconnected(Edwards,2008).

The intense involvement of Indigenous people and community in listening, making anddancing tomusic taps intoEgan’s notionofMythic understanding and allowsdevelopment of the cognitive competences needed to make meaning from stories to mergewithchildren’simaginationandsenseoffantasy(Egan,1997).Learningculturalstoriesthroughmusic,furthermore,allowschildrentolearnthroughrhythm,rhymeand meter, increasing their capacity to remember and later access learning. Indigenous cultures are oral cultures, and the understandings developed through engagement withmusichelpspreservefolkloreandculture(Edwards,2008).Vygotskyarguedfortheimportanceof thefamilyininfluencingsocial learning;andthisresearchfoundthis to be particularly relevant when exploring indigenous student perceptions ofreconciliation.Heassertedthatallnewknowledgeisinfluencedbyachild’scultureandfamilybackground(1930,1931,1932,and1933).Martin’srelatednesstheoriesalsoemphasisetheimportanceofanindividual’srelationshipwithothers.

The research presented here provided both Indigenous and non-Indigenous primary schoolstudentswiththeopportunitytoparticipateinlearningthatrequiredthemtobeactivelyinvolved.Songwritingingroupsisadynamicprocessthatinvolvesstudent’striallingsounds,writing,discussing,andsharingideaswithothers.Vygotskyarguedthat through humanising (Cole, Scriber& Souberman, 1978) knowledge, childrencould learn more deeply. Embedding learning experiences in the lives and culture of the students involved enables those students to make their learning more comprehensible and meaningful. Vygotsky asserted that learning that engages the emotions leads to rich understandings.

Thedeficitmodelemergedasanacademictheoryinthe1960sandwasbasedontheideathatlowerachievementinschoolsarosefromissueswiththestudents,ratherthantheteachers,teachingortheschoolitself(diMaggio,2004;Solorzano&Yosso,2001).Thedeficitmodelwas characterisedby lower expectationsof indigenous students.A desire for equity and social justice for Indigenous people drive the move against deficit models of teaching in contemporary situations. researchers in indigenouseducation have recently presented the notion that when teachers do not share thesocio-cultural backgrounds of their students, they are less able to apply principles of culturalinclusivity(Harrison2008;Moore,2007;Martin2003).Thedeficitmodelhasbeenrejectedbyanumberofacademics.inparticular,thosewritingaboutindigenousstudents in school settings have stressed that programs need to be culturally inclusive where interaction with parents, Elders and the indigenous community is involved(Edwards, 2008). it has been suggested that improved teacher training for all pre-service teachers could help improve Indigenous student performance in the classroom (Edwards, 2008). Early career teachers need to be encouraged to create tools forknowledgesharingthatreinforceasenseofrelatednessandcommunityforindigenous

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students(Martin,2003).HavingAboriginalteachingassistantsworkinginclassroomsallowsopportunityforculturalinclusivityandindigenouswisdomstobevaluedandshared.

A cultural deficit theory blames students, their families, cultures and communitiesfor their failure to thrive ineducational institutions(diMaggio,2004;Solorzano&Yosso,2001;Trueba,1988).Thetheoryadoptsnegativestereotypesandshiftsblameto the students and their families, establishing low expectations of students fromdisadvantaged backgrounds. According to this perspective, Indigenous students begin school with a lack of cultural capital (Bourdieu, 1997). Furthermore, the culturaldeficittheoryaffirmsthatdisadvantagedstudentsdonotvalueformaleducationinthesamewaysthattheirmiddle-andupper-classwhitecounterpartsdoandregardsthisas a barrier to success in an academic setting. This theory does not value community culturalwealth(diMaggio,2004;Yosso,2005)andfailstoacknowledgethespecialvalue that students from different cultural backgrounds can bring to a classroom. indigenousculturesarerichandofferspecialunderstandingsandknowledgestoitspeople.Teacherswhounderstandtheserichesofferindigenousstudentstheopportunitytosucceedwithintheirclassrooms.

