The Importance of Fire in Aboriginal Culture and How to Explore This in the Classroom
Making fire by friction is an ancient practice and has been employed in a variety of ways in Aboriginal culture.
Fire was used:
For warmth
In cooking
To drive game towards hunters
For ceremonial purposes, including burials
In artefact manufacturing
In fire-stick farming (for promoting particular vegetation growth)
To repel insects
To heat resins
The importance of fire as a tool in Aboriginal culture and history is highlighted through its presence in many Aboriginal Dreaming stories, and the way it is documented in many Aboriginal art sites.
Each of the ways fire was and is used listed above, provide great STEM applications to explore in the classroom, particularly with older students.
For a younger audience, Looking After Country with Fire is a picture book for 5- to 10-year-olds that demonstrates respect for Indigenous knowledge, following the success of Victor Steffensen's bestselling adult book Fire Country.
Mother Nature has a language. If we listen, and read the signs in the land, we can understand it.
For thousands of years, First Nations people have listened and responded to the land and made friends with fire, using this knowledge to encourage plants and seeds to flourish, and creating beautiful places for both animals and people to live.
Join Uncle Kuu as he takes us out on Country and explains cultural burning. Featuring stunning artwork by Sandra Steffensen, this is a powerful and timely story of understanding Australia's ecosystems through Indigenous fire management, and a respectful way forward for future generations to help manage our landscapes.
At the back of the book, you will also find lyrics to a song written by author Victor Steffensen with the same title, 'Looking After Country with Fire'.
