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To learn your country, start by learning its Aboriginal names —ABC News.

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Posted January 21, 2019 06:44:22

Learning the Aboriginal meaning of place names will deepen our connection to the land we all live on, say Indigenous historians, at the launch of the ABC's This Place project.

Bunurong, Punniler panner and Yuin author and historian Bruce Pascoe lives on the junction of three rivers near Mallacoota, on the southern end of Yuin country.

All three rivers have Aboriginal names which point to the richness and cultural significance of the area.

"Something like 60-70 per cent of place names in Australia are Aboriginal names," Mr Pascoe said.

"They show how deeply and intimately our old people knew the land, how much they loved and respected the country. It's something we should all be proud of."

Mr Pascoe is a committee member of First Languages Australia, which has launched This Place in partnership with the ABC.

Do you know the meaning of the Indigenous place names where you live? It's time to find out. You can also share the story behind your community's place names. Watch some on our YouTube channel or visit our latest stories:

The project invites Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to share the story behind their place names.

"One of my ambitions has always been that we do a thorough analysis of Australian place names as a way of bringing the country together," he said.

According to Mr Pascoe, the correct spelling of the Genoa River near his home is Jinoor, which means foot or pathway - a word common to many Aboriginal languages.

The name refers to one of the songlines that converge at Mount Kosciuszko, where people would gather together to harvest moths and conduct important ceremonies in the summer months.

"Both names Jinoor and Mallacoota are ceremonial names, they're spiritual names," Mr Pascoe said.

"Mallacoota means 'sacred white pipe clay'. All the different clans know it as that because all the clans would receive white pipe clay from this country here.

"There's a bank downstream from here where we get that pipe clay, and every time I'm underneath that big, white bank I'm so conscious of the old people.

"There's a feeling in that country that's not about the clay, it's about the ceremony, about the specialness of it."

For Patsy Cameron, a Pairrebeenne-Trawlwoolway woman born and raised on Flinders Island in the Bass Strait, learning the original names of Australian places is a vital act of decolonisation.

"The first thing the colonisers did when they arrived in Tasmania, or anywhere for that matter, was that they gave their names to different landmarks, rivers and mountains," Ms Cameron said.

"The way of decolonising those places is to research and find the names of those places and give back their original names.

"My research shows the Tamar River has two names. It has the name Kunermurlukeker, which is from the headwaters of the Tamar River down to where the salt water meets the fresh, and then following the salt water down to the estuary its name is Ponrabbel."

Ms Cameron is an advocate of dual naming to recognise the Aboriginal names recorded by those who actually heard the old people speaking, while also acknowledging that some names can be difficult to pronounce.

"I think we should honour the ancestors and acknowledge the beautiful languages, that significant part of language that tells the story of country," she said.

"We need to do it together so that we can all feel confident and feel like we are part of it."

Many place names refer to particular plants, animals or features of the landscape.

Others refer to history itself, the arrival of Europeans, and the sites of massacres.

"To learn the names we'll have to go through a period of discomfort because it's an uncomfortable history. But it's better than going through a period of ignorance," Mr Pascoe said.

While the meaning of some place names have been lost since colonisation, Mr Pascoe said he preferred to think of them as being regained.

"I live on the Wallagaraugh River, and we're not really sure what Wallagaraugh means," he said.

"But before I die I will find out what she's called. I have to find out because I'm living right beside her.

"You learn the name, you learn your country."

Topics: indigenous-culture, history, geography, reconciliation, genoa-3891, george-town-7253, noorinbee-3890, eden-2551, launceston-7250, jindabyne-2627, mallacoota-3892, flinders-island-7255

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To learn your country, start by learning its Aboriginal names

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Posted January 21, 2019 06:44:22 Learning the Aboriginal meaning of place names will deepen our connection to the land we all live on, say Indigenous historians, at the launch of the ABC's This Place project. Bunurong, Punniler panner and Yuin author and historian Bruce Pascoe lives on the junction of three rivers near Mallacoota, on the southern end of Yuin country.

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The Design Files is an Australian popular design blog.

This section on the blog in particular showcases a rich source of First Nation artists, designers and creative business owners where they are encouraged to submit their projects.

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The Design Files | Australia's most popular design blog.

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The Design Files acknowledge the traditional custodians of the lands on which we work, the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nation. We pay our respects to Elders past and present.

First Nations artists, designers, makers and creative business owners are encouraged to submit their projects for coverage on The Design Files - we would love to hear from you.

Please email us here.

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Aboriginal Art - The Design Files | Australia's most popular design blog.

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The Design Files acknowledge the traditional custodians of the lands on which we work, the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nation. We pay our respects to Elders past and present. First Nations artists, designers, makers and creative business owners are encouraged to submit their projects for coverage on The Design Files - we would love to hear from you.

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Confined 11 features artworks by Indigenous artists currently in or recently released from prisons in Victoria, Australia. Artworks created through The Torch are part of a rehabilitation process that helps build confidence, social capital, economic stability and pathways to reconnect with the community. Confined 11 creates a strong visual metaphor for the over-representation of Indigenous Australians in the criminal justice system. It is the biggest exhibition ever presented by The Torch.

Included in this link are videos of the making process and a short interview with some of the artists in the exhibition.

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Welcome to the Confined 11 virtual exhibition featuring artworks by Indigenous artists currently in or recently released from prisons in Victoria, Australia.

Presenting 300 artworks from 286 artists, Confined 11 creates a strong visual metaphor for the over-representation of Indigenous Australians in the criminal justice system. It is the biggest exhibition ever presented by The Torch.

We invite you to view Confined 11 through our Artwork Mosaic or our Virtual Galleries below and also to explore video stories featuring The Torch artists.
235/300 ARTWORKS SOLD
Artworks can be purchased online with 100% of the sale price going directly to the artist. Complimentary stretching is also included with every sale.

The Confined exhibition is the key annual public event of The Torch's Indigenous Arts in Prisons and Community program which provides art, cultural and arts industry support to Indigenous offenders and ex-offenders in Victoria.

Artworks created through The Torch are part of a rehabilitation process that helps build confidence, social capital, economic stability and pathways to reconnect with the community.

Confined plays an important role in supporting Indigenous offenders and ex-offenders to tell their stories, connect with the community, develop arts networks and reintegrate back into society.

We acknowledge all the artists who have had the trust, courage and strength of purpose to exhibit their work in Confined 11. We also acknowledge the many families who have been such great supporters to their partners, children, parents, brothers, sisters, uncles, aunties, nephews and nieces while they are inside.

The majority of the artists in Confined 11 will not be able to share the exhibition experience. Please share your thoughts, responses or favourite artwork in the Visitor Comments section below. These comments will be passed on to the artists to encourage them in the further development of their arts practice.

(03) 9042 1236 | artcoordinator@thetorch.org.au

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Welcome to the Confined 11 virtual exhibition featuring artworks by Indigenous artists currently in or recently released from prisons in Victoria, Australia. Presenting 300 artworks from 286 artists, Confined 11 creates a strong visual metaphor for the over-representation of Indigenous Australians in the criminal justice system.

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Welcome to our visual art and design padlet. 

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Welcome to our visual art and design padlet. 

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Within each column you will find curated resources of our research and strategies for culturally responsive pedagogy to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and raise awareness of Indigeneity within the art classroom. Understanding Indigenous culture, their ways of knowing, seeing, learning, telling stories and working differ from a Western perspective (Mills and Doyle, 2019). It is for this reason, we have curated a range of resources to encourage teachers to expand their knowledge on Indigenous perspectives. In fact, Mills and Doyle (2019) argue that art educators can become “more aware of the intrinsic visual nature of Indigenous ways of communicating, and associated cultural meanings, such as imagery, signs, and shape used in storytelling, dances, music and ceremonies” (pg. 539).

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Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority 

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Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority 

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Learning about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures.

(VCAA, 2020)

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Weather systems is valued within Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural knowledge. By acknowledging weather systems as indicators of change across different landscapes, we are able to look further at the idea of change across many facets of our lives, how change affects us, how we adapt and how knowledge of the past can inform our shared future.

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This collection area at the NGV showcases thousands of Indigenous Art.

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This article provides an inside scope to the landscape of contemporary Aboriginal painting, the diversity of Aboriginal communities and their stories.   Produced in various mediums including paper, canvas, fibre, glass or printmaking, the works are rooted in the traditional iconography, and yet amazingly modern in design and colour.

This link provides a rich overview for both teachers and students.

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Aboriginal art is both timeless and contemporary since it reveals the rich heritage dating back 40,000 years as well as contemporary and innovative approaches. The birth of the contemporary movement, that have emerged back in 1971 when a group of elderly desert men started using paper and canvas in their practice, has empowered Aboriginal communities all over Australia and has contributed greatly to the contemporary Australian art. A long tradition of passing on songs, rituals, dances, symbols and meaningful patterns has translated into the contemporary practice. Rich with visual symbols and steeped in the long history of storytelling, Aboriginal contemporary paintings reflect spiritual and cultural practices, the stories of their creation embodied in the 'Dreamtime' that shape their identity and a strong connection to the Australian landscape. Certain traditional stories are a part of different Aboriginal communities, and artists usually need permission to paint them.

The landscape of contemporary Aboriginal painting is so diverse, due to the variety of Aboriginal communities and their stories as well as the influences from abroad. Produced in various mediums including paper, canvas, fiber, glass or printmaking, the works are rooted in the traditional iconography, and yet amazingly modern in design and color. Whether they are following traditional guidelines or developing a unique contemporary style influenced by Western practices, the work of these ten artists made a great contribution to their communities and an impact on the Australian contemporary art in general.

Editors' Tip: Aboriginal Art (World of Art) by Wally Caruana

This book is an important introduction to the diversity of Aboriginal art and a comprehensive study that of the work of Australia's indigenous artists from all parts of the continent. A culture so rich and 50,000 old, Aboriginals have created works steeped in the tradition and produced in a variety of contexts, from the sacred and secret realm of ceremony to more public spheres, and in media that include painting, sculpture, engraving, constructions, weaving, photography, printmaking, and textile design. Mapping the latest developments across each of Australia's geographical regions, this updated version of the book brings some twenty new illustrations highlight the impact of urban living, the growth of local art centers, and the rise of women artists―all testifying to Aboriginal art's continued dynamism and vitality.

