Home/Curriculum resources/Fire in ceremony /Activity 1 – Smoking ceremony
Learning Area:
Health and Physical Education
Year levels:
Level 5, Level 6
Suggested timing:
30 mins
Required resources:
Device, internet connection
Activity 1 – Smoking ceremony
This activity is a part of the Fire in ceremony resource.
Green branches and flame. Adelaide, Kaurna country. Photographer: Elena Pochesneva. Source: Getty Images. Used under license.
Step by step guide
Step 1: Watch Film
Watch ‘Adrian Brown on smoking ceremonies’ (National Museum of Australia): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-dYyYpWJfyM
Step 2: Have a discussion
Respond to these inquiry-based questions for discussion:
What is smoking ceremony used for?
Who does the presenter talk to in language and why? How does the smoking ceremony connect people to country?
What kind of plants and what stage of leaves are used to make the smoke?
How does smoking ceremony help people connect with community and place? Discuss identity and its relationship with mental health, wellbeing and belonging.
What beliefs does smoking ceremony relate to, and how are these beliefs different to European or Western beliefs? What does this tell you about the experiences of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People ‘border-crossing’ or walking in two worlds?
Related activities within this resources:
Conceptual-based questions
Engage with a variety of conceptual-based questions which explore fire in Indigenous culture.
Activity 2 – Fire starting techniques
This activity involves teachers and students watching a video demonstrating fire starting methods and discussing techniques, teamwork, and the importance of community in the process.
Suggested timing:
20 minutes
Required resources:
Device, internet connection
Activity 3 – Campfire construction
In this activity teachers guide students in gathering materials from an outdoor area and building a campfire setup, emphasizing the importance of considering oxygen, heat, and fuel.
Suggested timing:
30 minutes up to one lesson.
Required resources:
Sticks, leaves, stones, access to natural outdoor area