A conversation with Colleen Sam, Kalkadoon (Kalkadunga) artist and storyteller (Year 6-10)

Join Colleen Sam, Kalkadunga (Kalkadoon) artist and storyteller, for a live-streamed workshop that blends art, culture, and history. Delivered to compliment The Unbroken Spirit of the Kalkadoons exhibition, this session invites students (Years 6 to 10) to engage in a facilitator-led conversation with Colleen, as she shares her family’s story and demonstrates her art-making techniques for students to incorporate into a creative response of their own.

Through this session, students will:

• Be guided by Colleen to create their own response artwork inspired by the session’s themes using classroom materials on-hand (paper, pencils, textas).
• Explore the Sounds of Country, uncovering the cultural meaning of water, raindrops, and thunder, and their deep connection to Kalkadoon land and life.
• Learn about Family and Ancestral Knowledge, discovering how elders pass down stories that shape identity and strengthen community across generation.;
• Examine Connection to Country, gaining an appreciation for how relationships between people, animals, land, and spirit are powerfully expressed.
• Gain insight into the impact of colonisation, the challenges faced by Colleen’s family, and the extraordinary resilience of the Kalkadoon people.

Curriculum Connections

This experience helps students explore First Nations histories, cultures, connections to Country, the impacts of colonisation, and the importance of preserving cultural heritage, and aligns with learning objectives noted in the Australian Curriculum for:

• Year 7 History
• Cross-curriculum priority, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures, Years 6 to10

Important information for teachers

This workshop supports the respectful sharing of First Nations stories and perspectives, helping students build understanding and empathy. Please note some content may be sensitive or confronting for younger students — we encourage teachers to prepare their classes beforehand.

Please also be aware that the session may include names or images of individuals who have passed away, which can hold cultural significance for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Workshop notes:

• Free, 45-minute live-streamed workshop (via Microsoft Teams)
• Students will create artwork using classroom materials on-hand (paper, pencils, textas, etc.)
• Open to all schools; a Microsoft Teams link will be provided upon booking
• Bookings close 20 minutes before the event start time

Image credit: Black Cockatoo Dreaming, Colleen Sam (Kalkadoon/Kalkadunga), 2021, acrylic on canvas.