Marcia Purdie - An Ochre Minimal Painter

An Aboriginal artist from East Kimberly, Marcia Purdie creates paintings that are much inspired by the land her family originates from and its stories. Creating fine art ochre paintings in minimal colours, she draws on the traditional knowledge of elders and paints in the individual painting style and technique. A recurring story in her work is the infamous massacre at Mistake Creek, where several Aboriginals were killed under the wrong accusations of stealing a cow from a local station.
Featured images: Marcia Purdie - The Monsoon, via japingka.com.au
Kudditji Kngwarreye - An Abstract Painter

A younger brother of Emily Kame Kngwarreye, Kudditji Kngwarreye is one of Australia's foremost indigenous artists. As a traditional custodian of many important Dreamings, he first started painting around 1986 creating works with detailed infill. After several years, he started experimenting in t he field of abstraction, with bold colors and an intuitive interplay with space and form. Creating paintings with juxtaposed color fields, varying in composition and hue, he depicts the creation, his country and Dreamings. Being a unique voice in the landscape of Aboriginal art, the work he creates is considered groundbreaking.
Featured images: Kudditji Kngwarreye, via silverplumegallery.com.au
Jorna Newberry - The Rising Star

First started painting in the 1990s, Jorna Newberry is now considered a rising star of the Aboriginal art. Her main inspiration is the country Irrunytjy in the Western desert and the significant places with spiritual knowledge and the ancestral stories embedded in the land. Using 'dotting' style describing the movement, culture and history, her works come alive with the use of vibrant and dramatic colors. She favors abstraction as a stylistic means to ensure the most important indigenous cultural stories remain hidden.
Featured images: Jorna Newberry - Walpa Tjukurrpa, via japingka.com.au
Albert Namatjira - The Aboriginal Watercolorist

Considered one of the greatest and best known Aboriginal painter, Albert Namatjira created stunning Western-style landscapes, much different to traditional Aboriginal art. Being the first Aboriginal to have been granted Australian citizenship in the era when Aboriginals had few rights, he significantly contributed to his culture and people. Despite the Western appearance of his paintings, he painted with 'country in mind', often returning to important ancestral sites. The repetition, detailed patterns and high horizons made his paintings a fusion of Aboriginal and European styles. Despite his significant body of work, Namjatira often encountered racial discrimination, accusations of acculturation, and ambiguous response from the art world.
Featured images: Albert Namatjira Untitled landscapes, via artrecord.com
Gloria Petyarre - A Founder of a New Painting Style

With an artistic career of 38 years, Gloria Petyarre is arguably the most famous and significant living female Aboriginal Artist. She is internationally acclaimed for her Bush Medicine Leaf paintings, a recurring motif in her work. Her Bush Medicine series depicts the rushing movement of leaves with rhythmic brushstrokes, combining colors of close tonal values on the solid background. As many generations of Aboriginal artists have started utilizing this motif and style, it is regarded as one of the most significant stylistic developments in Aboriginal art. These leaves are an important bush medicine and are deeply rooted in the Aboriginal culture. Her vibrant, abstract images range in their complexity and color.
Featured images: Gloria Petyarre - Bush Medicine Leaves, via japingka.com
Christine Napanangka Michaels - A Lappi Lappi Painter

Growing up in the remote Aboriginal community, Christine Napanangka Michaels was surrounded by many Aboriginal artists that have inspired her enthusiasm for visual arts. She belongs to the artists Aboriginal circle exploring the concept of Lappi Lappi Dreaming. As this particular Jukurrpa dreaming is colorful and joyful, she uses bright and striking naturally extracted ochre, red violet and coral hues. The term Lappi Lappi refers to the rock hole and permanent source of fresh water in Western Australia that it considered a valuable natural resource.
Featured images: Christine Napanangka Michaels - Lappi Lappi Jukurrpa, via japingka.com.au
Rover Thomas - The Australian Mark Rothko

Rover Thomas is one of the central figures of East Kimberley painting and a major force in the development of Australian Aboriginal art. He was Australia's representative in the Venice Biennale in 1990. Using locally mined ochres as other contemporary Gija painters, Thomas has produced 'visionary' paintings with corporal landscapes, vacillating between figuration and abstraction. Merging past and present, his works transcended indigenous cultural borders and resonated with the much wider international audience. When introduced to painting of Mark Rothko, he famously remarked, 'That bugger paints like me!'
Featured images: Rover Thomas - Rock Country On Texas Down, 1988, via alchetron.com
Emily Kame Kngwarreye - An Overnight Sensation

Growing up in a remote desert area in Australia known as Utopia, Emily Kame Kngwarreye began to paint late in her life and ended up being Australia's most significant contemporary artist. It is believed she has produced more than 3000 works during her eight-year painting career. She came in the spotlight at the age of 80, overnight becoming a painter of national and international importance. With an experience as an Anmatyerre elder and the custodian of the women's Dreaming sites in her clan, her paintings are inspired by the land, landscapes, cycles of season, flooding waters and rains, seeds, plants and spiritual forces. Highly expressive and abstract, her works are very unique in the landscape of Aboriginal art.
Featured images: Emily Kame Kngwarreye, via japingka.com
Sarrita King - An Artist of the New Generation

A daughter of the highly regarded painter William King Jungala, Sarrita King has inherited a strong connection to her Aboriginal heritage from her father and her childhood spent in the Northern Territory. Utilizing traditional Aboriginal techniques such as 'dotting', Sarrita also incorporates some unorthodox and more contemporary techniques. As a leading painter of the next generation who has been inspired by both their strong Aboriginal heritage and Western practices, her art is a combination of the past, present and the future. Subjects that she often interprets in her art are extreme landscapes of Australia, rolling sand hills, lightning and thunderstorms, torrential rain, fire, desert, and tangled bush.
Featured images: Sarrita King - Water, via japingka.com.au
Lorna Napurrula Fencer - An Expressive and Abstract Painter

Born around 1920 in Yumurrpa country in Australia, Lorna Napurrla Fencer has been painting her entire life, but her artworks on canvas date from 1986. Penetrating the contemporary art world from the Warnayaka Art Centre in Northern Territory, her artworks soon became extravagant, abstract and sensual catching the attention of art collectors from around the globe. As a senior custodian of several Dreaming stories, she was entitled to paint subjects such as bush yam, 'ngalatji' flower, bush tomato, caterpillar, wallaby and certain male stories. With bold, free and abstract painting style and palette of vibrant colours, her expressive works with layered paint concealed the intimate details about the dreaming stories creating a certain mystery around them.
Featured images: Lorna Napurrula Fencer - Murkarki - Bush Plum, via japingka.com.au; Lorna Napurrula Fencer - Warputi, via japingka.com.au

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These Contemporary Aboriginal Artists Made an Impact for their Culture | Widewalls

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Aboriginal art is both timeless and contemporary since it reveals the rich heritage dating back 40,000 years as well as contemporary and innovative approaches. The birth of the contemporary movement, that have emerged back in 1971 when a group of elderly desert men started using paper and canvas in their practice, has empowered Aboriginal communities all over Australia and has contributed greatly to the contemporary Australian art.

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Judy Watson - Archival documents and photographs in Art

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Judy Watson - Archival documents and photographs in Art

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Watson explored her Aboriginal heritage and used  printmaking, drawing, painting and even documentation of Aboriginal people in Australia as a resource to explore themes relating to her Aboriginal heritage.

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Who is Judy Watson?

Judy Watson was born in 1959 in Munduberra, Queensland, Australia and lives and works in Brisbane.

The artist uses printmaking, drawing, painting and installation to explore themes relating to her Aboriginal heritage.

Watson's matrilineal family is from Waanyi country in Northwest Queensland and her work is inspired by traditional Waanyi culture.

Archives and histories

Judy Watson uses archival documents and photographs in her art.

She uses the extensive documentation of Aboriginal people in Australia as a resource, but describes discovering how her ancestors were treated as a 'heavy burden'.

For her artwork a preponderance of aboriginal blood 2005, Watson used documents from the Archive of Queensland State, where her family are from.

The documents reveal how Aboriginal Australians were discriminated against over their voting rights until the 1960s. Before 1965 their right to vote depended on whether a person was a 'full-blood Aborigine' (and therefore not entitled to vote) or a 'half-caste' (entitled to vote).

Her copies of these archive documents are layered with blood-like pools of red paint, symbolising the pain and deaths of Aboriginal people.

Judy Watson, a preponderance of aboriginal blood 2005 © Judy Watson

Techniques and materials

Judy Watson trained as a printmaker at art school.

Printmaking often involves using several processes, creating layers and transferring visual information across different surfaces. These techniques have inspired her approach to painting.

Judy Watson, heron island suite 6 2009/10 © Judy Watson

Judy Watson, heron island suite 8 2009/10 © Judy Watson

By working on the floor, pouring paint and laying the canvas over textured objects and surfaces, Watson creates unexpected marks and patterns.

Watson also experiments with accidental effects by mixing together a wide range of varnishes, inks, pastels and dry pigments.

The artist further adds shells, clay or bark into the mix and even uses the weather! By leaving canvases outside, the elements (as well as dirt and insects) leave unexpected traces and stains on the cloth.

Judy Watson painting in her studio 2019 © Tate Digital

Collaboration and activism

Shared experience is an important part of Judy Watson's working process.

The artist collaborates with family members to make some of her pieces. She also collaborates with other artists and with the wider Australian community.

Her on-going project the names of places 2016 is a collaboration with the public. The project aims to map all the places in Australia where horrific massacres of Aboriginal people took place.

Watson invites people to contribute their knowledge of where these massacres happened and adds these place names to a database and website that form part of the project. In this way the place names become part of the collective consciousness of the Australian people.

Judy Watson in her studio 2019 © Tate Digital

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Introducing Judy Watson - Look Closer | Tate

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Judy Watson was born in 1959 in Munduberra, Queensland, Australia and lives and works in Brisbane. The artist uses printmaking, drawing, painting and installation to explore themes relating to her Aboriginal heritage. Watson's matrilineal family is from Waanyi country in Northwest Queensland and her work is inspired by traditional Waanyi culture.

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Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have used fire to manage country for over 60,000 years. This resource aids teachers in helping students understand annotations and condensing key points/ takeaways while sharing their responses and the information they recorded while watching the film. This is a good introductory point into a communication unit.

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Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander fire management practices are represented in a range of formats including text, film and video, digital technology, photographs, images and maps. Each approach uses different techniques to create context and to influence the audience.

Contemporary Aboriginal fire management practices

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have used fire to manage country for over 60,000 years. European colonisation caused disruption of some traditional practices, but many groups have maintained their knowledge and continue to use it today. Fire is used in land management to maintain biodiversity and habitat, promote the growth of fire-dependent species, protect fire sensitive species, and prevent severe hot-season bushfires. Fire also has a range of social, cultural, and spiritual uses. There are various words in all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages describing different types of fire, its behaviour and effects. Family groups have responsibilities to specific areas of country, and this includes the use of fire. Permission to burn needs to be sought from those responsible for that part of country, especially senior traditional owners.

Fire management is a key activity undertaken by many of more than 120 Aboriginal ranger groups that currently exist across Australia. Rangers recognise the value of a two-wayapproach to fire management, making use of both Aboriginal traditional knowledge and contemporary knowledge. The former includes seasonal and geographically specific knowledge about plants, animals, landscape changes, stars, weather, and the relations between them at different times of the year, The latter could include the use of satellite technology and fire-scar mapping.

Case study: Martu fire practices

Martu people's country covers approximately 10% of Western Australia, extending east of the Pilbara and overlapping the Great Sandy, Little Sandy and Gibson deserts.

Martu have different words that describe the landscape at different stages in the fire cycle, and various methods for burning when hunting particular animals. For example, Martu will use a small burn when hunting a skink, but a long burn is more appropriate for a hill kangaroo, and a round burn for a mala. Nyurnma is newly burned ground that is ripe for hunting goanna; Nyukura identifies the period after a burn when plants are fruiting and seeding; Manguu is when the spinifex is ready to burn again; and kunarka describes the thick clumps of advanced spinifex that limit diversity and can carry hot and destructive bushfires. some Martu paintings represent this type of ecological knowledge.

The way that Martu travel on country has changed due to colonisation, which has impacted on the environment. For example, hot season fires are occurring more frequently and at greater intensities, creating concerns that important places like cemeteries and old trees could be burnt. The Aboriginal ranger program aims to address this by using four-wheel drives and helicopters to reach remote sites, and undertake fire management during the cooler months. Rangers carry out patch burns that help break up country and protect it from thehot fires that destroy the delicate mosaic of healthy environments..

Representations of fire practices in film and text

In the article Country needs people Kim Mahood uses a range of narrative, argumentative and visual devices to discuss contemporary Indigenous ecological knowledge. She opens the article with a quote from social media which she describes as 'unashamedly racist'. The quote attacks the idea that traditional burning was a method of caring for the environment. Mahood demonstrates the false assumptions underpinning this argument, and provides a corrective through the use of robust evidence. One way she does this is through her investigation of how Martuecological knowledge is embedded in the painting Yarrkalpa - Hunting Ground, Parnngurr Area 2013. The painting, which is reproduced at the beginning of the article, is a collective work made by eight Martu women. Mahood undertook an extensive process of consultation with the artists and shows that the canvass is a repository for a vast amount of traditional knowledge, including in relation to fire. For example, the painting shows many significant landscape features such as ranges, dunes, sand plains and rock holes, which are represented in different stages of the seasonal fire cycle, such as It also includes a depiction of the Seven Sisters, a seasonal star constellation and sacred narrative that indicates that the country is dry, reminding Martuto burn with care.

