Holly Turner

11521803

Assessment 1 Report

StudentNameHollyTurner
StudentNumber11521803

SubjectCodeEEB419
WordCount2000words
DueDate24thApril2015

AssessmentItem1
Assessment1Report
EEB419 - Education Studies: Indigenous Studies

Holly Turner

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Assessment 1 Report

ExecutiveSummary
ThisreportwilldiscusstherelationshipbetweenIndigenousAustraliansandnonIndigenous
Australiansthroughouthistory,and,basedonthisevidence,willdetailhowtoimplementeffective
strategiesintheclassroomsoastoallowIndigenousstudentstolearnatasimilarlevelasnon
Indigenousstudents.ThisreportwilllookatIndigenouscultureanddiscusshowithasbeen
affectedbyBritishcolonisation,beforelookingatIndigenousstudentsintheclassroom,and
offeringeffectivestrategiestosuccessfullyeducateIndigenousstudents.Asthisreportdetails,I
believethereareclearconnectionsbetweenIndigenousAustralianhistoryandcolonialhistory,and
thattheseshouldbetaughtwitheachother,ratherthanseparately.Byacknowledgingthat
IndigenousAustraliansandEuropeanAustraliansaredifferentthaneachother,yetshouldbothbe
offeredequaleducationalopportunities,strategiescanbeputinplacetoformanenvironmentthat
assistsallstudentstosucceed.Throughthisreport,awiderunderstandingofIndigenous
Australiansculturewillbeobtained,allowingreaderstodevelopknowledgeandmethodsofhow
tosuccessfullyeducateIndigenousstudents.
CulturalContext
IndigenousAustralianslivebyculturaltraditionsthathaveahistoryandcontinuityunsurpassedin
theworld,formedbyanumberofkeyculturalconcepts,includingtheDreaming,theirkinships,and
relationshipwiththeland(Dudgeon,Wright,Paradies,Garvey,andWalker,2010).
TheDreamingiscomprisedofanumberofstories,viewedasrealities,whichhavebeenpassed
downorallyforgenerations(Harrison,2011).EachstorydetailsapartofIndigenousAustralians
past,allowingthemtounderstandtheiroriginsandhowtheirancestorsshapedtheworldandits
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events(Magin,2005;Edwards,1998).However,TheDreamingvariesbetweenAboriginalnations.
Forexample,althoughweknowthisculturalconceptasTheDreaming,eachIndigenousnation
referstoitinadifferentword,suchastheNgarinyinpeoplereferringtoitasUngud,andthe
ArandapeopleasAldjerinya(Edwards,2005).Aswellasthis,thestorieswillvarydependingon
whereIndigenouspeoplescountryis,suchasspiritsemergingfromwateriftheircountryisbythe
ocean,oranationincentralAustraliabelievingarockistheirgrandfather(Edwards,2005).For
IndigenousAustralians,The Dreaming is significant as it is believed to be the beginning of their
existence, of their heritage and of their cultural life (Edwards, 2005, p.16). The Dreaming explains
their life, describing the relationship between country and humans, and how the principles of
response, balance, symmetry and autonomy must be used to continue harmony (Rose, 1998).
The kinships of Indigenous Australians are another concept that assists in defining their culture. The
Aboriginal culture believes in two types of families: a nuclear family, and an extended family
(Edwards, 2005). People along the same line in the family tree are considered equal, referring to all
the boys by one title, and all the girls as another, merging cousins and siblings together (Morphy,
2006). The titles given to each kin varies among different Indigenous nations, depending on their
language. Further variations in kinship beliefs include marriage. Edwards (2005) describes that the
choice of who to marry is largely determined by a persons membership in society, and that
Indigenous Australians usually marry someone from outside his or her horde. However, Morphys
(2006) observation details that, within the community studied, marriage is preferred to be between
people who are already kin. The principles of Indigenous Australians kinship are significant as
each person is often addressed by their relationship with one another, such as calling someone
aunty, rather than their given name (Edwards, 2005).
Indigenous Australians relationship with the land and their country is another critical feature in
defining their culture. Rose (1996) describes country as a nourishing terrain, which gives and
receives life. Indigenous Australians view country as a living entity, with land country, sea country
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and sky country all consisting of people, plants, animals, soil, mineral and water (Rose, 1996).
Caring for and managing the country is Indigenous Australians most prominent purpose in life, as
if they ensure the country is healthy, all elements of the country will nourish each other and provide
Indigenous people with what they need (Rose, 1996). Diversity between countries occurs with the
different locations of their sacred places, dangerous places, as well as their sources of life, and sites
of death (Rose, 1996).
HistoricalCircumstances
TheBritishsarrivaltoAustraliain1788sawanentirelynewwayoflifeemerge,forcing
IndigenousAustralianstobeovercomebypower,andfacetheharshtreatments(Eckermann,
2010).UponBritainsarrival,numerousconflictsbrokeoutbetweentheEuropeanandIndigenous
Australians,astheBritishtitledAustraliaTerranullius,andbelievedIndigenousAustralianshad
norightstotheland,thusplanningtotakeoverthecountry(Egan,2012).ArthurPhillipattempted
toenticetheAboriginalstoenterhiscommunity,however,whentheyshowednointerest,heforced
themto,capturinganddetainingIndigenouspersons,orkillingthem(Egan,2012;Harrison,2011).
ThearrivaloftheBritishbroughtalongthearrivalofdiseases,themostcatastrophicbeing
smallpox,whichkilledbetweenfiftyandninetypercentofallAboriginalpeopleintheSydney
areawithinthefirstthreeyearsoftheBritishoccupation(Egan,2012,p.26).
Betweenthe1890sandthe1960s,governmentpolicieswerecreatedthatwereimposedon
IndigenousAustralians,andwereaclearexampleofinstitutionalracism(Eckermann,2010,p.
21).ThefirstofthesepolicieswastheProtectionPolicy.Underthispolicy,Eckermann(2010)
statesthatAboriginalpeoplewereissuedrations,whichwerebarelyenoughtosurvive,andthe
ChiefProtectorofAboriginesbecamethelegalguardianofallAboriginalandpartAboriginal
childrenuptotheageof16(having)thepowertoremovethemfromtheirparents(p.21and25).
Aswellasthis,thispolicyalsooutlinedthatAboriginalpeoplehadtoliveinsegregated
EEB419 - Education Studies: Indigenous Studies

