The Time of Chaos by Carolyn Briggs and Balnarring Preschool

ISBN: 9780646860855

Many years ago the biik we now call greater Melbourne extended right out through the large grassy flat plain.
The Birrarang now known as the Yarra River, flowed out through the grassy plain. 

In December 2019 N’awee’t suggested the third book in this series would be the Boon Wurrung story of The Time of Chaos.  Unlike the previous books in this series The Time of Chaos, while telling the ancient story of Boon Wurrung Country, also stories our own communities’ journey, and relationships with chaos.  A journey we have experienced for the past three years during the worldwide COVID pandemic.

This story, the third collection of stories of the Boon Wurrung language group, represents the collaborative relationship between N’arweet Carolyn Briggs Parbin-ata Boonwurrung, the children, the teaching team and the Balnarring Pre-school community.  The collaboration, where the children (bubups) were the illustrators, aims to provide teachers, early childhood educators and the community with a resource to begin or continue their journeys of reconciliation.  It is hoped the readers can see the possibilities beyond the story.  Embedding First Peoples perspectives within education programs can create many amazing stories.

Our Story so far…

For the past decade Balnarring pre-school has recognised our roles and responsibilities towards reconciliation.  This commitment has supported our community to learn with First Peoples knowledges and stories. At Balnarring pre-school we intentionally embed First Peoples perspectives within all areas of our programs.  First Peoples knowledges and relationships have supported us to teach, care for each other, the Land, the creatures that live within our local environments, the bush and the sea, with new understandings.

These story collections demonstrate the respectful relationships that have developed between Carolyn Briggs Parbin-ata (Mother of earth/community), the teaching team, children and Balnarring pre-school community.  Carolyn challenges us to view relationships with First Peoples beyond reconciliation and develop mutual relationships based on reciprocity. We feel very privileged to be a part of this story.

About the Author…

Carolyn Briggs, Parbin-ata Boonwurrung is a Boon Wurrung senior Elder and is the chairperson and founder of the Boon Wurrung Foundation.

A descendent of the First Peoples of Melbourne, the Yaluk-ut Weelam clan of the Boon Wurrun, she is the great-granddaughter of Louisa Briggs, a Boon Wurrung woman born near Melbourne in the 1830s.

Carolyn has been involved in developing and supporting opportunities for Indigenous youth and has been proactive in developing strategies for the promotion and maintenance of Boon Wurrung culture and heritage for over 40 years.

Carolyn is passionately committed to sharing the values and heritage of Melbourne’s First Peoples – the Boon Wurrung and believes that a sense of shared history of Melbourne is important in uniting the whole community.

By BRIGGS CAROLYN