The film Waru, kuka, mirrka wankarringu-lampaju - Burning, bushfoods and biodiversity is a collaborative film produced with Martu. The film is presented in both English and Martulanguages, with subtitles in English where necessary. It shows Martuundertakingfire management, and includes interviews and conversations with elders and rangers. These conversations demonstrate the importance of contemporary fire management practices for the health of the environment and health and wellbeing of Martupeople and culture. The film explains how strengthening links to country and providing opportunities for young Martu to learn from senior Martu are culturally appropriate ways help Martumaintain identity and culture. It also shows how ranger jobs provide employment pathways and opportunities to build two-way skills and knowledge.

The medium of film represents Martu fire management through the use of documentary and narrative styles, and enables the audience to hear Martu language. It also provides an opportunity for the audience to observe fire management practices as they occur on country, to help contextualise the importance and scale of land management practices in remote locations.

Classroom activity - English Year 9

In these classroom activities, students will examine the way Aboriginal fire management practices are represented in the article 'Country needs people' by Kim Mahood, and in the film 'Waru, kuka, mirrka wankarringu-lampaju - Burning, bushfoods and biodiversity.' Students will identify and summarise the way authors have used different representational techniques to influence an audience. Students will observe and discuss what the medium of film contributes to the representation of contemporary Martu fire management practices.

Curriculum connections

This resource addresses the following content descriptions from the Australian Curriculum:

Analyse how the construction and interpretation of texts, including media texts, can be influenced by cultural perspectives and other texts (ACELY1739)

Use comprehension strategies to interpret and analyse texts, comparing and evaluating representations of an event, issue, situation or character in different texts (ACELY1744)

Explore and explain the combinations of language and visual choices that authors make to present information, opinions and perspectives in different texts (ACELY1745)

This resource addresses the following excerpts from the achievement standard for Year 9 in English:

analyse and explain how images, vocabulary choices and language features distinguish the work of individual authors

evaluate and integrate ideas and information from texts to form their own interpretations

listen for ways texts position an audience

Inquiry based learning questions

Consider the different representations of Martu fire practices in the film ' Waru, kuka, mirrka wankarringu-lampaju - Burning, bushfoods and biodiversity, and the article 'Country needs people' by Kim Mahood. Identify the social location of the narrator/s or author. Consider and discuss how the context and identity of the narrator or author influences what is represented.

Consider the way colonisation has disrupted traditional burning practices. What are the effects on Martuand the environment? Consider the phrase 'country needs people' in your reflection.

In the film ' Waru, kuka, mirrka wankarringu-lampaju - Burning, bushfoods and biodiversity' at approximately the 25 minute mark a map is displayed. It first shows the patches of cool season burns for one year, and then the patches of hot season burns for one year. What do you notice about the differences?

Activity 1 - Aboriginal burning practices represented in painting
Suggested timing for activity: one lesson Required resources: digital or print version of The Monthly article 'Country needs people' by Kim Mahood, writing materials and notebook
Students to read the article 'Country needs people' by Kim Mahood: https://www.themonthly.com.au/issue/2017/july/1498831200/kim-mahood/country-needs-people

Students should compare the article's opening quotation, which the author has taken from social media, with the photograph of the painting Yarrkalpa - Hunting Ground, Parnngurr Area 2013 and the author's discussion of it in the text. Students will examine these two examples and evaluate the different representations of traditional ecological knowledge contained in each. Students will then write a paragraph summarising how Mahood's contrasting use of the painting and the quotation work together to influence their understanding of Martu burning practices.

Activity 2 - Contemporary Aboriginal fire management represented in film
Suggested timing for activity: 60 minutes Required resources: computer with internet connection and projector (or smart TV), writing materials and notebook.
Students to watch the film ' Waru, kuka, mirrka wankarringu-lampaju - Burning, bushfoods and biodiversity' (40 minutes): http://www.kj.org.au/waru

While watching, students are encouraged to make notes about the context and the objectives of the film, who speaks during the film, and what language is used and when. Students will identify the main reasons people in the film support and value contemporary fire management practices, paying attention to both social and environmental benefits. After watching the film, in small groups or as a whole class, students will share their responses and the information they recorded while watching the film. Students will then discuss what the medium of film is able to convey and why it might be important for Martu to tell the story of fire management using this technique.

Notes

¹ Mahood, K (2017). Country needs people. The Monthly. July. Retrieved from: https://www.themonthly.com.au/issue/2017/july/1498831200/kim-mahood/country-needs-people

² Walsh, F (director and producer). (2013) Waru, kuka, mirrka wankarringu-lampaju - Burning, bushfoods and biodiversity. CSIRO and Kanyirninpa Jukurrpakj: Australia. Retrieved from: http://www.kj.org.au/waru

³ O'Connor, M.H. and Prober, S.M. (2010). A calendar of Ngadju seasonal knowledge. A report to Ngadju Community and Working Group. CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems, Floreat, WA. Retrieved from: https://www.csiro.au/en/Research/Environment/Land-management/Indigenous/Indigenous-calendars/Ngadju

⁴ Mahood, op. cit.

⁵ Eastwood, K (2010). Living the traditional Aboriginal life. Australian Geographic. December. Retrieved from: https://www.australiangeographic.com.au/topics/history-culture/2010/12/living-the-traditional-aboriginal-life/

6 Mahood, op. cit.

⁷ Walsh, op. cit.

⁸ Mahood, op. cit.

⁹ Walsh, op. cit.

¹⁰ Mahood, op. cit.

¹¹ Mahood, op. cit.

¹² Walsh, F (director and producer). (2013) Waru, kuka, mirrka wankarringu-lampaju - Burning, bushfoods and biodiversity. CSIRO and Kanyirninpa Jukurrpakj: Australia. Retrieved from: http://www.kj.org.au/waru

¹³ Mahood, K (2017). Country needs people. The Monthly. July. Retrieved from: https://www.themonthly.com.au/issue/2017/july/1498831200/kim-mahood/country-needs-people

¹⁴ Mahood, K (2017). Country needs people. The Monthly. July. Retrieved from: https://www.themonthly.com.au/issue/2017/july/1498831200/kim-mahood/country-needs-people

¹⁵ Walsh, F (director and producer). (2013) Waru, kuka, mirrka wankarringu-lampaju - Burning, bushfoods and biodiversity. CSIRO and Kanyirninpa Jukurrpakj: Australia. Retrieved from: http://www.kj.org.au/waru

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
The development of these resources was funded through an Australian Government initiative delivered by the University of Melbourne's Indigenous Studies Unit. The resources include the views, opinions and representations of third parties, and do not represent the views of the Australian Government. They have been developed as a proof of concept to progress the inclusion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander content in Australian classrooms. In drawing on the material, users should consider the relevance and suitability to their particular circumstances and purposes.

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Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander fire management practices are represented in a range of formats including text, film and video, digital technology, photographs, images and maps. Each approach uses different techniques to create context and to influence the audience. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have used fire to manage country for over 60,000 years.

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Julia Watson is a graphic designer, academic and author. Watson designs built environments with an eye towards sustainability, climate resilience and dismantling the barriers between urban environments and the natural world.

The link below is an exploration of Indigenous design systems, Watson researches enduring innovations that could help us counter the challenges of climate change. From floating villages to living root bridges that strengthen over time, Watson introduces us to some of these resilient solutions -- and shows how they can teach us to design with nature, instead of against it.

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Julia Watson: How to build a resilient future using ancient wisdom

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In her global exploration of Indigenous design systems, architect Julia Watson researches enduring innovations that could help us counter the challenges of climate change. From floating villages to living root bridges that strengthen over time, Watson introduces us to some of these resilient solutions -- and shows how they can teach us to design with nature, instead of against it.

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Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture has a strong oral tradition of storytelling. This resource will help  students to use their creativity to build a narrative and include elements previously discussed – theatrical narration, colour, sound, etc. How does colour, sound and form around us aid in telling a story?

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New artistic mediums, such as short film, have enabled an evolution of storytelling and knowledge translation for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

The Twelve Canoes website presents traditional storytelling and knowledge in contemporary artistic film format, using elements of art, music, photography, video and narration to form a meaningful story to reach a worldwide audience.

Storytelling, tradition and innovation: how Aboriginal culture has survived

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture has a strong oral tradition of storytelling. This format has been used for thousands of generations to transfer knowledge, morals and values. Traditional stories often contain information about the landscape and people's relationships to it, and how to look after it. Because Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture is an oral one, in the past, many of the stories have been written down and re-told by non-Indigenous people. This can be problematic, as intent and meanings can be lost or misrepresented. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have taken great pride in telling their own stories, and recently more and more are telling their stories in film as a means of expression and to reach a wider audience.

The Twelve Canoes website presents twelve artistic films made by the Yolngu people of Ramingining, in the northern part of Central Arnhem Land in Australia's Northern Territory. The films were made through a collaborative project, with the intent to convey traditional knowledge and history and keep culture alive. The films are an example of how storytelling can be adapted to modern contexts and technologies to reach a wide audience, to share important knowledge in an effective way. The emotional capabilities of cinema are intended to allow audiences as individuals to connect with the stories in a cinema-like way on their computer screen.

"The Swamp" is one of the twelve films, that focuses on Yolngu connections with the Arafura Swamp, a World Heritage-listed tract of freshwater wetlands that extends to 130,000 hectares during the wet season. The swamp is central to the lives of most of the people, historically, culturally and spiritually. The swamp is a place to gather bush tucker, fish, hunt, and spend time together, as their ancestors have done for many thousands of years. Their way of managing the land keeps the ecosystems in balance, as people have been part of these ecosystems for thousands of years.
"We have history and culture here, that our ancestors have been growing for more than forty thousand years. They passed that culture on from generation to generation. Now it's our turn to pass it on, not just to the next generation, but to people everywhere, all over the world. That's because our way of life is changing fast now, and what you see on this website is for every generation to remember and keep our culture alive."
In some ways, Ramingining sounds idyllic, but it is also has its challenges. Ramingining is a very small town with just a store, a clinic, a school, a police station, an arts centre, a resource centre, houses, and not much else. Conventional work in Ramingining is scarce. Increasingly there is engagement with the arts and craft, which in turn helps keep some of their traditions alive, in addition to tourism. Most people from Ramingining know six or seven languages; English is spoken only out of necessity, and often in rudimentary fashion. It is isolated, and hunting, fishing and gathering are still practised, in both traditional and non-traditional ways. But at the same time it is very much connected with the 21 st century, as people turn to the internet to do their banking and many have mobile phones.

The film acknowledges that the world is rapidly changing, even in these remote places. Once, all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people lived a similar lifestyle to the Yolngu, in connection with country. Now, many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people maintain connection with culture and country from cities and towns that may not be on their traditional country. But looking after country is still important for these people, as it remains a key part of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture. One of the key messages of The Swamp film is that looking after country should be important for all Australians.

Classroom activity - The Arts (Media Arts) Years 9 and 10

In these classroom activities, students will watch the film "The Swamp" and identify through class discussion elements of the film used to engage audiences, and how the film has used these to construct an alternative point of view. Students will then use Google Earth to investigate both the Arafura Swamp, and their own place, and make a diagram or mind map describing elements that make each place and the connections between them, with a focus on the natural environment. Finally, students will spend time in a local natural environment and make their own short film or photographs to tell a story.