The study rejects the deficit-teaching model that presents indigenous studentsas disadvantaged. The research presents examples of positive learning outcomes of involving Indigenous Teaching Assistants in research and of their presence in schools and primary classrooms. The inquiry also affirms the need to recogniseindigenousstudents’specificlearningneeds,preferences,andstyles.Theimportanceof acknowledging indigenous learning styleshasbeenemphasisedbyanumberofindigenous and non-indigenous scholars (Harrison, 2008; Martin, 2003; Moore,2007).“TherearenumeroussuggestionsbasedofhowAboriginalchildrenlearnandhowtoteachAboriginalchildren,yetverylittleevidencetosupporttheseassertions.”(rassmussen,Sherman,Baydala, 2004, p.334.)despite criticismof the validity oftesting indigenous-learning preferences (rassmussen, Sherman, Baydala, 2004) abodyof knowledge supports that indigenous learners prefer collaborative, holistic,observational and experiential tasks (Yunkaporta, 2010, 2009).Thereconciliationthrough Music research acknowledges that indigenous students learn in differentways fromnon-indigenous students. indigenousandnon-indigenouseducators andacademics have proposed that Indigenous children prefer discovery, practical and sociallearningmodels(Harrison,2008;Moore,2007,Martin,2003).

DISCUSSION

During the course of the research at Marlene Primary School I had one formal interviewwithbothMaggieandArthur thatwererecordeddigitally. iworkedwitheachofthemintheclassroomeachdayforaperiodoftwoweeksandoverthefour-weekperiodthatiwasinKatherineihadseveralinformaloneononeconversationswiththem.itisduringthistimethatidiscoveredtheimportanceandvalueofworkingwith indigenous teaching assistants in the classroom.Arthur offered me valuable

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tools to understand the students and advice on developing insight into an Indigenous studentperspective.Thesefindings, if shared,couldhavesignificant impacton thepedagogicalapproachesusedbyteacherswhenworkingwithindigenousstudentsandmay help Indigenous students feel valued and heard. I also visited them at their home andtookdigitalphotographsand‘yarningnotes’afterthisvisittotheirpropertyontheoutskirtsofKatherine.Arthurhadspentovertwentyyearsinthelocalareaandhischildrenhadattendedtheschool.Hehadbeeninvolvedwiththeschoolfortenyears.Maggiewasborninthelocalregion,whichrepresentedhertraditionalland.Shehadconsiderableexperienceworkingattheschoolandhadbeenworkingthereforoverfiveyears.ArthurandMaggieweremarried.Thecommunityandculturalcapitalthattheybroughttotheclassroomwassubstantial.

inthisresearch,musicprovidedstudentswithamediumthroughwhichtoconstruct,negotiate and modify aspects of their personal and group identities, and offered them arangeofstrategiesforknowingthemselvesandconnectingwithothers(dunbar-Hall&Gibson,2000).inthisexample,thecommunityconcertofferedthestudentdescribedthechancetoconnectwiththeindigenousteachingassistant,totakeariskandworkwithothersonasharedproject.Thesong-writingprojectpresentedthestudentwithanoccasion to be assisted by the Indigenous teaching assistant and to overcome his fears. ByworkingwithArthurandhavinghimtherethroughoutthesongwritingprocessandthe performance outcome, I observed the importance of trust being played out before her.ifArthurhadnotbeenwiththestudentsupportinghimthroughouttheconcert,ibelievethatthestudentwouldhaverefusedtoperform.Forthisstudent,writingandperforming music on themes of reconciliation enabled him to be a potent agent for change.