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communities,Indigenouschildrenwerenotallowedtoattendstateschool,andnoAboriginewas
abletodrink,voteoraccesssocialservicespayments(Eckermann,2010).AnyIndigenous
Australianwhorequestedtoescapetheseconditionshadtogainexemptionpapersandhadto
abstainfromassociatingwithotherIndigenouspeople(Eckermann,2010).
WiththelawsoftheProtectionpolicyallowingagenciestoforciblyremoveIndigenouschildren
fromtheirfamilies,theinfamousperiodknownastheStolenGenerationbegan,wherebychildren
withanIndigenousandnonIndigenousparentwouldbetakenfromtheirfamilies,andputinto
homesandmissionariesinanattempttoraisethemaswhite(Harrison,2011).Oncetakenaway
fromtheircommunities,itwasbelievedthattheAboriginalitywouldbebredoutof(them)
(Harrison,2011,p.26).Theimpactofbeingseparatedfromtheirfamiliesandculturehascaused
greatgriefanddepressiontosome,whilstothersstruggletolivewiththetraumaoftheirchildhood
(CommonwealthofAustralia,1997).
ThegovernmentsimplementationoftheAssimilationpolicybroughtmorehardships,asitoutlined
thatIndigenousAustraliansweretoliveinasimilarmannerasotherAustralians(Eckermann,
2010,p.27).Underthispolicy,IndigenousAustralianswereforcedbylawtoassimilatetoanew
lifestyleandculture,andleavetheirsbehind(Eckermann,2010).
TheprocessesofcolonisationanddispossessionforcedmanyIndigenousAustralianstolosecontact
withtheirculture,andsufferunfairnessandcruelty,whichstillaffectsthemtoday(Behrendt,2003).
ContemporaryContext
TheeventsinAustraliashistoryhavedeeplyimpactedandaffectedIndigenousAustralians,intheir
everydaylife,andintheireducation.GovernmentpoliciesandlawslimitedIndigenousAustralians
accesstofinances,forcingthemtoendurehardship,poverty,illhealth,degradationand
disempowerment(Bielefeld,2012,p.522).AsShort(2008)describes,bythelate1900s,
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IndigenousAustraliansweredyingatarateofaround8timeshigherthanotherAustralians,were
experiencingextremeratesofarrestandimprisonment,andonlymadeup2.1percentofthe
Australianpopulation,allanaffectofthedispossessionoftheirlandsandlossofautonomy(p.2).
Inordertosucceedinschool,studentsareexpectedtoattendschooldaytoday,weektoweek.
However,duetohavingtoattendtofamilybusiness,aswellasfailureoftheschooltorecognisethe
Indigenouscultureandengagethecommunity,theattendanceofIndigenousAustralianstudentsis
significantlylowerthannonIndigenousstudents,causingthemtofallbehindinthecurriculum
(Harrison,2011;PurdieandBuckley,2010).Asaresultofthis,Indigenousstudentsleaveschool
earlierthannonIndigenousstudents,andarelesslikelytocompletesecondaryortertiarylevelsof
education(Santoro,Reid,Crawford&Simpson,2011).Asoursystemofschoolingperpetuatesa
viewoflearningthatfailstotakeintoaccountculturallydiversepractices,valuesandbeliefs,
Indigenousstudentsstruggleatschool,astheyareunfamiliarwithhowtosolveproblemsand
respondtoquestionsinaclassroomsetting(Santoro,Reid,Crawford&Simpson,2011),p.66).
InanattempttoreconciletheanimositybetweenIndigenousAustraliansandnonIndigenous
Australians,newpolicieswereputinplace.
In1991,theAustralianParliamentcreatedtheCouncilforAboriginalReconciliation,whichsought
toaddressthesourcesofconflict,andresolvethehostilitybetweenIndigenousAustraliansandnon
IndigenousAustralians(Short,2008).Therationaleforthispolicybrieflyoutlinedtheconflict
betweenIndigenousAustraliansandnonIndigenousAustralians,anddetaileditsaspirationto
engageallgovernmentstoworktogetherwithAboriginalandTorresStraitIslanderCommissions
soastobenefitIndigenousAustraliansland,housing,lawandjustice,culturalheritage,education,
employment,health,infrastructure,economicdevelopment,andanyotherrelevantmatters(Short,
2008,p.2).

