BRUNEIAN CHILDREN'S REPRESENTATIONS OF THEIR WORLD

Five-year-old children in Brunei created these drawings, which show the children's interpretations of their world. The artworks show images that are based on the experiences of the children and grounded in their culture. These drawings were a part of a project in which children were invited to reflecting on and revisiting their experiences by talking, drawing and writing. This was an innovative concept in the education system of Brunei, where the focus of learning is workbook oriented and a lot of attention is paid to the colouring in of adult produced images, with emphasis on staying within the lines.

Drawing one shows Faishal going to his Grandmother's house. The two figures in the drawing are wearing Malay dress with Songkoks the traditional Malay headgear for men. The stilt house with steps leading up to the front door and the air conditioners attached to the side of the house are images that are typical of Brunei. This drawing was done in response to Faishal's story of having visited his grandmother at the weekend.

Drawing two shows the interior of a house. This drawing was in response to a discussion of foods the children liked and the child who produced this image was discussing her favourite drinks I like coffee and orange juice. To reinforce this she has drawn a large jug of orange juice on the table as well as including a great deal of detail, suggesting what is important to her in her internal environment. The pattern on the tablecloth, the text on the television and VCR and the power point all focus the viewer's attention on small details. The decoder, necessary to have access to the satellite network is on the television set. The detail in the furnishings of the room present a contrast to the stick figure images used to represent the people in the room.

Drawings three and four are based on Mohd Firdaus Ilhan's story that last Friday he went to the Mosque'. These drawings show two interpretations of the experience and in both drawings we see that a lot of attention has been given to the architecture of the Mosque. The representations of the Mosque are different in both drawings and this may be because the children who drew these images attend different Mosques.

Drawing three shows detailed representations of people, including two figures inside the Mosque, both wearing traditional dress, which is worn by the men and the boys when they attend Friday prayers. The figures inside the Mosque, in this drawing, show the child's solution to representing both the internal and the external world, an example of x-ray drawing.

The image of the Mosque in drawing four is very detailed, showing the rounded dome seen on some Brunei Mosques, the minarets and the stairs leading to the minaret. The detail in the representation of the Mosque presents a contrast to the row of stick figures in the foreground.

These images support the concept of art as an international language, showing the children's perceptions of significant aspects of their culture.

Rosalind Kitson, June 2002

Rosalind Kitson's interest in art was evident in her teaching career. She has Masters Degree in Art Education and has lectured in children's art at the College of Fine Arts, University of New South Wales. Rosalind lived and taught in Brunei for five years from 1994 until 1999 where she was employed as a lecturer at the Universiti of Brunei Darussalam in the department of early childhood. The drawings included in this website were collected as a part of Rosalind's research into literacy development in Brunei, that explored children's stories, their drawing and the connection between language, drawing and literacy development. Children's drawings were also linked with a study undertaken in Brunei by Rosalind, that explored the process of starting school and the program for children in prasekolah (preschool). She subsequently gained her doctorate for this study.