Cultural Activities (Burraja)

We offer cultural knowledge, education, and youth activity programs that are endorsed by Burraja – an Indigenous Cultural and Environmental Discovery Centre located on Gateway Island, Wodonga Victoria.

The programs are delivered to schools, local government agencies, and businesses. The aim is to improve the connection to knowledge, cultural understanding, and appreciation of local Aboriginal heritage.

We can tailor cultural activities to suit your needs.

Field trips

The aim is to introduce you to a locally significant site and to increase awareness of such sites in the local area. This session reinforces the concept of cultural practices and leads to the development of practical skills and self-reflection of cultural heritage. View local rock paintings and interpretation.

Who: Available to people of all age groups.

This is an outdoor activity that involves:
- Group travel by road to Mt Pilot
- Ground orientation and safety brief on arrival
- Under supervision, walk the trail to rock paintings (group to split for Men’s and Women’s area where appropriate)
- View and discuss rock paintings
- Regroup at vehicle(s) – headcount
- Return group travel by road to Wodonga
The location depends on the time of year and the resources available. Learn about traditional plant use and the cultural landscape.

Who: Available to people of all age groups.

This activity will be an outdoor activity requiring travel to a local reserve close to the Albury Wodonga region and involves:
- Ground orientation and safety brief on arrival
- Walk with the Activities Officer to:
  - Identify resource plants and their uses
  - Identify plants in the cultural landscape
  - Discuss plant uses and cultural responsibility
- Regroup at vehicle(s) – headcount
- Return group travel by road to Wodonga

Cultural learnings

Where: Albury Wodonga Aboriginal Health Service

Who: Available to all people of all ages

Learn about your family history and cultural identity including what nation(s) / country you belong to and what totem is associated with your country:
- Learn about extended family through talking to your family
- Record or map history in art form or recording
- Network with AWAHS for any health issues or services
Where: Murray River

Who: Available to all people of all ages

Travel to a suitable fishing location on the Murray River where you will:
- undertake ground orientation and safety brief
- learn how to use a fishing rod
- learn where, when and how to fish
- hear stories about fishing and traditional foods connected to water
- learn how to cook fish the traditional way

Practical workshops

Where: Burraja Cultural Centre

Who: Available to women only

Learn about traditional methods of weaving, what plants to use and how to prepare them for weaving.

Under the instructions of a Women’s Activities Officer:
- learn how to prepare reeds for weaving
- learn the weaving technique to make a basket
- make a basket
Where: Burraja Cultural Centre

Who: Available to men only

Learn how to:
- prepare a didgeridoo – sand down, fill cracks, etc
- tune dig
- decorate with traditional design
Didgeridoos to be prepared off-site to reduce the risk of injury with power tools.
Where: Burraja Cultural Centre

Who: Available to all people of all ages

Learn about traditional hunting techniques and how to make a tool for hunting emu:
- How to prepare and make an emu caller eg – sand down, fill cracks etc
- How the Emu Caller works
- Decorate emu caller with traditional design
Emu callers to be prepared off-site to reduce the risk of injury with power tools.
Where: Burraja Cultural Centre

Who: Available to all people of all ages

Learn about the traditional way to make a shelter and participate in the design and construction.

Under the instructions and supervision of the Project Activity Officer, you will learn about:
- the different methods of making a shelter
- the materials used to make a shelter
- how to make a shelter
- the traditional set of camps and protocols
Where: Burraja Cultural Centre

Who: Available to people aged from 13 to 16 years

Find out about the cultural aspect of fire in the landscape, traditional methods of fire-making, and resources used to make fire. This activity includes:
- - How to make a fire drill and base using traditional materials
  - Traditional uses of fire
  - A brief history of traditional fire in the northeast of Victoria
  - Fire safety
This activity can be paired with the collecting resin activity as the resources come from the same plant.
Where: Burraja Cultural Centre

Who: Available to women only

Source Possum skin and sit down with women Elders to learn how the possum skins were used for clothing etc.

Under the instructions of a senior Women Elder, learn:
- how to turn possum skins into traditional items
- how to prepare a skin
- about traditional sewing techniques and materials – sinew, bone needle
- about designs on possum skin rugs
Where: Burraja Cultural Centre

Who: Available to all people of all ages

Find out about traditional string making, learn how to prepare fibre for string making and what plants are used in this area.

Activity includes:
- Group travel by road to Nail Can Hill Reserve with Wagirra Rangers
- Ground orientation and safety brief on arrival
- Collection of Stringy Bark to make fibre
- Processing the fibre to make string
- Making of different thickness of string for various uses

This program is currently on hold.

For any enquiries please call 0427 096 551.

We work in collaboration with the Department of Justice Victoria (DOJ), Department of Health & Human Services (DHHS), Wodonga and Albury city councils, Department of Education & Training (DET), Wodonga TAFE, and Department of Environment, Water, Land and Planning (DELWP) to support the ongoing cultural learning and practices of Aboriginal people locally.