Songsareanimportantwaythatindigenouspeopleframetheirworld.Arthurspokeabout the importance of song in Indigenous cultures and the notion of songs bringing an individual’spersonalvisiontotheworldwithhiswords:“thesongwritingletsfaceit.Theindigenouspeoplelikesong.Soyouknowandithinkthewords,iftheyputwordsinto songs, it’show they feel. inside” (Excerpt frominterviewwithArthur,March2009.)Writingandperformingmusiccangiveindigenousstudents theopportunitytodeveloppositiveself-identityandcanbuildcross-culturalunderstandings(dunbar-Hall,1997a,b)betweenindigenousandnon-indigenousstudents,theirteachers,parentsand school communities. It has been argued that a major obstacle to Reconciliation is apprehension and reluctance about face-to-face communication and personal associationsovercomeanexaggeratedsenseofdifference,whichflowsfromignorance(deane,2004,208).Throughsongwritingandperforming thestudentdescribed inthe earlier excerptwas able to overcome the reluctance that his classroom teacherhadobservedinhim.“Throughmusic–ah!Thekidslovemusic.it’ssomethingtheyreallyloveandyoucanteach‘emanythingthroughmusicireckon!”(ExcerptfrominterviewwithArthur,March2009).

In this study, participating in music sessions built team skills and provided democratic options for self-expressionwhere advancedwritten communication skillswere not

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required. The students shared their ideas orally through discussion, participation and mimicking each other’s singing. in this way, indigenous students, with theirfamiliaritywithmusic and story,were advantaged.These understandings providedopportunities for the transmission of their cultural heritage and values in a meaningful way. Student creativity and identity were explored through genuine partnershipsbetweenindigenousandnon-indigenousstudents.Thestudentsactedwithtolerancetowards each other. They worked cooperatively throughout the project and theirsongwritingandartmakinghadthepowertobringthemtogetherinadynamicandcompellingway.Throughthestudy,students,particularlyindigenousstudents,gaineddeeplearningperspectivesonreconciliationfromtheirownfamilybackgrounds.Thesocial, community, and family backgrounds of these students strongly impacted their viewsonreconciliation(Vygotsky,1993).“Wemustnotforgetforamomentthatbothknowingthenatureandknowingpersonalityisdonewiththehelpofunderstandingother people, understanding those around us, understanding social experiences (Vygotsky,1993,Vol.4,p.50).

Arthurofferedinsightsintohowindigenouschildrenlearnbestwithhiswords;it’sjustgivingthemtheguideandsupportandgivingthemtheconfidencesothattheycangetupanddostuffandsayingwe’rehereforyouandwearethegroup.Wearetogether.Youarenotanindividual.We’rehereasagroup.Soattheendof the day, once you get up on the stage and you get stage struck and you look likethatandyouseeallthepeople.don’tworryaboutthatbecauselookatus;we’llbethere.ittakestimebutithinkkeeptryingtobuildthatself-esteemandconfidenceandthatandempowerthekidsandthatandyouknowthethingiswhatwelookedatintheclasswasyouknow,havethatbackup for themall ofthetime–youknow–say‘i’mhereforyouifyouwantmetobe.’it’salotofencouragement.ittakestime.Likeitdoesn’thappenovernight.itdoesn’thappenwithinaweek.Yougottaspendalotoftimewiththemkidstogetusedtoyouandisay‘i’mthereforyouasbackup.’Andovertheyears–i’mtalkingoverfifty,seventy years just on the Indigenous side the Indigenous people have been put downforsolongandwhatwearetryingtodonowiscompletelytheopposite.We’vegotta try toempower themkids togetupandsay‘heyi’mindigenousandi’mproudofit.Andiwanttodothis!(ExcerptfrominterviewwithArthur,March2009)

robinsonandNicol(1998)definedindigenouspedagogyasbeingholistic,imaginal,kinaesthetic, cooperative, contextual, and person-oriented. Characteristics of Indigenous learning as observation, imitation, trial and error, real-life performance, learningwholesratherthanparts,problemsolvingandrepetition(Yunkaporta,2010,2009; Christie, 1986). The reconciliation through Music andArt project offeredIndigenous and non-Indigenous students the opportunity to learn through doing in collaborativeways.Thesongwritingandt-shirtmakingprojectswheresetupwherestudentssharedideas,talkedwitheachotherandworkedingroups.Theypracticedgroupdecision-making.Theartsactivitieswereorganisedininformalenvironments,without desks andwalls – outside, in outside stage areas, inmusic rooms and artspaces.Theseinformalspacesprovidedthestudentswiththeopportunitytolearnin

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closeproximitytoeachotherwheretheycouldmovearoundfreelyandexplorethethemes of Reconciliation kinaesthetically.