Curriculum connections

This resource addresses the following content descriptions from the Australian Curriculum:

Experiment with ideas and stories that manipulate media conventions and genres to construct new and alternative points of view through images, sounds and text (ACAMAM073)

Evaluate how technical and symbolic elements are manipulated in media artworks to create and challenge representations framed by media conventions, social beliefs and values for a range of audiences (ACAMAR078)

This resource addresses the following excerpts from the achievement standard for Years 9 and 10 in The Arts (Media Arts):

analyse how social and cultural values and alternative points of view are portrayed in media artworks they make, interact with and distribute

evaluate how genre and media conventions and technical and symbolic elements are manipulated to make representations and meaning

produce representations that communicate alternative points of view in media artworks for different community and institutional contexts

Activity 1 - "The Swamp"
Suggested timing for activity: 30 mins Required resources: AV equipment to show film, notebook, pen

1. Watch the film "The Swamp" as a class.

2. Discuss the following inquiry-based questions as a class:

1. What genre would you put this film into? Does it follow similar conventions to other films in this genre? E.g. Documentary.

2. How does the film deviate from the traditional documentary format to incorporate storytelling? How would the film be different if the Yolngu weren't telling their own story, but someone interviewed them or told their story for them?

3. How does film deviate from traditional Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander storytelling and what does this mean for audiences?

4. What challenges are the Yolngu people facing?

5. What did the narrator say about government policy and the management of crocodiles? How did that challenge social perceptions of crocodiles and the role of government?

6. Does the film challenge any social beliefs about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, or change any of your perspectives?

7. The film is for Yolngu people, but also for all people all around the world. What do you think the key messages are for non-Yolngu people?

3. Make a list of the key elements of the film and how they have been used to create meaning, e.g. colour, sound, narration style, language. How do they engage the audience? Does it give you a new perspective in some way?

Activity 2 - Mapping story places
Suggested timing for activity: 30 mins to one lesson, may be finished as homework if required Required resources: Computer, internet connection, Google Earth or web browser, blank paper, notebook, pens, coloured pencils

1. Go to the Google Earth image of the area in the Where in the World section of the About Us menu heading. Search for Ramingining. Find the Arafura Swamp - see if it is visible in the aerial images. See if individual rivers and other wetlands are visible and consider what they are like on the ground, and how they would change between wet and dry seasons.

2. Suggest how place influences the nature of life for the people of this area. Take into account the environment, the weather and seasons, likely sources of food, communications, history, economy, technology, cultural elements, recreational activities.

3. The swamp is central to the lives of the Yolngu. Create a diagram or mind map that shows how the swamp is central to all aspects of Yolngu life. Add a brief explanation under each heading. Draw connecting lines between the swamp and each of the different aspects to show the swamp's centrality to all aspects of life.

4. Now find your town on Google Earth, and have a look at the landscape. Find your local rivers, wetlands, or coastline, mountains, and other features in the landscape. Consider how the landscape, weather and seasons influence your place and how you live, and compare it to life in the Arafura Swamp. Consider:

1. The Yolngu people are responsible for their swamp. What are you responsible for?

2. How do you look after your environment and the land you live on?

3. Are there environmental problems in your place? What could be done better?

5. Discuss as a class:

1. A key challenge to traditional culture is the need to adapt to modern life while maintaining the core of traditional culture. Discuss how the centrality of the swamp to Yolngu life is under challenge today.

2. This episode is specific to the Yolngu of the Arafura Swamp region, but it can also help us understand about Indigenous life in general. How does this film help you know about, understand and empathize with elements of Indigenous life in the past?

Activity 3 - Telling the story of a place
Suggested timing for activity: One lesson Required resources: Notebook, pens and drawing materials, filming device e.g. smart phone, camera

1. Take students to a nearby river, creek, or other natural area, e.g. gardens on the school grounds.

2. Begin with a few minutes of quiet contemplation and observation of the surrounding environment.

3. Start a class discussion about what they observe around them, such as:

1. What plants and animals are here? Are any plants flowering or fruiting? What animals might come to eat it?

2. What time of year is it, what is the weather like, has it rained recently?

3. Is there water here? How much? What does the water look like, does it look healthy? What does it smell like?

4. Is there rubbish? Are there other problems you can see?

This should begin a conversation about the health of the place, and what stories they can tell about their place. Students can consider elements of their mind map from the previous activity in the context of this location.

1. In groups of 3 or 4, students can discuss ideas to come up with a story about this place. Students will film or take photographs. The story might only take shape once filming begins. Students can take inspiration from their mind map or the film "The Swamp". Students will use their creativity to build a narrative and include elements previously discussed - theatrical narration, colour, sound, etc. Note: If cameras are not available, a series of drawings can be produced, e.g. in a cartoon or storyboard style.

2. Back in the classroom, student groups can show their film or give a short presentation of their photographs or drawings. Discuss:

1. How did students use colour, sound, humour to deliver their message?

2. Were there any surprises or new perspectives?

3. Were messages clear, like a story, or were they thought-provoking, with many possible interpretations?

3. Optional: Film could be edited if there is access to basic film editing software.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
The development of these resources was funded through an Australian Government initiative delivered by the University of Melbourne's Indigenous Studies Unit. The resources include the views, opinions and representations of third parties, and do not represent the views of the Australian Government. They have been developed as a proof of concept to progress the inclusion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander content in Australian classrooms. In drawing on the material, users should consider the relevance and suitability to their particular circumstances and purposes.

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New artistic mediums, such as short film, have enabled an evolution of storytelling and knowledge translation for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. The Twelve Canoes website presents traditional storytelling and knowledge in contemporary artistic film format, using elements of art, music, photography, video and narration to form a meaningful story to reach a worldwide audience.

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Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures.

(ACARA, 2020)

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The Australian Curriculum sets consistent national standards to improve learning outcomes for all young Australians. ACARA acknowledges the gap in learning outcomes between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and their non-Indigenous peers. It recognises the need for the Australian Curriculum to provide every opportunity possible to 'close the gap'.

Therefore, the Australian Curriculum is working towards addressing two distinct needs in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander education:

that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students are able to see themselves, their identities and their cultures reflected in the curriculum of each of the learning areas, can fully participate in the curriculum and can build their self-esteem

that the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures cross-curriculum priority is designed for all students to engage in reconciliation, respect and recognition of the world's oldest continuous living cultures.

New Science elaborations addressing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures
In response to feedback from community and educators, ACARA has developed 95 new elaborations with accompanying teacher background information to help teachers to incorporate the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures cross-curriculum priority in the Australian Curriculum: Science.

These elaborations were developed with the assistance of ACARA's Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Advisory Group and Taskforce, and Science and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander curriculum specialists, and provide practical examples across all three strands of the science curriculum and all year levels.

The elaborations acknowledge that Aboriginal Peoples and Torres Strait Islander Peoples have worked scientifically for millennia and continue to contribute to contemporary science. They are scientifically rigorous, demonstrating how Indigenous history, culture, knowledge and understanding can be incorporated into teaching core scientific concepts.

Each elaboration is accompanied by teacher background information that explains in detail the cultural and historical significance of the chosen topic and how it connects to the core science curriculum content. It also includes a list of consulted works, provided as evidence of the research undertaken to inform the development of the teacher background information. The teacher background information is accessible through the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures icon appearing next to the elaboration.

The elaborations and accompanying teacher background information support teachers in providing a more culturally responsive curriculum experience for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students resulting in increased engagement and better educational outcomes. They also provide an opportunity for teachers to engage all students in respect and recognition of the world's oldest continuous living cultures.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures
The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures priority provides opportunities for all students to deepen their knowledge of Australia by engaging with the world's oldest continuous living cultures. Through the Australian Curriculum, students will understand that contemporary Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities are strong, resilient, rich and diverse.

The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures priority uses a conceptual framework to provide a context for learning. The framework comprises the underlying elements of Identity and Living Communities and the key concepts of Country/Place, Culture and People. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Identities are represented as central to the priority and are approached through knowledge and understanding of the interconnected elements of Country/Place, Culture and People. The development of knowledge about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples' law, languages, dialects and literacies is approached through the exploration of Cultures. These relationships are linked to the deep knowledge traditions and holistic world views of Aboriginal communities and/or Torres Strait Islander communities.

Students will understand that Identities and Cultures have been, and are, a source of strength and resilience for Aboriginal Peoples and Torres Strait Islander Peoples against the historic and contemporary impacts of colonisation.

Figure1: Conceptual framework for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures priority

Key concepts

The first key concept of the organising ideas highlights the special connection to Country/Place by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and celebrates the unique belief systems that connect people physically and spiritually to Country/Place.

The second concept examines the diversity of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples' culture through language, ways of life and experiences as expressed through historical, social and political lenses. It gives students opportunities to gain a deeper understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples' ways of being, knowing, thinking and doing.

The third concept addresses the diversity of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander societies. It examines kinship structures and the significant contributions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples on a local, national and global scale.

Organising ideas

For each cross-curriculum priority, a set of organising ideas reflects the essential knowledge, understandings and skills for the priority. The organising ideas are embedded in the content descriptions and elaborations of each learning area as appropriate.

Country/Place

OI.1

Australia has two distinct Indigenous groups: Aboriginal Peoples and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, and within those groups there is significant diversity.

OI.2

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities maintain a special connection to and responsibility for Country/Place.

OI.3

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples have holistic belief systems and are spiritually and intellectually connected to the land, sea, sky and waterways.

OI.4

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander societies have many Language Groups.

OI.5

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples' ways of life are uniquely expressed through ways of being, knowing, thinking and doing.

OI.6

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples live in Australia as first peoples of Country or Place and demonstrate resilience in responding to historic and contemporary impacts of colonisation.

OI.7

The broader Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander societies encompass a diversity of nations across Australia.

OI.8

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples' family and kinship structures are strong and sophisticated.

OI.9

The significant contributions of Aboriginal Peoples and Torres Strait Islander Peoples in the present and past are acknowledged locally, nationally and globally.

Learning areas statements

All Australian Curriculum learning areas can contribute to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures cross-curriculum priority. Taken collectively, Australian Curriculum learning areas deepen students' knowledge and understanding of Australia and the First Australians. This knowledge and understanding enriches all students' ability to participate positively in the ongoing development of Australia.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures are included in each learning area in ways that are consistent with its content and purpose. They also make it possible to link content across learning areas, which can lead to integrated units of work.

Each learning area contributes differently to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures cross-curriculum priority and its key concepts of Country/Place, Culture and People. Australian Curriculum content descriptions and elaborations relating specifically to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures are tagged with the priority symbol. In other content descriptions and elaborations, the cross-curriculum priority can be inferred from the use of the terms 'Identity', 'Country/Place', 'Culture', and 'Peoples'.

Learning areas value Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures. Each one articulates appropriate and relevant aspects of the priority and how it can be incorporated in the curriculum.

English

In the Australian Curriculum: English, students begin to engage with the priority as they develop an awareness and appreciation of, and respect for, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander literature. This includes storytelling traditions (oral narrative) and contemporary literature. Students will learn to develop respectful, critical understandings of the social, historical and cultural contexts associated with different uses of language features and text structures including images and visual language.

Mathematics

Students can explore connections between representations of number and pattern and how they relate to aspects of counting and relationships of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures. Students can investigate time, place, relationships and measurement concepts within Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander contexts. Through the application and evaluation of statistical data, students can deepen their understanding of the lives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples.

Science

Students will have opportunities to learn that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples have longstanding scientific knowledge traditions and developed knowledge about the world by:

observation, using all the senses

prediction and hypothesis

testing (trial and error)

making generalisations within specific contexts such as the use of food, natural materials, navigation and sustainability of the environment.

Humanities and Social Sciences

The diverse cultures of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples are explored through their:

long and continuous strong connections with Country/Place and their economic, cultural, spiritual and aesthetic value of place, including the idea of custodial responsibility. Students examine the influence of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples on the environmental characteristics of Australian places, and the different ways in which places are represented.

experiences before, during and after European colonisation including the nature of contact with other peoples, and their progress towards recognition and equality. In particular, students investigate the status and rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, past and present, including civic movements for change, the contribution of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples to Australian society, and contemporary issues.

exploration of how groups express their particular identities, and come to understand how group belonging influences perceptions of others.

