Buku Manapan - Big Ideas

3 year cycle program for teaching the Indigenous Languages and Culture Curriculum.

About Buku Manapan

The ILC Curriculum at Shepherdson College is planned around 12 topics. Delivered over 3 years, each term has a specific topic with resources to support the delivery of ILC Curriculum across the school. Each topics allow students to explore concepts deeply and comprehensively at a number of developmental stages. The 3 year plan ensures content is not repeated and that the LPC can identify and create culturally relevant supporting material.

Shepherdson College students explore 12 topics that weave together culturally relevant concepts and curriculum specific ideas to deliver key learning outcomes.  

Books & Wordlists

Every term the LPC team identifies and creates books and associated resources to support both in class learning and teachers awareness and familiarity with the topic.
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Cultural Resources & Posters

Available to download or printed (upon request) teachers can select from posters, charts and activities to support cultural concepts in the classroom.

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2026 Topics

TERM 1
TERM 2
TERM 3
TERM 4
Gapu ga Wata
Water and Wind
ILC Curriculum Key Ideas:
P&K: Students know to ‘read the land’ to find water
CL: Students know their relationships with the natural environment and the weather
NE: Students know and understand cycles and passages of time: seasons, wind and clouds, rain and water, the weather
Gurruwilyun ga Warrakan'
Seasons, Animals and Hunting
ILC Curriculum Key Ideas:
P&K: Growing up healthy, happy & strong.
NE: Cycles and passages of time: seasons, day/night, moon and stars, tides
NE: How to 'read the land' to find and prepare traditional bush foods
NE: Understand traditional technologies and how they were and are used (hunting tools).
Gurtha
Fire

ILC Curriculum Key Ideas:
NE: Explore uses of fire, and materials and processes used to make fire, both in the past and now
NE: Knowing and understanding the importance and ways of caring for Country
Gamunuŋga ga Dhul
Art and Crafts

ILC Curriculum Key Ideas:
CL: Students identify their Dreaming stories, songs and dances
NE: Understand traditional technologies and how they were and are used

Curriculum Outcomes 
across the year

P&K: Students understand the ways they relate to family, extended kinship groups and Country