ThestudentsinvolvedinthesongwritingsessionsatMarlenePrimarySchoolaskednottobetakenoutofclassduringthesessions,soMaggieandArthurworkwithmedirectlyonthemusicwritingproject.BothArthurandMaggieweresupportiveoftheproject.inaninterviewArthurtoldmethatheknewiwasdoingagoodjob“…thekidswhousuallycometomedidn’twanttocome.Theycometoyou.Theywantedtobewithyou.Youneedtotellthemyouarethereforthem.Forthem,itisaleapoftrust.Their trust is frayedandbrokenbypast experience” (Excerpt from interviewwithArthur,March2009).ireflectedonArthur’scommentsabouttrust.Vygotskylinkeddeeplearningwiththeneedtodevelopfamilylikerelationshipsandarguedthatfamilyinfluencedsocial learning (1930,1931,1932,and1933). in laterdiscussionsaboutindigenouslearning,Arthurtoldmethathebelievedthatstrongrelationshipswithatrustedmentorwasoneofthewaystoencourageindigenousstudentstosucceedintheclassroom.Hearguedthatwiththepresenceofaknownindigenousadultmentorthestudents could move past their reluctance to take risks.

ThefollowingexcerptdescribesArthurhelpinganindigenousstudentovercomehisnerveswhenconfrontedwithperformingattheHarmonydaycommunityconcert.itexploresmyownpersonalobservationsabout theimportanceofprovidingstudentswithhandsonsupport,ofthevitalaspectofdevelopingrelationshipswithindigenousstudentsandthesignificanceofindigenousschoolstaffofferingopportunitiesforthestudentstoexperienceindigenouspride.itiswritteninthefirstpersonandconcernsastudentwhosenon-indigenousclassroomteacherdescribedas“talented,butwithlowself-esteem”anda“reluctantparticipator”(Excerpts from interviewwithclassroomteacher,March2009).

iobservetheArthur.Hetalksquietlytoayoungindigenousboywhotellshimthatheistooshameandthattheothersaredoingitwrongandthemicrophonedoesnotworkandhecannotperform.Arthurtellshim:youcandoit.Hetellshim: you go up there and be proud. I am here for you. The boy performs in the group.Hisvoiceisloudandclear.Hebreaksintoasmile(ExtractfromTheBoywithTheSmile’story,March2009).

ireflectonthisincidentandhowArthurhastaughtmeabouttheimportanceofspendingtimewiththestudentsandtheimportanceofdevelopingtrust.Hehasshownmehowtoencourageandsupportthestudentsandrevealedtheimportanceofacknowledgingthattheyandtheirfamilieshavehadanumberofbadexperiences,whichhavebeenpasseddown.Heremindsmethatthesebadexperiencesmuststayinthepastforthisgenerationofchildren,andhowimportantitistostayfocusedonindigenouspride.Hehas taughtme the importanceofempoweringstudents in schools.Empoweringindigenousstudentsmeansofferingculturallyresponsiveprogramsandthefollowingexcerptrevealsmyobservationsofanafternoonofspearthrowingattheschool.

Arthurleadsthespear-throwingsession.Heisanoldermanandanexperiencedteacher although he later tells me that he is not an Elder. He makes simple requests

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ofthechildrenandispatientandfirm.Heshowsthestudentshowtoholdthespears.Thespearsarepaintedinearthcoloursandhavemetaltips.Theyaretwometreslongandmadeofthinpiecesoflocalwood.Thegirlstaketheirturnfirst.Theotherstudentsareencouragedtoclaprespectfullyaftereachthrow.Arthurasks me to be involved. He tells me it is an ideal opportunity for me to learn from thestudentsandforthemtoshowleadership.iwaitmyturn.iamshownhowtoholdthewoomera,whichreleasesthespear.Thestudentscrowdaroundmeandofferadvice.Theboysshowandre-showmethegrip.Theboywiththesmileshowsmeagain.itsailsthroughtheair.Hedancesandlaughs.Hethrowshisownspear.itsailsthroughtheair.Heturnsandbows(ExcerptfromHethrowsSpearsstory,March2009).