The use of primary and secondary sources, including oral histories, gives students opportunities to see events through multiple perspectives, and to empathise and ethically consider the investigation, preservation and conservation of sites of significance to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples.

The Arts

Students' exploration of traditional and contemporary artworks by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples provides insight into the way the relationships between People, Culture and Country/Place for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples can be conveyed through the arts, their expression in living communities, and the way these build Identity.

Technologies

Students will identify the interconnectedness between technologies and Identity, People, Culture and Country/Place. They will explore, understand and analyse how this intrinsic link guides Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples in sustaining environments, histories, cultures and identities through / by creating appropriate and sustainable solutions.

Health and Physical Education

This learning area allows students to appreciate and celebrate the beauty of the world's oldest continuous living cultures. Students will be able to explore personal, community and group identities and so build understanding of the differences and commonalities in systems of knowledge and beliefs about Health and Physical Education. There is the capacity for making strong connections between cultures and identities and to engage with and appreciate the lived experiences of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples. Students can learn about the richness of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander modes of communication and ways of living and being, and develop appreciation and understanding of uniquely Australian connections between People and Country/Place. They can explore the importance of family and kinship structures for maintaining and promoting health, safety and wellbeing within their community and the wider community. Students can also be given the opportunity to participate in physical activities and cultural practices such as traditional and contemporary Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander games.

Languages

The Framework for Aboriginal Languages and Torres Strait Islander Languages provides a direct way of learning about and engaging with diverse Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures are an integral part of learning Aboriginal languages and Torres Strait Islander languages as there is an inseparable connection between the languages and land, sea, sky and waterways. Through learning a framework language, all students gain access to knowledge and understanding of Australia that can only come from an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander perspective.

For Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, learning their own language can have a significant influence on their overall learning and achievements. It can foster a strong sense of identity, pride and self-esteem and enables students to develop a wider recognition and understanding of their culture, Country/Place and People. This then contributes to their wellbeing.

In all other language learning, there is scope for making interlinguistic and intercultural comparisons across languages to develop understanding of concepts related to the linguistic landscape of Australia and to the concepts of language and culture in general.

Work Studies

The exploration of concepts of self-identity provide opportunities to develop understanding of the distinctive sense of identity of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples. This can lead to an understanding of how identity is strongly linked to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples' unique belief systems and their spiritual connection to the land, sea, sky and waterways. The curriculum can demonstrate the influence these have on relationships within the world of work through the Australian Curriculum: Work Studies.

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Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures

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This link provides you with a creative platform in which Indigenous Women are using street art to connect their culture and heritage to the public eye in Brisbane, Australia.

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A group of First Nations women are making their mark on the walls and buildings of Brisbane as a way to connect their culture and heritage to the mainstream.

As part of this year's Brisbane Street Art Festival (BSAF), Boneta-Marie Mabo and Sisters Inside are among the women showing their talent to the world.

Rachael Sarra, a proud Goreng Goreng woman, said creating street art allowed them to engage with the public about their heritage.

"The street art festival has given us the opportunity to work in the Yuggera Turrbal lands - it's so important to have representation," Ms Sarra said.

"It's been really important for women of colour to be represented, as we're creating a new movement now and it's about empowering each other."

Ms Sarra uses bright colours such as pinks and oranges that express the vibrance of her work and optimise the subject matter.

"I'm not a traditional artist, but I bring the art into a contemporary space," she said.

"There's not an artwork I've done that doesn't have pink."

It was a challenge to take her canvas artwork to a much larger scale, she said.

"It's bigger than what I'm used to, but the platform for everyone to look at is exciting.

"I think it's also important to include more contemporary Indigenous artists, as a lot of art is considered Aboriginal art based on our traditional heritage."

Using art as a vehicle for learning

Ms Sarra said her heritage was a core component of her work.

"Art is a vehicle for change and conversation, as we tell stories through art and it talks to many different types of people ... I think it's the way of the future.

"Some people question if it's Aboriginal art or not and sometimes you get caught in the identity crisis, but on a whole, people really engage with it and find it new and exciting.

"They seem to want to talk about the subject matter and the subject matter that relates to them as well."

Along with her artwork, Ms Sarra has collaborated with Brisbane-based jewellery creator Concrete Jellyfish Co and designed outfits for the Queensland Firebirds netball team during the NAIDOC round.

"There is a real demand for people to engage with Indigenous culture through the wearable artform," she said.

"It's about putting Indigenous culture in the mainstream and from that they want to learn more.

"What we've found is artists are uncovering their own identity in their own way, and what's unfolding is this new type of art and platform.

"It's creating a really strong community for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to explore our identity."

Connecting with others

Chaboo - a partnership between Casey Coolwell, a Quandamooka woman with ties to Minjerribah (North Stradbroke Island), and her partner Roy Fisher, a Wakka Wakka man from Cherbourg - have also made their mark on the festival.

It began after Ms Coolwell started creating artwork on merchandise and clothing before she moved into freelance design work while exploring hand-painted art pieces.

"I do the outline and the design before Roy, who is a house painter by trade, comes in and takes over and he's great with the murals," she said.

The duo created a piece depicting the Brisbane River. She said being part of the festival had allowed her to connect with people through art.

"The feedback has been really positive, and many children came and asked us what the dots meant and what the story was behind it and that was really cool.

"It's been awesome to be painting on our land and we're telling our stories through our artwork and it's overwhelming to see our work on such large scales."

Their piece captures an aerial view of the river and cliffs.

"We included our signature community link artwork, which identifies the New Farm and Fortitude Valley area," Ms Coolwell said.

"It was hard to try and determine what size to do the dots, but we did it in two days."

She said her heritage was a big part of her art.

"All of the work comes from my heritage and I'm inspired by everyone around me and my family - we draw off each other and that shows in the artwork."

The Brisbane Street Art Festival runs until May 19.

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Indigenous women use street art so others can connect with culture

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A group of First Nations women are making their mark on the walls and buildings of Brisbane as a way to connect their culture and heritage to the mainstream. As part of this year's Brisbane Street Art Festival (BSAF), Boneta-Marie Mabo and Sisters Inside are among the women showing their talent to the world.

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This link is to Australia’s first set of Indigenous emojis made on Arrernte land in Mparntwe/Alice Springs.

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They were made by hundreds of young people with senior Arrernte cultural advisors for you to use!

This is a great tool for both students and teachers to help understand Indigenous perspective through visual stimuli.

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FNFAD takes artists on a journey from concept through to runway shows and exhibitions.

This is a great resource for teachers to explore cultural communication and exploration. While also covering aspects of professional development within the fashion and design process.

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First Nation Fashion + Design: Cultural communication and exploration

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FNFD takes artists on a journey from concept through to runway show and exhibition, covering all aspects of professional development within the fashion + design process.

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Victorian Aboriginal Education Association Inc.

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Victorian Aboriginal Education Association Inc.

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The VAEAI is the peak Koorie community organisation for education and training in Victoria.

This is a good resource to bookmark for school support, training and programs for teachers.

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VAEAI - Victorian Aboriginal Education Association Inc.

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The Victorian Aboriginal Education Association Incorporated (VAEAI) are pleased to launch the Koorie Education in Learn Locals: Best... Read More → 10 Practical Protocols to empower and support Koorie Learners.

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Major women artists, principally from the community of Yuendumu, have featured this important Dreaming story in their paintings. This story has many aspects associated with it – about the country, the ceremonial implements, the dance of the Ancestral women, the journey and the materials collected. This resource includes Indigenous women artists that could be introduced to a class.

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Mina Mina Jukurrpa relates to a major Women's Dreaming site that is sacred to Warlpiri women of the Napangardi and Napanangka skin groups. Min Mina is located well to the west of Yuendumu in the Tanami Desert, in country that features and is dominated by salt lakes, claypan soakages and sandhills.
The Dreaming describes the journey of a group of women of all ages who travelled east gathering food, collecting Ngalyipi ( Tinospora smilacina or Snake Vine) and performing ceremonies as they travelled. The women began their journey at Mina Mina where Karlangu (digging sticks) emerged from the ground. Taking these implements the women travelled east creating Janyinki and other sites. Their journey took them eventually beyond Warlpiri country.

The ngalyipi vine grows up the trunks and limbs of the Kurrkara (Desert Oak, Allocasuarina decaisneana) trees. Ngalyipi is a sacred vine to Napangardi and Napanangka women and has many uses. It can be used as a ceremonial wrap, as a strap to carry parrajas (wooden bowls) that are laden with bush tucker, and as a tourniquet for headaches.

Major women artists, principally from the community of Yuendumu, have featured this important Dreaming story in their paintings. This story has many aspects associated with it - about the country, the ceremonial implements, the dance of the Ancestral women, the journey and the materials collected. Therefore the artists tend to focus on specific parts of the story for their paintings.

Judy Napangardi Watson paints the sinuous shapes representing Ngalyipi, the Snake Vine, whose fibrous strands are used to weave ceremonial skirts for the dancers. Also Lajamanu artist Judy Napangardi Martin paints the woven skirts made by the ancestors and used by the dancers.

Dororthy Napangardi painted the country associated with the Mina Mina site - the surface of the salt lake country and sometimes the surrounding sandhill patterns. Dorothy Napangardi also shows aspects of the travels of Ancestral Women as they danced their way across country and encountered other Dreamings. The artist's fine white dot-markings convey the movement of women, and also refer to elements of the surrounding landscape. This abstracted pattern of the country was also painted by Dorothy's sister Margaret Lewis Napangardi, who occasionally added her own sinuous bands of sandhill structures to some of her paintings.

The significance of Mina Mina to Warlpiri culture is embedded in the dance and songs shared by the women at this ceremonial site, contributing a powerful resource to the painters who depict this subject. The style can vary between artists - from intensely coloured, sinuous structures to very refined and minimal monotone paintings. The paintings manage to capture the Dreaming narrative as well as the location, finding the inter-relationship between the ancestral story and the sense of place.

View Artists

Back to Aboriginal Dreamtime Stories

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Women's Dreaming Mina Mina Jukurrpa - Japingka Aboriginal Art Gallery

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Mina Mina Jukurrpa relates to a major Women's Dreaming site that is sacred to Warlpiri women of the Napangardi and Napanangka skin groups. Min Mina is located well to the west of Yuendumu in the Tanami Desert, in country that features and is dominated by salt lakes, claypan soakages and sandhills.

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This link leads you to a powerful talk led by Indigenous writer and anthologist Bruce Pascoe.

Pascoe demonstrates a radically different view of Australian history that we all need to know – one that has the potential to change the course of Australians' relationship with the land.

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A real history of Aboriginal Australians, the first agriculturalists  | Bruce Pascoe | TEDxSydney

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Community Arts Network (CAN)

Rekindling Stories on Country is a platform where Noongar culture and language are acknowledged and celebrated in Western Australia and recognised nationally and internationally for their contribution to Australia’s cultural identity.

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Rekindling Stories on Country is a platform where Noongar culture and language are acknowledged and celebrated in Western Australia and recognised nationally and internationally for their contribution to Australia's cultural identity. Through the production of authentic and inspiring artistic work CAN facilitates Noongar cultural expression, significantly impacting the lives of Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people of the region and beyond.

Over the next four years CAN's creative program is guided by four key initiatives that underpin projects across Noongar Country. These interwoven strands will become greater than the sum of their parts through an integrated program that produces inspiring art, develops artists and builds the capacity of communities.

By delivering inspiring art through RSoC, we are able to not only achieve excellent artistic outcomes with participating communities, but also enhance our development of creative and professional pathways for artists, increase the profile and understanding of our communities, thereby opening up more platforms for artists and allowing stories to be shared more widely.

