The visit from Boori Monty Pryor sounds great – including the dance he taught you about the boy who wouldn’t listen…

I will definitely remember never to use a crocodile’s head as a stepping stone! The song that he sang you as you went out to lunch sounds great – what a fabulous visit…

Thanks so much, Mr McLean, for the link you have provided to the students’ artwork!

Cheers
Lizzie

Penrith PS has added some artwork links and a photo of our visit from Boori at:

http://rapblog5.edublogs.org/gallery/

Regards, Mr McLean,
Penrith PS

On Wednesday, we went to see Boori “Monty” Pryor, a famous Aboriginal writer and storyteller. He told some funny stories about when he was a kid. Boori did some rap and other songs on his didgeridoo.

He taught us a dance about the boy who wouldn’t listen. The boy went to go fishing in a place where there were crocodiles. First, the people who were acting as the boy had to walk around, then hold their hands together and shake their knees. The people being crocodiles had to lie on their bellies, sneak up behind the boys, grab them and pretend to eat them. Then the crocodiles had to hold their hands together like jaws and shake their knees.

Another dance we had to mime being different animals. Aboriginal people thank the animals they hunt. They thank them for dying, to provide food.

Boori told us stories, like the one about a treefrog, the snake in his cot, and his cousin getting bitten by a crocodile. Never use a crocodile’s head as a stepping stone.

He sang us a song as we left to go out to lunch. He gave us high fives and handshakes in the playground. We all miss him and hope he comes back again. Everyone should ask their schools to get Monty to visit.

Goodbye and thank you,
Year 5 of 4/5 M @ Penrith PS.

It sounds as if Monty Pryor is a really funny and very clever man! What a fantastic storyteller – I really believe the world needs more storytellers like Monty – I wish I had been there when he was talking to you all.

It also sounds as if he got you up and dancing – I bet that was good fun…

What a blast – good on you all! Thanks for sharing this with everyone.

Cheers
Lizzie

Monty Pryor is a great storyteller and a funny man. He was telling the story of his life and his Aboriginal culture.

He taught us dances and we used our brains to think of how to perform each animal. Monty has a strong spirit and is proud of his Aboriginal identity. He is also a good dancer and can play the didgeridoo.

It was worth the $4 we paid to hear Monty speak. We enjoyed it. His visit has made us ready for NAIDOC Week next week.

From 5B Grasshoppers @ Penrith PS

Monty Pryor is a very, very, very funny man!

He told us about when he was a kid and how a green treefrog crawled near his butt while he was in bed. Someone asked Monty if the frog fell somewhere we didn’t want to know and he said, “No, It was on a four-wheel drive. Oh what a feeling!”

When Monty was a baby, a taipan slithered into his cot. His mother flipped Monty out of the way of the snake. Monty flew up into the air, spinning like a little black helicopter wearing a white nappy on his butt, going: “Butt butt butt butt butt.”

We had to dance like Australian animals, including kangaroos, snakes, lizards, kookaburras, emus, disco dancers, crocodiles, monsters, frogs, statues and crabs. He gave us three tips for playing the didgeridoo.

When someone asked him how old Monty was, he said, “40 000 years old.”

It was excellent, funny, fantastic and awesome. You should check out his books!

Buzzzzzzzzzzzzzz!
From 5B Bees @ Penrith PS

We have just come from a performance by Boori “Monty” Pryor. He is a very funny Aboriginal storyteller.

He taught us some dances: the crocodile and the fisherman; and pretending to be Australian animals. He told us about the taipan that tried to drink his milk when he was a little baby in a cot, and then he told us about “My girragundji”, who was a small green treefrog. He also described a scary story about a giant woman who caught kids and put them in her backpack. It was a Canadian Indian story about where mosquitoes first came from.

Monty told us that he is from Townsville in Queensland and has seven sisters and three brothers. He has been writing books and telling stories for twenty years.

We thought it was fun. We learned about his life as an Aboriginal man, He showed us how to play the didgeridoo properly.

Peace out peeps!
5B Besties from Penrith PS

Wow – you both have such fantastic mothers – I think that with mentors like these, both of you will grow up to have strong and positive identities. Thanks so much for sharing this with us – this has been one of the most detailed and fascinating postings on the rap…

Cheers
Lizzie

Wow! What can I say – your feedback is so detailed and so clever…

Each group has obviously done so much thinking and discussing about Aboriginal culture, building your own strong identities, dealing with difficult times, aiming high for the future and using IWBs to the maximum advantage for your learning…

You clearly did find it interesting to write for a wider audience and I certainly found your weekly blog postings to be very interesting indeed…

All the best on your journeys towards building a strong identity and a positive future for yourselves.

Cheers
Lizzie

From participating in the Identity Rap 2009, what did Year 5 of 4/5M learn about:

Aboriginal culture and beliefs?:
Find food first – this is so important for survival. Aboriginal people are proud of their identity. Learning about Aboriginal culture and beliefs is important for all Australians, Aboriginal and non Aboriginal.

Dealing with difficult times?:
We realised we all have strong mothers, who help us get through difficult times. Keep strong family connections, even if your parents split up.

Cultural identity and a strong future?:
Keep moving forward. Aim high. Be tough. Choose good mentors.

Using technology to read, write and communicate?:
Technology helps us to be focused. We can buy or borrow a book, but searching the Internet is also a good way to find information.

Reading texts?:
The IWB is good for reading rap points. We got together and were talking about our reading. We talked to other schools.

Improving our skills?:
We know about identity. Circle Time helped us to share our ideas before writing. Lots of talking and listening!

The highlights of this rap have been:
Talking to other rapping schools. Telling family stories about our identities. Talking to Ms Chase. Thinking about our future families.

From Year 5 of 4/5 M,
Penrith PS