This passage describes the informal learning environment established by Arthur and supported by the principal at Marlene Primary School. The spear throwing giveskinaesthetic learners the opportunity to succeed. They mimic and model and learn throughtrialanderror.ireflectonaninterviewwiththePrincipalandhowsheregardedthe contribution of the Indigenous Teaching Assistants at her school to be valuable and important.

Shetellsmethattheseniorclassesareinvolvedinspearthrowingasarewardforgoodbehaviourintheafternoons.Shesaysthatitisdifficulttoholdtheattentionof the students in the afternoons and that these spear throwing sessions haveprovedtobeasuccessfulwaytoencouragestudentstostayontrackduringtheirmorning classes. She describes how the indigenous culture program revolvesaround respecting the student’sowncultureandhowArthurandMaggie leaddiscussions about the bush tucker found in the local area. The children are encouraged to collect and try the local bush foods. Information is shared about the seasons, bush medicine, bush tracks and the land around. She describes the class ofindigenousboysthatislearningmen’sbusinesswithArthur.Sheexplainsthatheisteachingthemtraditionalmen’sstoriesdidgeridooandclap-sticktechniques(ExcerptsfromThePrincipal’sstory,March2009).

From this conversation it is clear that the principal supports the study of Indigenous cultures at the school delivered by Indigenous educators. She states that she is proud of her school and its commitment to Indigenous cultures and learning. She praises the workofbothArthurandMaggieandstates thatshefeels lucky(Excerpt fromThePrincipal’sStory,March2009) tobeworkingwith them. indeed,MarlenePrimarySchool demonstrated the spirit of reconciliation in its focus on culturally responsive programs and Indigenous teaching and learning. The non-Indigenous principal modelled respect for the Indigenous staff at the school and encouraged them to take leadership rolesinherschool.Arthurlateraffirmedthispositiveattitudetowardsreconciliationinschoolsthroughpartnershipsbetweenindigenousandnon-indigenousteachersandmentorswithhiswords:

People at the top like the principal and deputy principal being positive about indigenous culture; it encourages it a lot here. i think 90% of the kids areindigenous kids. But it’s the 10%we need to concentrate on cozwe look ateducationasbeinganon-indigenousthing(ExcerptfrominterviewwithArthur,March2009).

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This extract explores the notion that Reconciliation and Indigenous cultural education andknowledgeisjustasimportantfornon-indigenousstudents.itfurthersupportsthenotion that leadershipfromindigenoussupportstaff inconjunctionwith leadershipshownfromprincipalsinschoolscanhavepositiverepercussionsinstudentbehaviourand levels of trust. The research affirms the importance of indigenous and non-Indigenous partnerships in the promotion and support of Reconciliation activities in schoolsandhowwhentheseactivitiesaresupported,theycanhaveapositiveimpacton the students.

The collaborative learning processes fostered in the inquiry assisted the Indigenous studentstodevelopthecooperativelearningabilitiessohighlyvaluedwithintheirowncommunities. The investigation alluded to the importance of involving Maggie and Arthur in the process of teaching. As an Indigenous person, a parent and a teaching assistantfromthelocalarea,Maggieinparticularbroughtawealthofknowledgetoherinterviewandtotheclassroom.Shewaskeentoshareherviewswithmeandwasgenerouswithhertime.Shelinkedmovingforwardandnotgettingstuckinthepastwiththeoverridingthemeofrespect–bothself-respectandrespectmodelledthroughparental and familial relationships.