CAN has three Arts Production Goals specific to delivering Rekindling Stories on Country:

1. Produce excellent art by, with, and for Noongar communities and share the work/s locally, nationally and internationally.

2. Create opportunities for cultural dialogue between Noongar Elders and young people, which ensures intergenerational cultural transmissions beyond the life of individual projects.

3. Develop the capacity and resilience of established and emerging artists to work in complex community contexts.

4. CAN's key strategy to realise these goals is to facilitate a space for Noongar communities to come together with skilled artists to create authentic and contemporary expression of culture. This space is founded on trust, strong relationships with participating communities and a commitment to engaging artists and arts workers who can produce excellent artistic outcomes.

5. The Noongar Nation represents the single biggest language and cultural bloc in Aboriginal Australia and Noongar people are the Traditional Owners of the southwest region of WA (190,000 square kilometres of land). Extending our work across Noongar country builds on CAN's successful work with Noongar Elders and young people in the Wheatbelt region of WA and responds to a growing demand from other communities to facilitate the creative sharing of untold stories and the production of art. The work seeks to improve cultural knowledge and understanding among Noongar people, particularly for young people under 18 years of age who, in the Wheatbelt, make up almost half of the Aboriginal population.

6. This strategy aims also to work in collaboration with state, national and eventually international cultural agencies, to share the outcomes of the work and weave stories of Noongar culture through new presentation avenues. This work is unique, as many Noongar stories remain largely invisible or unknown in WA, across Australia and beyond.

7. The Noongar Nation has successfully negotiated a land settlement with the Western Australian state government. This claim is cited as the single biggest native title claim in Australia's history and the details are currently being finalised. It is anticipated that settlement will include resources for a wide range of community cultural initiatives and programs initiated by the Noongar community. In this context, CAN foresees new opportunities for collaborative work that furthers best practice CACD engagement.

8. We will focus on particular regions of the Noongar Nation each year - and over the course of the four years move across Noongar country to produce work in all six native title areas by 2020.

CAN's arts production program 2017-2020:

Builds on successful projects and partnerships developed as part of RSoC 2014-2016 (such as Bush Babies and Noongar Dolls) as well as introduces a number of fresh creative concepts.

Allows projects to be scaled - geographically and in terms of size and breadth so that we can build on successful outcomes, share our processes more effectively and create greater impact where there is energy and traction with communities.

Gives opportunities for the creative outcomes to connect nationally and internationally AND feed into our capacity building and strategic advocacy functions.

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Rekindling Stories on Country is a platform where Noongar culture and language are acknowledged and celebrated in Western Australia and recognised nationally and internationally for their contribution to Australia's cultural identity. Through the production of authentic and inspiring artistic work CAN facilitates Noongar cultural expression, significantly impacting the lives of Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people of the region and beyond.

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First Australians chronicles the birth of contemporary Australia as never told before, from the perspective of its first people.

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1 season available Australia

First Australians chronicles the birth of contemporary Australia as never told before, from the perspective of its first people.

S1 E1: They Have Come To Stay

They Have Come to Stay - This landmark series chronicles the birth of contemporary Australia as never told before, from the perspective of its first people. The story begins in 1788 in Sydney.

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1 season available Australia First Australians chronicles the birth of contemporary Australia as never told before, from the perspective of its first people. S1 E1: They Have Come To Stay They Have Come to Stay - This landmark series chronicles the birth of contemporary Australia as never told before, from the perspective of its first people.

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8 Ways Pedagogy provides 8 simple pedagogies as a starting point of dialogue.

This is a great tool for inspiration when thinking about planning a unit of work or lessons.

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Aboriginal Pedagogy

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Discover stories spanning from traditional to contemporary life, of land and spirit, art and artefacts.

This resource is great to help students understand and unpack our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander rich and diverse culture.

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At the close of the First World War, Australia began an ambitious and controversial soldier settlement scheme, allocating small parcels of potential farming land to returned soldiers.
33,000 acres were set aside in Red Cliffs, and in 1920, the returnees started clearing the Mallee Scrub, making Red Cliffs the largest Irrigated Soldiers’ Settlement in Australia.
The Red Cliffs Military Museum, part of the Red Cliffs-Irymple RSL Sub-Branch, began around 1995, when a small billiard room was used to store wartime artefacts donated by local families. By 1997 the collection had grown so much that the museum developed and started opening to the public.
The collection continues to grow and holds artefacts from the Boer War, WW1, WW2, Vietnam and East Timor, and includes diaries, albums, arms, documents and uniforms, scale models and trench art.
A range of these artefacts, and interviews with soldiers and their families, telling of life in and between the First and Second World Wars, are presented here.

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This article would be great to use for a Bush fire unit of work. It explains the significance of fire in Aboriginal culture.

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Meaning of fire

Fire is an important symbol in Aboriginal culture.

Traditionally it was used as a practical tool in hunting, cooking, warmth and managing the landscape. It also holds great spiritual meaning, with many stories, memories and dance being passed down around the fire.

But when out-of-control bush fires burn Aboriginal land, they are "also burning up our memories, our sacred places, all the things which make us who we are," says Yuin woman Lorena Allam, because "[we] lose forever what connects you to a place in the landscape".

Aboriginal fire management

Fire management is part of how Aboriginal people look after country. It is often called 'cultural burning'.

Definition: Cultural burns

Traditional fire management applies cool and quick burns. These low-intensity fires are also known as cultural burning. They have several benefits:

Save flora and fauna. Animals, including beetles and ant colonies, have enough time to escape. Young trees can survive and the fire keeps grass seeds intact for regrowth. The heat, which is much cooler than a hazard reduction burn, doesn't ignite the oil in a tree's bark. It's a "tool for gardening the environment".

Self-extinguishing. The fire extinguishes straight after it burns the grass ("self-extinguishing fire").

Avoid chemical weed killers. Introduced species, for example grasses, are not fire-resistant and can be removed with fire instead of chemicals.

You can tell if a fire was a cool burn when the burnt grass still has its previous shape.

Cultural burning is tightly connected to caring for country. It is applied more frequently than hazard reduction burning and is very labour intensive.

Cultural burns are used for cultural purposes and not not simply for asset protection. They protect Aboriginal sites and clear access to country for cultural uses (e.g. hunting, access to fish traps, ceremony grounds). Aboriginal control of preparation and implementation is essential.

After World War II, missions towns and cattle stations lured Aboriginal people away from their homelands with promises of work and education. Fire management stopped with severe consequences for the land. Lightning strikes ignited large, hot fires late in the dry season, between August and December, when there was plenty of fuel.

The devastating 2015 Christmas bush fire at the Great Ocean Road in Victoria, triggered also by lightning, was only able to destroy a third of homes in Wye River and "entire streets" because "this country has not burnt, had a fire in it, in decades," as Craig Lapsley, Victoria's Emergency Management Commissioner admitted.

This trend has not been reversed yet. "Since European settlement, fires in the north have increased in size and severity. This has threatened biodiversity as well as increased greenhouse gas emissions," says Dr Garry Cook from the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO).

When Aboriginal people returned to country and properly managed it, the area that burned was cut in half. Fire is an inevitable force in the dry season and needs to be managed. Fire burning has created a variety of habitats including places that are very sensitive to fire like rainforest.

In 2019, Forest Fire Management Victoria and Dja Dja Wurrung Clans Aboriginal Corporation (DDWCAC) jointly brought back cultural burning for the first time since invasion. It follows a lesson learnt from the March 2018 fires across the Bega Valley in New South Wales which stopped where the the Bega Local Aboriginal Land Council had done cultural burns the year before.

But cultural land management cannot just be added to existing non-Aboriginal practices. Aboriginal people must be involved as they know when to burn, where to burn and how to execute a burn.

Cultural burning is a practice not limited to Australia. Other indigenous peoples applied the same technique, for example the Indigenous Peoples of Canada.

The Northern Territory started supporting cultural burns on public lands from the early 1980s, New South Wales not before 2017.

Video: Cultural burning

Learn about cultural burning from Aboriginal fire practitioners (11 mins).

When to burn

The timing of fire management is critical and needs to happen at the right time of the year. To Aboriginal experts, the country reveals when it is appropriate to use fire: indicators such as when trees flower and native grasses cure. "The knowledge is held within the landscape. Once we learn how to read that landscape and interpret that knowledge, that's when we can apply those fire practices," explains Aboriginal community member Noel Webster.

Ideal is the early dry season, from April to July, when vegetation that grew during the wet season begins to dry, fuel loads are low and wind patterns and drew support a burn. You don't want to burn when certain seeds or fruits are ripe for harvest.

The bushfire threat ends usually in November when monsoon rains arrive and the wet season returns.

If burning too early, big thick shrub develops after the fire which can become a big fuel load and is hard to manage.

If burning occurs too late, trees 'explode' during the fire and not much will be left after the fire goes through. Such fires emit higher levels of greenhouse gases than early season fires.

The right time depends on the ecosystem of the burn area because each system has its own identity and needs. An ecosystem is for example a forest of boxwood or tea trees, rainforest, or heath areas along rivers and springs.

Cool fires

A central idea in fire management is to have a cool fire. Night time or early mornings are ideal for cool fires as during the day plants sweat out flammable oils, and a nightly dew helps cool down the fire.

During a morning burn the wind is often gentle and supports Aboriginal people direct the burn. Without the help of the wind burning cannot happen at the right time. The sun, in contrast, encourages the fire to burn.

Cool fires don't bake the seeds and nutrients in the soil or destroy root systems. Flames are low so they cannot ignite the tree canopy and only char the bottom bark. They don't burn logs lying on the ground or habitat trees. Burning supports certain soils to improve and enables them to hold more moisture.

The speed of the fire is slow enough to allow insects to escape. If you cannot see an army of insects crawling and flying away from the fire, it is moving too fast and is too hot. The humans who manage the fire can also walk with the fire and correct if necessary.

Cool fires help change the vegetation structure by reducing the density of plants like Bracken Fern or Casuarina which lead to extreme fuel loads. But hot fires, such as hazard reduction burns, encourage their regrowth.

Aboriginal people who execute cool fires usually stay with the fire to manage it.

Video: Burning to heal: Indigenous burning before and after the Tathra bushfire (11 min, ABC News)

Video: How to conduct a cool burn

John Daly, an Aboriginal ranger from Fish River, New South Wales, explains a cool burn (5:20 min).

Where to burn

Like a non-Aboriginal person reads a book, Aboriginal people can read the land to determine which areas need fire management.

They prepare a burn by looking at the different ecosystems, patches, fuel loads, grasses, soil type, and the kinds of ashes a fire will leave behind. It is not "one big grass area to be burnt".

Trees tell Aboriginal people about the soil type and this tells them what type of fire is needed. Aboriginal people know which areas will burn and where the fire is going to stop. Some areas "want to be burnt" while others need to rest and regrow.

Cultural burns burn "for country" and not to satisfy a certain number of hectares for bureaucrats or statistics.

Burning usually occurs at the edge to the next ecosystem to not affect it as it might require a different approach of fire management at a different time. Many small mammals and birds need ground to stay unburnt for at least three years.

How to manage a burn

Aboriginal people read the systems of fire-the grass, soil type, what animals live there and how they benefit from it. Burning styles differ depending on how "sick" the land is.

To start a fire, Aboriginal people traditionally used a tea tree bark torch. Contemporary fire management uses either a kerosene bark torch (the oil in the bark keeps torch alive) or a drip torch (hot fires).

The first fire burns a circle around Aboriginal people's living area so they are safe.

Early dry-season, cool fires trickle through the landscape and burn only some of the fuel, creating a network, or mosaic, of burnt firebreaks. These stop the late dry-season, hot fires.

The canopy is sacred

A cool fire preserves the canopy of trees. This is very important for several reasons:

Protection and provision. The canopy provides shade, fruit flowers and seeds. It allows animals to come back quickly.

