What is Indigenous studies?
Indigenous Studies is about teaching the full history of Australia; it is looking at the colonisation of Australia from Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islanders' points of view, both past and present. It is about recognising that Australia is not only 200 years 'old' but has been occupied for upwards of 60,000 years. The culture is rich, diverse and one of the oldest surviving cultures in the world.
- Since 1788 the majority of Australian history taught in our schools has been on colonisation/occupation from European points of view. Aboriginal history has never played a large part in our history books, and when it has been covered it is often from a very biased point of view.
- Through teaching and learning in Indigenous Studies we hope to create an understanding and empathy in all students towards the events and interactions between Indigenous Australians and colonists. For students to recognise the result of colonisation, government policies and practices, racism, and what effects they are still having on Indigenous society today.
- Indigenous Studies looks at the colonisation of Australia from Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islanders' points of view, examining the impact and effect it had on Indigenous Australia - its cultural beliefs, practices, language, land ownership, food sources and on many other areas.
- Indigenous Studies should investigate not be just only about pre-contact but post contact and contemporary Indigenous Australia. We need to look at how the society and culture of today has been influenced or affected by the past.
- Indigenous Studies should be an integral part of all subject areas and not just a stand-alone component.
- The teachers' role is to facilitate learning not to be an expert.
Why teach Indigenous Studies?
The teaching of Indigenous Studies is of fundamental importance to the future of Australia.
- It can be seen as the starting block of righting past wrongs and increasing all Australians' cultural awareness of the fuller history of Australia and not only that of the past 200 years.
- It is about righting the balance between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians as acknowledging past wrongs and building a firm basis for the reconciliation of non- Indigenous Australia to Indigenous Australia.
- In the past Australian history covered only the European colonisation and exploration of Australia. This history generally did not include Aboriginal people other than as protagonists or the natives that roamed around the country.
- It is about the role that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders' have played in shaping this country prior to invasion, to colonisation, and in contemporary Australia.
- As an important tool on breaking down the barriers between non- Indigenous and Indigenous Australia, of exploding myths and challenging past accounts and today's images the media presents of Indigenous Australians.
- In Australia today there is a greater requirement of teachers to include Aboriginal studies in their classroom. For example in South Australia Aboriginal studies is mandatory from R-12 and since 1987 it has been a requirement in NSW schools.
- It may seem when faced with teaching this content that it will be quite hard to cover all aspects. It is not expected that as a teacher you should know everything, even Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders don't know everything there is to know!