Soifwecangetourkidsheretoallrespectthemselvesthentheycan s t a r trespectingeachother.it’snotaneasything.Youknowit’sgonnatakeabitofwork because ofwhat happens at home and because ofwhat happens in thecommunity.Thekidsseeeveryday.it’sacyclethatjustgoesonandon.Soit’sgettingtheparentssupport.Theyhavetobesupportedathome(ExcerptfrominterviewwithMaggie,March2009).

Maggie’sinterviewemphasisedtheneedforrespectfromstudentstowardseachotherbutalsotowardsindigenousTeachingAssistants,principals,classroomteachersandparents. She told me that she consciously modelled respectful relationships in her workattheschoolandtriedtobeapositivementortoalloftheindigenousandnon-indigenousstudentsattheschool.itwassignificantthatalmostallofthesongswrittenby the students at Marlene Primary School used the term respect. Indeed, one song stated;“respectisallyouneed/Name-callingwillrecede/ourpeoplewillcombine/Anditsgonnabefine.”(ExcerptfromsongwrittenbystudentsatMarlenePrimarySchool,March2009).

Frommyobservations,theyearfiveandsixstudentsinvolvedinthestudy,didnotdisplayanybeliefthatindigenousstudentswereatahandicapattheirschool.Theirdefinitions and lyrics did not feature the concept of indigenous student barriers tolearning. Similarly, the students did not use learning obstacles, or Indigenous studentdisadvantage,asa themein their interviewsor informalconversationswithme. Correspondingly, Maggie and Arthur did not speak about Indigenous student disadvantage at all, and regarded the Indigenous students as successful and thriving learners.Theprincipaltoomaintainedthatallstudentswereequalandabletosucceedat their school anddidnot subscribe to thebelief that therewas a deficit-teachingmodel adopted at their school.

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While Maggie’s interview affirmed the importance of involving parents in thereconciliationprocess,shedidnot,however,usetheterms‘disadvantaged’or‘barriers’or ‘difficulties’when speaking about the students.LikeMaggie and the classroomteachers,heaffirmedtheimportanceofparentalattitudes,valuesandexpectationsinteaching children about Reconciliation. He reminded me about the importance of the familyforanindigenouschildandofthesignificanceoffamilywhenworkingagainstracism and prejudice. He stated:

I believe Reconciliation starts at a younger age level – like at primary school and weneedtoworkwiththesekids–sayfromgradeoneupwardsandstartteachingthem–becauseiknowtheparentsiftheyareracist,(bothNonindigenousandindigenousparents)thenthechildrenwillberacist.Andwhattheparentteachesthekidathomeiswhatthekidsgrowuptobeandyouknowit’sveryhardforteachersandteachers’assistantstochangeachildaltogether.Wearenotheretodothat.Butweareheretoshowthemadifferentangle.Thenyouknowtheycanmakeuptheirownminds.Attheendofthedayithinkthatifwecanteachouryoungkidsandwhentheygrowuptheycanmakeuptheirownmindsatacertainage.Theydon’thavetolistentomumanddadanymore.Theycanmakeuptheirownmind(ExcerptfrominterviewwithArthur,March2009).

CONCLUSION

The study demonstrated that involvement in the arts could provide opportunities forindigenousstaff inschoolstoworkwithandleadthereconciliationprocess.itintroduced the idea that classroom teachers and Indigenous Teaching Assistants that work on reconciliation projects through arts strategies may be able to assist non-Indigenous students in their understandings of Reconciliation and Indigenous culture. By formally studying Reconciliation and its history, Indigenous and non-Indigenous students can discover ways towork together. Through songwriting on themes ofReconciliation, students can learn to celebrate Indigenous culture, history, and success through song. By working with indigenous teaching assistants in the classroom,Indigenous students can be mentored and positive relationships and learning patterns can grow. By promoting the study of reconciliation through the arts in schools,principalscanworkinpartnershipwithindigenouseducatorstoprovideindigenousstudentswith leadership roles in their schools. indigenousTeachingAssistants canmodellearningstyles,whichsuittheindigenousstudents,throughculturallyspecificprogramswherecollaborative,learningandoralorstory-tellingdeliveryisselectedasappropriate pedagogy.

