Centre for Health Promotion
Contact Info:
8th Floor, Samuel Way Building
Women's and Children's Hospital
72 King William Road
North Adelaide, South Australia, 5006
Tel. +61 8 8161 7777
Culture can be expressed in many ways. We can use dance, food, and dress to express our culture, but did you know that sport could equally do the same? In Victoria, Australia, students at the Warrnambool Alternative School participate in a program that develops and teaches traditional indigenous games. Physical education teachers and student leaders were instructed in the delivery of a range of indigenous sporting and recreational activities. As a result the students at the school have become so fascinated with the games that they have been teaching them to students from other district schools, and they will be played at a district interschool sports carnival in December.
Through indigenous games students are able to link sport, culture and identity. Students are also able to learn and gather knowledge of indigenous cultures of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, both in the past and present, while they are enjoying their games.
The program provides participants with an avenue to celebrate their cultural traditions.
The games include:
1. Buroinjin: a ball game played by the Kabi Kabi people of Southern Queensland
2. Gorri: a bowl-ball/disc and spear game common to Western Australia
3. Wana: a game based on indigenous women defending their young.
4. Pulyugge: a keepings-off style of game traditionally played throughout Australia
5. Battendi: a spear game played in areas of South Australia.
In 2001 the school won the VicHealth award for health promotion through Community Participation.
Photo Credit: www.ac-nancy-metz.fr
Let Sport Express Your Culture
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