Carbon reduction. Unlike a cool burn, a canopy fire releases too much carbon. Local land managers can then sell carbon credits for the emissions avoided.

Fire refugee. When there's a fire insects and other small animals crawl up the tree to safety.

Preserve tree cycle. With its canopy intact the tree does not miss its cyclic renewal.

Trigger for germination. The smoke from a cool burn goes through the canopy and triggers off a reaction for seeds up there to germinate.

No wonder that Aboriginal people consider the trees' canopy "sacred".

This is in stark contrast to how non-Aboriginal people understand fire. "Non-Indigenous mob, their fires are based on their money," complains David Claudie.

Non-Aboriginal people, like pastoralists or officers in land management departments and other government bodies, are trying to learn how to manage fire correctly on their own, but the knowledge is right there under their nose, with Aboriginal people. All they need to do is ask for help. Some do.

Fire cannot be managed from the air alone, you need to have people on the ground.

Comparison: Cool vs hot burn

Hazard-reduction burns are deliberate, authorised fires to reduce fuel loads and threats to people and property from wildfires. They are also known as fuel reduction burns, prescribed, planned or controlled burns. These burns can often be much hotter than cool burns, with devastating consequences to the burnt areas.

Backburns are different - they are lit during an emergency to create a burnt buffer to stop an active bushfire and do not consider environmental impact.

Cool burn

Hot burn / hazard reduction burn

Burn schedule

determined by reading the land (e.g. tree species) and local knowledge from traditional custodians

determined by computer modelling

Ignition point

chosen specifically so animals can escape

chosen by topography, several points spread out (e.g. along lines or grids), often via helicopter drops (aerial ignition)

Flame height

knee-high

more than 1.5 metres (the upper limit recommended for fuel-reduction burning )

Extend of fire

controlled

controlled, but sometimes escapes control

Research shows that hazard reduction burning is not an effective method to prevent subsequent bush fires.

The "two toolbox" approach to fire management

Aboriginal Elder Terrah Guymala is a senior member of the Bordoh clan of the Warddeken people in remote west Arnhem Land and director of Warddeken Land Management.

He uses a "two toolbox" approach to manage fire: One virtual toolbox contains traditional knowledge and land management skills, the other Western knowledge like using helicopters and satellite imaging.

This combined knowledge lets the Warddecken people manage their country successfully.

Elsewhere the Commonwealth's Carbon Farming Initiative motivates Aboriginal people to restore traditional fire management practices on their homelands. They combine modern environmental and fire science with traditional "mosaic" burning practices.

Fighting carbon with fire in western Arnhem Land, NT

Watch a video by the United Nations University about how the "two toolbox" approach saves thousands of tonnes of carbon each year.

Fire, fauna and flora

The discussion around the sacred canopy of trees already indicated the intricate links between fire, animals and plants.

During a fire, bush turkeys hunt for bugs and insects at the fire line while hawks scour it for small animals.

Animals know how to protect themselves from fire: ants and snakes go deep down into their nests and burrows, kangaroos find safe spots on rocky outcrops.

Regular burning is also an effective weed control to introduced species like the African gamba grass which can increase fuel loads 10-fold.

After a fire, if it was cool, new grass is growing only weeks after a burn. It holds the soil together and provides a source of food for wombats, wallabies and native birds, and ample of hunting opportunities prior to invasion. Brolgas (Australian cranes) eat insects that have been burnt.

Wallaby, birds and other animals bathe in the cool ash to cleanse themselves, for example to get rid of lice. The black coals can also be used as medicine.

Do we burn too often, too much?

Fire management is not without its critics. It divides tourism operators, bushwalkers, environmentalists, ecologists and archaeologists.

Some believe that that too much land is burnt too often, and that fighting fire with fire worsens what it should protect: the loss of habitat, decline of species, erosion, flooding and the destruction of Aboriginal rock art. Bushwalking businesses are concerned to lead their customers "through ash" while environmentalists stress that "good" fire regimes should maximise the extent of unburnt areas.

Another point of conflict arises when landowners are paid to burn early in the season, called savanna carbon farming. The fire stimulates gras regrowth, so carbon dioxide emissions from the fire are not included in emission calculations because it is assumed that vegetation regrowth removes an equivalent amount from the atmosphere.

Farmers and landowners are reluctant to burn their land as kilometres of fences, often built using wooden posts, could catch fire. Their replacement can cost as much as a quarter million dollars.

While Aboriginal custodians managed for thousands of years to preserve Aboriginal rock art within areas which were regularly burnt, current fire practices ("hazard reduction burns") might no longer guarantee the same result. Archaeologists claim that aerial burning is responsible for fading and scorching art and destroying as much as 30% of it in the Kimberley.

Passing on fire management knowledge

Aboriginal people understand that fire is part of the healing process of the land. Children as young as four learn how to lose their fear and manage fire.

Going back to their homelands, Aboriginal people want to heal the land from colonisation. Proper fire management is an essential part of this healing process. But it goes both ways - Aboriginal people who go out on country also reconnect with culture.

Elders share knowledge with younger generations of Aboriginal men who receive training from the Royal Fire Service. Cultural burning also complements the fire service's hazard reduction burns in fire-prone areas.

As Aboriginal rangers increase their knowledge of how to manage fire, so rises their confidence and sense of identity. "Having the rangers here plays a big part in keeping identity alive and pride in what our people have," finds Aboriginal ranger Robin Dann.

Rangers burn vegetation to protect rainforest patches, rock art and traditional pathways. They track the progress of fires with online maps based on satellite images.

Homework: Fire management means respecting country

"This is like a garden for us. We need to look after it," says Terrah Guymala, director of Warddeken Land Management.

Here's a challenge: On your way to school, study or work, notice how people have interacted with the land.

Where can you see respectful treatment of the land? Where are examples of ignorance, disrespect and abuse?

What would these people need to change to be more caring?

Use your mobile phone's camera to document examples. What can you do next?

Did fire influence Australian trees?

For thousands of years, Aboriginal people have used fire to hunt and to manage the landscape. Some scientists have argued that when people first arrived in Australia about 45,000 years ago they set a large number of these fires, which reshaped the country's ecosystems. This theory has become an accepted idea.

A study from the University of Tasmania examined this theory by analysing the genetic fingerprints of a particular fire-sensitive tree found across the continent.

It found that fluctuations in populations of these trees across the continent since the arrival of people were driven primarily by climate, not fire. Aboriginal use of fire seems not have caused a major restructuring of vegetation across the continent.

"The effect of Aboriginal landscape burning is a lot more subtle. It's still important, but it's subtle and it's region-specific," the researchers concluded.

NSW Rural Fire Service Crews use burning Banksia cones to start fires for back burning.

Teaching resources

Cool Australia

Educational website CoolAustralia.org has prepared lessons and supporting material like worksheets for primary and secondary students.

Lessons revolve around cool burning, fire management, benefits, climate change and the Fire Triangle model. A login is required to access the material.

Check out primary student and secondary student material.

Firesticks Alliance Indigenous Corporation

The Firesticks Alliance Indigenous Corporation is an Aboriginal-led network that aims to re-invigorate the use of cultural burning. It offers cultural learning pathways to fire and land management and is open for Aboriginal and non- Aboriginal people to look after country, share their experiences and collectively explore ways to achieve their goals.

Firesticks offers fire workshops and burning forums and demonstrations.

Koori Country Firesticks Aboriginal Corporation

The Koori Country Firesticks Aboriginal Corporation is a non-for-profit organisation that works to revive cultural burning as an alternative approach to hazard reduction burns. You can participate in workshops, demonstrations, camps or events.

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Cool burns: Key to Aboriginal fire management

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Fire is an important symbol in Aboriginal culture. Traditionally it was used as a practical tool in hunting, cooking, warmth and managing the landscape. It also holds great spiritual meaning, with many stories, memories and dance being passed down around the fire.

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Bunjilaka Aboriginal Cultrual Centre.

This resource celebrates vibrant cultures of Indigenous Australia through its rich traditions of performance, storytelling and artworks.

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Bunjilaka Aboriginal Cultural Centre at Melbourne Museum

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Celebrate the vibrant cultures of Indigenous Australia with its rich traditions of performance, storytelling and artwork set against a powerful history of survival against the odds.

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The Koorie Heritage Trust is located in Federation Square. This exhibition is the only public collection in Victoria dedicated solely to Koorie art and culture comprising artefacts, pictures and photographs.

This resource allows you to keep up to date with current and past exhibitions.

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The Koorie Heritage Trust acknowledges and pays respect to the Traditional Custodians of Melbourne, on whose lands we are located. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people should be aware that this website may contain images, voices or names of deceased persons in photographs, film, audio recordings or printed material.

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The University of Melbourne’s cultural commons provides access to a unique group of museums, galleries, theatres, collections, and knowledge. It represents what we value, hold, discover and create and what collectively helps us to understand what it means to be human and it provides access according to Aboriginal and Torres Strait laws and customs.

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At the University of Melbourne

Stay connected, inspired and engaged with the University of Melbourne's arts and culture through our collections, virtual tours, videos, catalogues and podcasts. Delve into our events and public programs here.

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At the University of Melbourne Stay connected, inspired and engaged with the University of Melbourne's arts and culture through our collections, virtual tours, videos, catalogues and podcasts. Delve into our events and public programs here.

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Use this resource as a starting point when thinking about an acknowledgement of country.

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Engage students with a short video which explains Indigenous Ontology in a friendly, visual way.

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Where are the Black Designers? is an initiative and platform for Black designers. This amazing resource connects designers, educators and creative leaders to host a dialogue about change, both in and out of the design industry.

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Where are the Black Designers? is an initiative and platform for Black designers. By connecting designers, educators, and creative leaders we host a dialogue about change, both in and out of the design industry.

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This talk is by Judy Atkinson who is an expert in understanding inter-generational healing and recovery from trauma in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

This moving talk describes her approach to healing. It’s about listening. In order to heal, the stories behind the trauma must be heard.

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The Value of Deep Listening - The Aboriginal Gift to the Nation | Judy Atkinson | TEDxSydney

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The Sociology of Walking Resource/Activity.

Invite your students to take a short walk, listening, reflection and thinking. This will allow students to observe their own localities which at times they might dismiss.

It could help students generate art that explores a creative and meaningful Acknowledgement of Country. Students can begin to understand where they are located in relation to the land they are on and the Indigenous custodians of this land.

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Tanderrum is an Aboriginal ceremony. It is an important event each year held in October through the Melbourne International Arts Festival. This festival is a wonderful opportunity to learn more about the First peoples of Australia.

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An important event each year in Melbourne in October is the Melbourne International Arts Festival. This festival is a wonderful opportunity to learn more about the First peoples of Australia. Study Melbourne Ambassador, Felycia Viffany, attended the opening of the Melbourne International Arts Festival and shared her thoughts on the Tanderrum ceremony and what she has learned about Aboriginal culture and history.

The Festival is is opened by the First Peoples of Melbourne who perform the Tanderrum ceremony. This ceremony brings together a number of Aboriginal tribes which traditionally lived across Victoria, including the Wurundjeri/Woiwurrung, Boon Wurrung, Taungurung, Wadawurrung and Dja Dja Wurrung language groups of the Eastern Kulin Nation. These groups are the traditional owners of the land in Melbourne.
"The experience I had was fantastic and really opened my eyes."
The ceremony began with sand and smoke, which serves to pay respect to the traditional custodians of the land and seeks permission to perform the ceremony on their land.

"At first I had no idea why there was sand and smoke in the middle of the ceremony. But as the performance continued, I realised this part of the ceremony acknoledged the law of the land and its traditional owners."

The part I will never forget is the final dance. All five language groups danced together to songlines that haven't been sung by the Kulin Nation for over 100 years. It is so meaningful and amazing to see different groups dancing together, and it reminds me of the importance of respect and giving.