ThespearsthrownbyArthuratMarlenePrimarySchoolwerepowerfuldemonstrationsof the Reconciliation process possible in schools. Both Maggie and Arthur offered mesignificantinsightintosomeveryparticularissuesthatimpactedthelearningofindigenousstudentsattheirschool.Theyaffirmedtheimportanceofdevelopingtrustand respect andmodelling positive, appreciative relationshipswhere diversitywasvalued.Theyprovidedalternativelearningmodelswheretrialanderrorwasavaluedlearningmodel andwhere kinaesthetic, active learnerswere given the opportunityto become actively involved in practical, discovery based learning in an outside

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environment.Theirspearsarepowerfulremindersofthepossibilitiesofpartnershipsbetweenindigenousteachingassistants,researchers,andschoolsandoftheimportanceof Indigenous teaching assistants leading culturally appropriate programs in primary schools.

The research valued the insights and contributions made by Indigenous teaching assistantsworking in schools. it provided opportunities for reflecting on culturallysensitivewaysofworkingwithindigenousstudents.itdemonstratedschoolingthatmoved away from deficitmodels and progressed towards inclusive pedagogy thatembracedanindigenousworldview,acknowledgedtheimportanceofmusicandstoryinindigenousculturesandcelebratedthesignificanceoflearningthroughobservationandworkingwithothers.ThroughsharingthestoryofthespearthrowingsessionsandsomeoftheinsightsofferedbythetwoindigenousteachingassistantsworkinginaremoteschoolintheNorthernTerritory,andtheirpedagogygavehopeandprovidedopportunitiesforotherstofeelthepowerofthespearandacknowledgeitsimportancein the continuing story of Reconciliation.

figure 1. They Throw Spears. Collograph by Jane Moore, March 2009.

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NOTES ON TERMINOLOGy

Harmony Day

Harmony Day is celebrated on or around the 21 March each year in primary and high schools around the nation. It is an activity endorsed by education departments across the nation.Harmonyday celebratesAustralia’s community harmony, participationand cultural diversity.

Indigenous

The word indigenous is commonly used to describeAboriginal and Torres Straitislanderpeople.inthisstudy,outofrespectforthewishesofAboriginalpeople,andinparticularthePalawacommunity,thetermAboriginalisused.

Murri

Murri is used to identify Indigenous people from Queensland.

Reconciliation

Reconciliation is about recognition, rights and reform. It is recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the original people of this land, and it is recognising the Aboriginal history of this land, both the long Aboriginal history before the invasion, andthesharedhistorysince.reconciliationisrecognisingtherightsthatflowfrombeingthefirstpeoples,aswellasourrightsasAustraliancitizensincommonwithallother citizens. It is about reforming systems to address the disadvantages suffered by Aboriginal peoples and, as I have said, it is about changing the frame of reference of allAustralianstoincludeAboriginalAustralia(Burney,2000,p.66).

TOs

Traditionalownersorfirstpeoples.

woomera

Asmallpieceofpaintedorcarvedwood,whichisusedtolaunchesaspearintotheair.

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wEbSITEShttps://www.skwirk.comwww.skwirk.com.au/reconciliation...reconciliation.../challen...accessed21/02/08).

Sarah Jane Moore isacreativeandperformanceartistwithaBCA(hons)dipEd,MCA and MED from the University of Wollongong. She has teaching experience in schools in urban, regional and remote settings. She has a background in community culturaldevelopment,culturalplanning,youthworkandprofessionalsinging.She is an early career researcher and her doctoral thesis focused on Reconciliation andwassubmittedin2013throughtheFacultyofEducationandSocialWorkattheUniversityofSydney.Shewritescreatively,illustratesherownwritingandfavours innovative, multi-disciplinary and approaches to Reconciliation. Her research interests include Embedding Diversity and developing mutual respect and understandingsbetweenAboriginalandnon-Aboriginalpeoplesthroughcreativeartsandprojects.Jane.moore@usyd.edu.au