The Mungo Youth Project (MYP) is a biennial, ten week, mentored, research in schools program that culminates in a three day conference hosted by the Traditional Elder communities (The Barkindji/Paakantji, Ngyiampaa and Mutthi Mutthi) within the Willandra Lakes Region World Heritage Area: http://www.visitmungo.com.au/
The MYP emerged as a key part of the 2006 Mungo Festival, which celebrated 25 years of World Heritage listing and over 45,000 years of indigenous culture in the Willandra Lakes Region World Heritage Area.
THE 2019 CONFERENCE is scheduled for May 7th, 8th, 9th & 10th 2019. REGISTRATIONS OPEN FRI OCTOBER 19th 2018
The Mungo Youth Project brings together traditional Aboriginal knowledge and understandings with science and archaeology to focus on ‘a deeper understanding of present-day events as well as the enduring significance of earlier ones.’ – Shape of the Australian Curriculum
The project employs the Kids teaching Kids model, where students learn so as to teach in an interactive way with other learners. It creates powerful references to contemporary challenges including climate change, community and individual capacity building and respect for Australia’s deep cultural heritage.
Critically the project is based on partnerships: students partner with Elders, Traditional Owners, Discovery Rangers, archaeologists, scientists, landholders, educators and National Parks staff as their mentors before, during and after the conference.
During the conference all students learn from each other by sharing their topic areas and take part in exploration and cultural tours and activities led by Elders, Traditional Owners, Aboriginal Mentors,Archaeologists, Discovery Rangers and Pastoralists.
The project provides meaningful engagement for all participants in the extraordinary Lake Mungo World Heritage landscape. With a focus on Australia’s First peoples, the project has been designed with close links to the National Curriculum, in particular, History, Geography and Science.
Occurring in a purpose-built, high-tech tented village within the World Heritage area the camp is located adjacent to dunes and an area containing one of Australia’s earliest dated freshwater middens.
Each conference is beamed live and interactive into schools across the world http://www.abc.net.au/local/videos/2011/10/26/3348576.htm
The 2019 conference will again host 350 participants with a set limit of 220 students. We anticipate live interactions with over 2000 students across Australia and internationally.
Visit: ‘ABC Open Mungo’ for inspiring video stories from participants or consider the many resources including media within our Learning & Teaching page.