Felycia was able to meet and speak with some of the performers, including a 92-year-old Aboriginal woman who gave her a big hug. "Even though it's just a small interaction, I will never forget her confidence and encouragement. It was totally unforgettable," writes Felycia.

Felycia said that learning about Aboriginal culture in Australia is very important and highlighted her own experiences as an international student in Victoria.

"Understanding the spiritual connection to land helps me develop as a person that respects diversity and understands cultural difference," said Felycia.
Learn more about Aboriginal culture in Melbourne
Aboriginal people are Australia's first inhabitants and the traditional owners of the land where we study, live and work. They are the oldest continuous living culture in the world, with a living history reaching back for more than 60,000 years. There are many ways you can learn more about Aboriginal culture and histories in Victoria, including Walking Tours that explore the rich Aboriginal history in Melbourne, led by a local Aboriginal guide.

The Koorie Heritage Trust runs these walking tours every Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Learn more about them here or you can visit them in person at Federation Square.

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The Festival is is opened by the First Peoples of Melbourne who perform the Tanderrum ceremony. This ceremony brings together a number of Aboriginal tribes which traditionally lived across Victoria, including the Wurundjeri/Woiwurrung, Boon Wurrung, Taungurung, Wadawurrung and Dja Dja Wurrung language groups of the Eastern Kulin Nation.

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Discover and unpack What Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples perspectives of the sky.

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What Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples see in the sky are not only planets, stars and other physical bodies, but something much grander: a confirmation of what we already know about how the world operates - time, life, our place in the universe.

In Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, everything on the land is reflected in the sky. The sky serves as a scientific textbook - a map - that is home to a wealth of knowledge for those who are able to interpret and read the information it holds.

The positions of the sun, moon, and stars in relation to the Australian landscape provide Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples with information to predict changes in the environment in relation to seasons, weather patterns and the behaviour of plants and animals. It is this relationship between the sky, people and country that enables Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to thrive with the Australian landscape, harvesting what they need and ensuring sustainability for future generations.

The objects and natural phenomena in the sky provide a blueprint for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to safely navigate long journeys across the lands, seas and waterways. The sky holds valuable information about food sources and livelihood, travel paths and optimum times to travel during the year.

Through story, song and dance, knowledge to read the intricate map of the sky and landscape is transferred between generations. Passing oral histories also gives context about social order and relationships.

This knowledge is a living part of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and continues to evolve. Through the sharing of these practices, all Australians can better appreciate the depth, wealth and diversity of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander astronomical knowledge and its contribution to our national identity.

Country / Place

Enduring understanding

Lines of inquiry

The sky holds a wealth of scientific and geographic knowledge, which is interpreted and deciphered in different ways by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Astronomical knowledge is encoded in the positions of celestial objects - everything on the Australian landscape is reflected in the sky:

Depicting changes in the environment in relation to seasons, weather patterns and the behaviour of plants and animals.

Informing ways of navigating to guide long journeys across lands, seas and waterways.

What kind of information does the sky hold?

How do Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples interpret and decipher this information?

What can the positions of the sun, moon and stars in relation to the Australian landscape tell us about our environment?

How do Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples use celestial objects as a navigational tool?

Culture

Enduring understanding

Lines of inquiry

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples' oral traditions are highly detailed and complex.

Knowledge is transferred through story, song and dance, shared across generations for tens of thousands of years.

Oral transmission of astronomical knowledge passes on valuable information about food sources, livelihood, travel paths and optimum times to travel throughout the year.

The relationship between the sky, people and country enables Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to thrive in the Australian landscape, harvesting what they need and ensuring sustainability for future generations.

How do Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples' oral traditions effectively transmit knowledge across generations?

How is the holistic nature of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander knowledge systems reflected through oral transmission?

How can Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander stories be interpreted/what can be inferred?

How can Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander astronomical knowledge evolve?

Can lost knowledge be reclaimed or revived?

People

Enduring understanding

Lines of inquiry

Australia has the world's first astronomers who continue to hold and communicate valuable astronomical knowledge.

Knowledge held in the Australian sky both shapes and reflects the culture in which it lives.

The sky is a canvas depicting important information about relationships and social order.

The sky informs important times to migrate for trade and economics.

How does Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples' astronomical knowledge shape our world view?

What techniques or technologies do Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples use to measure time and predict environmental changes?

Why do Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples use storytelling to teach lessons?

How does astronomical knowledge inform Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples' trade and economic practices?

How do I?

More information about the Curricula Project and the resouce package is available in the how to guide.

Glossary

View our glossary for a list of terms found in our teacher guides.

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What Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples see in the sky are not only planets, stars and other physical bodies, but something much grander: a confirmation of what we already know about how the world operates – time, life, our place in the universe. In Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander c…

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Back, L. (2017). The Sociology of Walking. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zcn-q0k-r0I&feature=emb_title

Big Weather. (2020, October). Retrieved from https://www.ngv.vic.gov.au/exhibition/big-weather/

Commonwealth of Australia.  (2018) Astronomy. Retrieved from https://www.indigenous.gov.au/teaching-guides/curricula-project/astronomy

Confined 11. (2020, October). Retrieved from https://thetorch.org.au/exhibitions/46sdaqyfx9ezackw/

Community Arts Network. (2020). Rekindling Stories on Country. Retrieved from http://www.canwa.com.au/project/rekindling-stories-country/

Culture Victoria. (2016). Aboriginal Culture. Retrieved from https://cv.vic.gov.au/stories/aboriginal-culture/

Destiny Deacon. (2020, October). Retrieved from https://www.ngv.vic.gov.au/school_resource/destiny/

Dockett, S., Mason, T., and Perry, B. (2006). Successful transition to school for Australian aboriginal children. Childhood Education, 82(3), 139-144. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.ezp.lib.unimelb.edu.au/docview/210404860?accountid=12372

Eight (8) ways. (n.d) Aboriginal Pedagogy. Retrieved from https://www.8ways.online/about

First Nations Fashion and Design. (n.d). Retrieved from https://www.firstnationsfashiondesign.com/

First Australians. (2020, October). Retrieved from https://www.sbs.com.au/ondemand/program/first-australians

Hinchliffe, J. (2019). Indigenous women use street art to encourage people to connect with culture. Retrieved from https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-05-17/female-indigenous-artists-front-brisbane-street-art-festival/11116390

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L6wiBKClHqY&feature=emb_title

Indigemoji, Emoji-ampinye. (n.d). Retrieved from https://www.indigemoji.com.au/emojis

Intergenerational Trauma Animation. (2020, October). Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vlqx8EYvRbQ&feature=youtu.be&ab_channel=TheHealingFoundation

Introducing Judy Watson. (2020, October). Retrieved from https://www.tate.org.uk/art/introducingjudywatson?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=social_tate_shots

Koorie Heritage Trust Inc. (2020). Exhibitions. Retrieved from https://koorieheritagetrust.com.au/whats-on/exhibitions/

Kroff, J. (2020). Cool burns: Key to Aboriginal fire management. Retrieved from  https://www.creativespirits.info/aboriginalculture/land/aboriginal-fire-management#toc9

Martinique, E. (2016). These Contemporary Aboriginal Artists Made an Impact for their Culture. Retrieved from https://www.widewalls.ch/magazine/aboriginal-artists/marcia-purdie

Mills, K. A., and Doyle, K. (2019). Visual Arts: A Multimodal Language for Indigenous Education. Language and Education, 33(6), 521–543. https://doi.org/10.1080/09500782.2019.1635618 Retrieved from https://ezp.lib.unimelb.edu.au/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=eric&AN=EJ1231170&site=eds-live&scope=site

Milton, V & Abbott, S. (2019) To learn your country, start by learning its Aboriginal names. Retrieved from https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-01-21/to-learn-your-country-start-by-learning-its-aboriginal-names/10719890?pfmredir=sm

Museums Victoria. (2020). Bunjilaka — Aboriginal Cultural Centre. Retrieved from https://museumsvictoria.com.au/bunjilaka

Nakata, M. (2007). The cultural interface. Australian Journal of Indigenous Education, 36, 7–14. Retrieved from http://c.ymcdn.com/sites/www.weraonline.org/resource/resmgr/symposiamembermeetings/2010-siep-marti__nakata_ajie.pdf

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Reconciliation Australia (2020). Welcome to Country, Acknowledgement of Country. Retrieved from https://www.reconciliation.org.au/wpcontent/uploads/2018/03/welcome_acknowledgement_v4.pdf

Representations in Films and Text. (2020, October). Retrieved from https://indigenousknowledge.unimelb.edu.au/curriculum/resources/representations-in-film-and-text

Research for Educational Impact (REDI). (2018). Indigenous Ontology. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQfpfXY6u0U&feature=emb_title

State Government of Victoria. (2020). Tanderrum — an Aboriginal Ceremony. Retrieved from https://www.studymelbourne.vic.gov.au/news-updates/tanderrum-an-aboriginal-ceremony

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Ted Talks (Producer). (2018, July 24th). A real history of Aboriginal Australians, the first agriculturalists — Bruce Pascoe. [Audio Podcast]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fqgrSSz7Htw&feature=emb_title

Ted Talks. (Producer). (2020, June). Julia Watson: How to build a resilient future using ancient wisdom. [Audio Podcast]. Retrieved from https://www.ted.com/talks/julia_watson_how_to_build_a_resilient_future_using_ancient_wisdom

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This resource is by the National Gallery of Victoria and looks into how Deacon uses materials, techniques, technologies and processes to realise the intentions in her artworks. ​

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In Australia, Intergenerational Trauma predominantly affects the children, grandchildren and future generations of the Stolen Generations. This animation visually illustrates this.

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Brand to Open Minds

Marcus Lee Design simplifies the business of branding and communicating cultural diversity. It is a solution like no other because of the unique duality that thrives within our studio. We have dwelled in the domain of mainstream communications executing many high profile brands, packaging and advertising campaigns.

Our Approach - Artistic Thinking

Artistic thinking is how Marcus approaches the creation of brand storytelling between two or more converging cultures. Thinking like an artist drives inspiration beyond the conventional design practices to successfully breakthrough into the minds of the intended market. Using this approach, Marcus draws on deep understanding of Indigenous art culture and technique while applying his significant commercial insight to create overlapping layers of authentic artistry with company brand symbolism and values.

Marcus Lee - Studio Director

Marcus Lee founder and studio director leads the design team and personally works directly with clients to deliver innovative work that is visually engaging and commercially relevant. Marcus is a gifted designer whose work over the last 30 years has touched millions of Australians through his design and marketing communications projects for many high profile public and private organisations.

In 1996, with fourteen years of design experience and a wide commercial network, Marcus made the decision to establish his own design studio. In the years that have followed, the studio has enjoyed considerable success building a reputation for leading edge design solutions across all forms of media and print. Marcus is passionate about creative design and has relished those opportunities to share his knowledge including lecturing in design at Swinburne and Monash Universities.

Born and raised in Darwin NT, Marcus is a descendant of the Karajarri people and is proud of his Aboriginal heritage. It was inevitable that those roots would pull at his art strings and take him and his design team into the evolving realm of communicating cultural diversity. This also brings with it the scope to participate within the commercial community helping to improve the living standards of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders.

Marcus Lee Design is a certified supplier with Supply Nation.

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Marcus Lee Design simplifies the business of branding and communicating cultural diversity. It is a solution like no other because of the unique duality that thrives within our studio. We have dwelled in the domain of mainstream communications executing many high profile brands, packaging and advertising campaigns.

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Committed to the politics of Aboriginal emancipation and self-determination. One of Australia’s most significant artists, Bell’s work explores the complex artistic and political problems of Western, colonial and Indigenous art production.

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Richard Bell (b. 1953, Charleville, Queensland) is a Australian artist and a member of the Kamilaroi, Kooma, Jiman and Gurang Gurang communities.