Connect with Culture Through Colour, Ceremony, and Story
Step into a world of colour and culture with our First Nations Ochre Crushing and Painting Workshop.
This interactive experience invites participants to explore the traditional practice of ochre making — a practice that has connected people to Country for thousands of years.
Guided in a culturally safe and respectful way, participants will prepare, mix, and apply ochre while learning about its importance in ceremony, art, cultural identity, and wellbeing.
About the Workshop
For Aboriginal peoples, ochre is far more than a pigment — it is a living connection to Country and spirit.
For over 60,000 years, it has been used in body painting, storytelling, rock art, ceremony, and healing.
In this hands-on session, you will learn how to crush and prepare ochre safely, while discovering the cultural protocols that surround its use.
You’ll explore how ochre connects people to place and how each colour carries its own meaning, purpose, and story.
Moreover, this workshop provides a calm, creative space for mindfulness, reflection, and connection.
It’s a powerful way to experience art as both healing and cultural expression.
Workshop Outcomes
By the end of this session, participants will:
- Gain a deeper appreciation of the spiritual, medicinal, and cultural significance of ochre.
- Learn the ethical responsibilities that come with engaging in Aboriginal cultural practices.
- Experience ochre making as a tool for creativity, mindfulness, and cultural connection.
- Develop practical skills in preparing and using ochre safely and respectfully.
- Participate in cultural storytelling that strengthens understanding and respect for Aboriginal knowledge.
Key Learning Areas
Cultural Significance of Ochre:
Understand ochre as more than a material — it is a spiritual and cultural element essential to Aboriginal identity and ceremony.Spiritual and Medicinal Uses:
Learn how ochre was traditionally used in healing, protection, and spiritual wellbeing, and discover its role in cultural balance.Ethical Learning:
Explore the importance of engaging respectfully and ethically with Aboriginal cultural practices and traditions.Connection to Country:
See how ochre links people to land, story, and ancestry, reinforcing the deep relationship between culture and place.Ochre in Practice:
Gain hands-on experience in grinding, mixing, and applying ochre while learning appropriate cultural protocols.Wellbeing and Learning Benefits:
Recognise how ochre making enhances creativity, mindfulness, and sensory learning through shared experience.Sharing Stories:
Discover how ochre has been used to communicate, teach, and strengthen identity across generations.
Why This Workshop Matters
This experience is ideal for schools, community groups, and workplaces seeking to engage in authentic cultural learning.
It provides a unique opportunity to connect art, history, and spirit, while deepening respect for the world’s oldest continuous culture.
Participants not only create with colour — they also walk away with knowledge, reflection, and renewed connection to Country.
👉 Book an Ochre Crushing and Painting Workshop