Tribesmen of Ubin

Contributed by Iqbal on Workplace in 2023

“Imagination is the soil that brings dreams to life”

G’day everyone! Im sharing a mini land expedition framing i tried for last week MOC (17-21 -April 2023). The main objective of this framing is to get the participants to identify some of the flora and fauna in Pulau Ubin as well as the heritage sites. I thought to myself what better way to engage the students during the long trek in the recent hot weather so i came up with this little imagination of mine and brought it to life.

Framing: The Tribesman Of Pulau Ubin 🪶

How it was Framed: 

Healing plants 🪴

With their Chief Feather Hat and Journey sticks C1 Barker embark onto the journey of The Tribesman Of Pulau Ubin during their Land expedition. The Village Headman of Pulau Ubin is sick and he needs medicine, but not just any over-the-counter medication, but one that follows the customs of the indigenous Ubin people, who have long been aware of the therapeutic benefits of several “medicinal plants” unique to the island.

The students will need to find fallen leaves from the list plants that are around Pulau Ubin and to mix them to make a medicine for the village headman. (No trees or plants were harm during the process).

Journey Stick 🦯

Both Native Americans and Aboriginal people have used journey sticks as a visual map of the journeys they have been on. Collecting objects along the way, and tying them on in order, these sticks were then used to remember where they had been and helped them tell the story to their family and friends.

Whilst on their journey, using their camping stick the students collect objects that represent or remind them of particular points of their journey and tie them to the stick. This may be feelings, wildlife discoveries, nature treasures or other milestones. Part of the fun of a journey stick is using it as a tool to remember their journey so that they can share their story during the night circle.

Do check out some of the pictures that I’ve captured during their journey. Its my first time trying out this framing and its definitely not perfect, so and do let me know if you have more ideas for such similar framing or ways to better improve the delivery.

Thank you!! 🙏🏾

(more photos on Workplace but choosing not to post here as they contain pax faces

Additional comments from Jacob Chin

Ideas for whoever next gonna try this: (1) Get some face paint, and get the whole group to have a common tribal paint on the face as an identity!

Also, would be great to have this as a mobile framing! So mobile buddy watches all can take on different tribes and design, different roles, and all can (compete or) accomplish some task together! Can even incorporate the sea ex (especially IRB activity) into the whole framing!

Additional comments from Fazli

I've tried a similar framing - my PESS pax have to collect water from the 6 magical pool around ubin (our quarries lah) for their sick king...they had a blast doing it.

At each quarry can include some place based learning on Ubin's history. Quarries that are out of reach, you can integrate with the medicinal flora you mentioned. Make a concoction at the end. Since it works so well (the king/chief always gets better..haha), can extend to piece up their journey and learnings as a sales pitch on why our nature should be preserved!

Just note on the sensitivity of quarries due to recent news.