We studied a very broad overview of the content Oceania, completing aural and visual fact files and focused on an art aspect from both Aotearoa New Zealand and Australia.

From Aotearoa New Zealand, we painted our very own family portraits using the traditional Koru form. We focussed on telling our family ‘story’ through the shape of the koru and through colour. Studying the Aboriginal art form of contemporary ‘dot’ art allowed us to understand why the traditional forms of Aboriginal art were so precious to the indigenous Aboriginal people of Australia. All the while, recreating our own journey or animal using this incredible form of art. We also studied and made a version of a New Zealand, a traditional Taonga Puoro (Maori musical instrument) called a purerehua and a boomerang (Aboriginal hunting tool).

At the end of each session we shared our work sometimes in class and sometimes out on the field by flying our boomerangs or playing our purerehua. It was an amazing week of fun, learning such beautiful cultural arts!

Thank you to all the adults who planned such an exciting themed week for the children who opted to not take part in one of our residentials: Mrs Vaike, Mrs Woodards, Mrs Higgins and Mrs Millican.