EEB419 - Education Studies: Indigenous Studies

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In2007,thegovernmentintroducedapaternalisticlegislation,wherebytheysuspendedtheRacial
DiscriminationAct1975andviolatedAustraliasinternationalobligationsundertheInternational
ConventionontheEliminationofRacialDiscrimination,inanattempttostopthesexualabuseof
IndigenouschildreninremoteIndigenouscommunities(Bielefeld,2012,p.543).Aspartofthis
policy,thegovernmentdiscontinuedapart,orwhole,ofIndigenousAustralianswelfarepayments,
iflivinginprescribedcommunitiesintheNorthernTerritory(Bielefeld,2012).Thesecutsrestricted
thepurchasesoftheseIndigenousAustralians,whichthegovernmentbelievedwouldassistto
protectthewellbeingofIndigenouschildren(Bielefeld,2012).
Intheearly1970s,PrimeMinisterGoughWhitlamlaunchedapolicythataimedtorestoretothe
AboriginalpeopleofAustraliatheirlostpowerofselfdeterminationineconomic,socialand
politicalaffairs(Broome,2010,p.230).Underthispolicy,thegovernmentestablishedthefirst
landrightsact,theDepartmentofAboriginalAffairs,andTheRacialDiscriminationAct1975,
amongothers(Broome,2010;Harrison,2011).Aswellasthis,thepolicyofselfdetermination
promptedtheoutstationmovement,wherebyAboriginalpeoplemovedbacktotheirtraditional
lands,andregainedcontroloftheirlawandlifestyle(Harrison,2011).
Eachofthepoliciesdescribedabovewereimplementedinanefforttoreconciletherelationship
betweenIndigenousAustraliansandnonIndigenousAustralians,andattemptedtograntthe
Indigenouscommunitytherightstheydeserved,yethadbeendeniedthroughpreviouspolicies.
RecommendationsandConclusion
Today,IndigenousstudentsaremarginalisedinourmainstreamWesternschoolingsystem,dueto
commitmentstotheirculture,theirparentsviewsofschool,andthedifficultyoflearninginand
aboutaculturethatisnottheirown.

