Cross Curriculum Perspectives - Aboriginal Perspectives

Especially for Teachers - Cross Curriculum Perspectives

Aboriginal Perspectives
and the English Learning Area

Traditional Aboriginal Cultures and English
Contemporary Aboriginal Peoples and English
Controversial and Sensitive Issues
Useful References
Aboriginal Education Website

English teachers have significant opportunities to include activities and texts by and about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders in their courses :

the study of literature texts and mass media texts
an aspect of critical literacy practice
the exploration of issues in our society

The range of Classic Literature Texts available for use and appreciation in English includes Aboriginal Dreaming Stories and the Legends of the Torres Strait.

Contemporary and Popular Literature Texts, Everyday Texts and Mass Media Texts can be drawn from the full range of text types (both by, and about, Aboriginal people) in which Aboriginality and issues related to contemporary indigenous people are concerned.

Where they are available, and appropriate for use, teachers of English in Tasmanian schools and colleges should include them in their teaching programs.

The Rosemary Ransom retellings of traditional teaching stories, Taraba, is a useful resource in Bands B and C English programs.(LINK TO TARABA UNIT - from conTEXTs No 4 Ā IN UNITS)
The Aboriginal Nations produced The Dreaming videos includes a retelling of the Kuti Kina story (as video animation and a big book) by Jim Everett.
On Being Aboriginal includes the personal stories of Tasmanian Aboriginal elders.

Traditional Aboriginal Cultures and English

Traditionally Aboriginal groups have a very strong oral literature with extensive use of use of narrative and poetry.

Story and song were vehicles for teaching the law and environmental and social information relevant to their tribes or groups.
Some stories (especially Dreaming Stories) and song cycles are intended for public performance, some are secret or sacred, some are only for men or only for women.
It is important to check the authenticity of texts, being preferable to use Dreaming Stories told or written by Aboriginal people who have permission to share these stories outside their culture.
IF UNCERTAIN, CONSULT LOCAL ABORIGINAL PEOPLE OR ABORIGINAL EDUCATION UNIT.

Contemporary Aboriginal Peoples and English

The last few decades have witnessed a flowering in literary and mass media texts created by Aboriginal people for Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal, adult and child audiences.

A number of Aboriginal publishing houses exist and most publishers will have books by and about Aboriginal people . Film, television, songs and radio programs by, for and about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and issues are readily available.

These include:

Speeches	Poetry	Oral histories
Biographies	Songs	Novels
Short stories	Picture books	Film
Video	Radio	Multi-media
Journalism	Brochures	Posters
Contemporary Dreaming Stories	Animation	Drama scripts & performances

There are still only a small number of texts produced by Tasmanian Aboriginal (Palawa) people.

Controversial and Sensitive Issues

It is important that the language in texts acknowledges Aboriginal occupation of this land pre-invasion, and is not used to essentialise, denigrate or marginalise Aboriginal peoples, their cultures and history. For example,

Dreaming stories cannot be equated with fairy stories or folk tales- they serve significant spiritual and teaching purposes for Aboriginal groups.
Blaxland, Lawson and Wentworth were not the first people to cross the Blue Mountains.
The belief that, because they moved around the land, Aboriginal people were nomadic, had no attachment to, or sense of ownership of, the land, and had no civilisation.
All Aboriginal people do not have dark coloured skins. Where such misunderstandings may appear, teachers and students should problematise these texts, applying a critical literacy focus (From whose point of view is this text constructed? What is the authority of the author? Who is advantaged, who is disadvantaged by this positioning? Who is excluded or marginalised in this text? What do other writers - including Aboriginal writers - say?)

Some language (e.g. swearing, racist language) used in appropriate literary contexts may be included in texts being used by students. As much as possible students should be prepared for this usage, paying attention to the author's intentions and the historical and cultural contexts of the text, and contemporary values and attitudes.
Care must be taken in selecting materials as presentation of content not meant to be seen and/or heard may cause considerable distress. Visual images of deceased persons, for example, may be distressing to Aboriginal people.
- Some texts are intended for public performance
- some are secret or sacred
- some are only for men or only for women.
  
  It is important for teachers to observe these protocols.
Incorporate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander names in texts. This helps students to see the constructed nature of texts and to critically question attitudes and values informing hegemonic texts and behaviours.
Use texts written, constructed, performed by a range of indigenous authors, performers so that students are helped to see that Aboriginal and Torres Strait people can have diverse opinions on a variety of issues, and that they express these in a variety of forms and styles. (Be wary of "essentialising" - all Aboriginal people...)
Remember that there may be Aboriginal students in your class for whom some texts and activities may be inappropriate.
CONSULT ABORIGINAL EDUCATION UNIT OR LOCAL ABORIGINAL GROUPS. WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THEM.

Useful References

Aboriginal Perspectives Across the Curriculum Tasmanian Edition, DETCCD, Hobart, 1997.
Groome, Howard, Teaching Aboriginal Studies Effectively , Social Science Press, Wentworth Falls NSW,1994.
Learning Together, Macquarie Support Services, Launceston, 1997.
Living With The Land (seven volumes),DEA, Hobart, 1989-1991 .
On Being Aboriginal , Education Department, Hobart, 1985.
Ransom, Rosemary, (reteller), Taraba, DETCCD, Hobart, 1997.
Resource Guide for Aboriginal Studies and Torres Strait Islander Studies, Curriculum Corporation, Carlton Vic, 1995.
Return to the Islands, Education Department, Hobart, 1984.
The Dreaming (Series One, Two, Three), Aboriginal Nations, Chippendale, NSW, 1995.
Tunapi, ALBE Resources Unit (TAS), Devonport, ( four volumes) 1992-1996.
Two Rivers, DETCCD, Hobart, 1998. Using the Right Words, School of Teacher Education University of NSW, Sydney, 1996.
You Can Do It Too : Aboriginal Studies and Torres Strait Islander Studies Across the Curriculum ,1996, Curriculum Corporation, Carlton, Vic. ( Book and video PD package)

Aboriginal Perspectives and the English Learning Area

Aboriginal Perspectives
and the English Learning Area