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Inanefforttoovercomethismarginalisation,strategiescanbeimplementedintheclassroomto
introducetheIndigenouscultureandcommunity,andtomakelearningrelevant,andlessdifficult
forAboriginalstudents.AsstudieshavefoundIndigenousstudentstolearnthroughtrailanderror,
contextspecificactivities,andlearningbydoing,handsonactivities,thatexplicitlyhaveapurpose,
shouldcontinuallybeincludedintheclassroom(Harrison,2011).Handsonactivitiesacttoengage
students,andasIndigenousstudentslearnbydoing,ratherthantheory,itallowsthemtolearnina
waythatisfamiliartothem(Harrison,2011).
AfurtherstrategythatcanbeimplementedistorepresentIndigenouscultureintheclassroom,such
asallowingmembersoftheircommunitytocomeintospeakortakepartinactivities,andteaching
IndigenousAustralianhistoryalongsidenonIndigenoushistory.Indigenouslanguage,artand
culturalsymbolscanalsobedisplayedaroundtheclassroomtomakeIndigenousstudentsfeelmore
comfortable.
Indigenousstudentsshouldalsobeofferedchoiceandfreedomintheirlearning.Astheyarefroma
backgroundthatisdifferentthantheirnonIndigenouspeers,theymaynotbefamiliarwith
technologiesusedbyotherstudents,orhavethesameexperiencesofreadingandwritinginthe
home.Toensureallstudentscanlearninamannerthattheyarecomfortablewith,allowthemto
experienceusingarangeofmaterials,andtechnologies,andofferalternativeassessmentstrategies
thatacttobenefitthem.
ThehistoryofIndigenousAustraliansandnonIndigenousAustraliansaredefinedbyeachother,
andhaveaffectedanddeterminedIndigenousAustralianslives.Inanefforttoimprovethe
educationofIndigenousstudents,strategiesneedtobeimplementedthatofferthemasafeand
familiarenvironment,welcometheirculture,andsetactivitiesandassessmentsthataimtoallowthe
studentstosucceedtothebestoftheirabilities.
References
EEB419 - Education Studies: Indigenous Studies

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Behrendt, L. (2003). Achieving Social justice: Indigenous Rights and Australias Future. Sydney,
Australia: The Federation Press

Bielefeld, S. (2012). Compulsory Income Management and Indigenous Australians: delivering

social justice or furthering colonial domination?. UNSW Law Journal, 35(2), 522-362. Retrieved
from http://search.informit.com.au.ezproxy.csu.edu.au/fullText;dn=752612583829305;res=IELAPA

Broome, R. (2010). Aboriginal Australians: a history since 1788 (4th ed.). Allen & Unwin: Sydney,
Australia

Commonwealth of Australia. (1997). Bringing them Home: Report of the National Inquiry into the
Separation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children from their Families. Retrieved from
http://www.humanrights.gov.au/publications/bringing-them-home- report-1997

Dudgeon, P., Wright, M., Paradies, Y., Garvey, D., and Walker, I. (2010). The Social, Cultural and
Historical Context of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians. In Purdie, N., Dudgeon, P. &
Walker, R. (Eds.), Working Together: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Mental Health and
Wellbeing Principles and Practice (pp. 25-43). Retrieved from
http://aboriginal.telethonkids.org.au/media/54847/working_together_full_book.pdf

Eckermann, A. (2010). Background to Aboriginal/non-Aboriginal interactions in Australia. In Binan

Goonj : bridging cultures in Aboriginal health (3rd ed.) (pp. 1-42). Chatswood, NSW : Churchill
Livingstone/Elsevier Australia.

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Edwards, B. (1998). Living the dreaming. In C. Bourke, E. Bourke, & B. Edwards (Eds.),
Aboriginal Australia : an introductory reader in Aboriginal studies (2nd ed.) (pp. 77-99). St Lucia,
Qld : University of Queensland Press.

Edwards, W.H. (2005). An Introduction to Aboriginal Societies (2nd Edition). South Melbourne:
Australia, Thomson/ Social Science Press.

Egan, R. (2012). 1788-1790 : amity and kindness. In Neither amity nor kindness : government
policy towards Aboriginal people of NSW 1788 to 1969 (pp. 5-32). Paddington, N.S.W. : R. Egan.

Harrison, N. (2011). Teaching and Learning in Aboriginal Education (2nd Edition). Melbourne:
Australia, Oxford University Press

Magin, P. (2005). Spirit still here: Understanding the spiritual identity of an Aboriginal
microculture. In Overland, 178, (pp. 49-52). Retrieved from
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Morphy, F. (2006). Lost in Translation? Remote Indigenous households and definitions of the
family. In Family Matters (73), (pp. 23-31). Retrieved from
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Purdie, N. & Buckley, S. (2010). School attendance and retention of Indigenous Australian students.
In Closing the gap. Retrieved from
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Rose, D.B. (1996). Chapter 1: Country. In Nourishing Terrains: Australian Aboriginal Views of
Landscape and Wilderness. (pp.6-15). Retrieved from
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Rose, D.B. (1998). Consciousness and responsibility in an Australian Aboriginal religion. In W.H.
Edwards (Ed.), Traditional Aboriginal society (2nd ed.) (pp. 239-251). South Melbourne:
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Santoro, N., Reid, J.A., Crawford, L., & Simpson, L. (2011). Teaching Indigenous Children:
Listening To And Learning From Indigenous Teachers. In Australian Journal of Teacher Education
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Short, D. (2008). Reconciliation and colonial power: Indigenous rights in Australia (pp.1-10).
Ashgate Publishing Group: Abingdon, Great Britain.

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