representing our history

REPRESENTATIONANDTEXTS

OURHISTORY

claireos Thismodulerequiresstudentstoexplorevariousrepresentationsofevents,personalitiesorsituations.Theyevaluatehowmediumofproduction,textualform,perspective,biasandchoiceoflanguageinfluencemeaning.Thestudydevelopsstudents’understandingoftherelationshipsbetweenrepresentationandmeaning.Studentsanalyseandevaluatetheinterplayofpersonalexperience,memoryanddocumentedevidencetobroadentheirunderstandingofhowhistoryandpersonalhistoryareshapedandrepresented.ThisparticularstudybuildsonknowledgeandskillsfromearlieryearsofEnglish,usesknowledgefromotherKLAssuchasHistory,Geography,SocietyandCulture,DramaandVisualArts.Italsoaimstointroducestudentstothebreadthofresourcesandtheirappropriateusenowonhandthroughtheirlaptops.TheATBforthisunitwillbeawebsitedesignedbystudentstorepresent,culminateandexploretheideasandconceptsfromthisunitinavarietyofmediums.

Keystudentoutcomes:

3 selects,uses,describesandexplainshowdifferenttechnologiesaffectandshapemeaning4 selectsanduseslanguageformsandfeatures,andstructuresoftextsaccordingtodifferentpurposes,audiencesandcontexts,anddescribesandexplainstheireffectsonmeaning10 questions,challengesandevaluatesculturalassumptionsintextsandtheireffectsonmeaning

INTRODUCTION

Overthelast20yearstherehasbeennotablegrowthinAboriginalcreationandcontroloftheirownculturalrepresentationsthroughvariousmediums(autobiography,lifestories,documentaryandfeaturefilms,poetry,painting,themedia,musicanddance).ThissubjectanalysesandcomparesAboriginalpeople'srepresentationinthepublicarenatodevelopanunderstandingofAboriginalculture,culturalcontinuityandchange,contemporaryidentityandIndigenouspeople'srightsandaspirationsinmodernAustralia.Thesubjectdrawsuponarangeofintellectualdisciplines,includinghistory,anthropologyandculturalstudiesalongsideemergingIndigenousknowledgesystemstodevelopanunderstandingofIndigenousAustralianperspectivesandexpression.CriticalconsiderationofimagesandrepresentationsprovidesaframeworkforengagingwithIndigenousissues.UnderpinningthisapproachtostudyingrepresentationsofAboriginalpeoplearesocialtheoriesthatprovideabroadunderstandingofthenatureofracisminthereproductionofunequalpowerrelationsinsociety.1

TheviewpointsofAboriginalpeople,theirself‐representation,andtheirperspectivesonhowothersperceivethemhavebeenexpressedinmanydifferentwaysovertime.Theirvoicesarenowincreasinglybeingheardintheinternationalarena.2Similarly,whitepeople’sperspectivesonAboriginalpeoplehavebeengivenvoiceintheirliteratureandtheartsovertimeandthesehaverangedfromtheracistandintoleranttotheconciliatory,sympatheticandrespectful.Inthissection,studentswillbeaskedtoreadanddiscusstextsthatexpressthesevaryingattitudes.

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ACTIVITY1

a) InyourNotebook,summarisethefivekeyideasthisunit(fromtheintroductionandtheunit’stitlepage)thatyouaretolearn.

b) DefineinyourownwordsthetermsinrelationtothestudyofEnglish:context,meaning,representation,question,challenge,evaluates,culturalassumptions,shapesmeaningandpurposes.Hint:theBoardofStudiescurriculumforEnglishmightgiveyouaheadstart.Ifyouwish,accompanyyourdefinitionswithimages.

c) Defineinyourownwordsthefollowing:podcast,blog,vlog,dynamicsite,graphic,cartoonandanyothertermsyouthinkmightfitintothiscategory.

d) Gotohttp://www.pm.gov.au/Media_Centre/Transcripts?tid=10andfindPMKevinRudd’s“sorry”speech.Usehttp://www.wordle.net/tocreateyourownwordcloud.Designyourwordcloudusingfonts,coloursandlayoutthatbestaccentuatethethemesandideasusedinthespeech.SaveyourimagetoyournotebookanduseitinyourATB.

1www.teaching.austlit.edu.au/?q=node/116962www.macquariepenanthology.com.au/files/unit_3.pdf

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CLASSDISCUSSIONBrainstorm:HowdoyouthinkAborigineshavebeenrepresentedovertime?DoyouthinkrepresentationsofAboriginalpeoplehavechangedorgenerallystayedthesame?Hastherebeenagradualorsuddenchange?Trytothinkofexamples.

Brainstormrepresentationtechniques.

ACTIVITY2

Studentsselectanimagefromhttp://www.kooriweb.org/foley/images/history/1980s/82games/gamespxdx.htmlDownloadthisandopenitupinPhotoshopElementsandusethetoolstheretoannotatetheimagewiththeelementslistenbelow.Then,inyourOneNotenotebook,pasteyourimageinandcompletethefocusquestions.FOCUSQUESTIONS

a) Discusshowthisphotohasbeencomposed.Whatistheeffectofthis?Considersuchelementsas:

• culturalreading• clothing• angles• vectors• composition• bodylanguage• facialexpression• bodypositioning.

b) Howisthisperson/thepeoplebeingrepresented?Inapositiveornegativelight?

Whatmessageisconveyed?c) Readthroughlinksonthewebsitetodiscoverthecontextofyourchosenimage.Use

thisinformationtoaddmoredepthtoyouranalysis.Whatdoyouthinkthecomposeroftheshot’sperspectiveoftheissueathandwas?

ACTIVITY3

a) Studentsgotohttp://slv.vic.gov.au/ergo/indigenous_australiansandclick“downloadallimages”and“comparingimages”ontherighthandside.Usetheworksheetandthewebsitetoanalysetwooftheimages.

b) Copyandpastetheimagesandtheworksheetintoyournotebooksandcomplete.Ifyoucan’tcopythecomparingimages,justusetheboxesassubheadingsorcreateyourowntable.Don’tforgetthewebsitehassomecontextualinformationyoucanuse!

c) Gotohttp://www.kooriweb.org/foley/images/history/histpicdx.htmlandchooseanotherimageorarticletoanalyseinasimilarway.

ENCOUNTERSEarlyimpressionsofAustralia’sindigenouspeoplewerenotflatteringandbasedoncompletemisunderstandingofAboriginalpeople.This,ofcourse,wastypicalofthetime.Ourgreatestinsult,apartfrominvadingtheirland,wastobuildourtownshipsontheprimefoodgatheringsites.Beingahunter/gatherernationtheywereimmediatelyforcedoutoftheirownland.TheindigenouspeoplehadmuchtoteachushoweverEuropeanwhitemanhadlittleappreciationofanycolouredskin–consideringthemallas‘primitives’.TheseearlywritingsonAustralianAboriginalpeopleprovideanhistoricalinsightinto18thand19thattitude.Weareobviouslyslowlearners.3

qACTIVITY1Refertohttp://www.warrenfahey.com/indigenous‐2.htmtoanswerthefollowingquestions.

a) Readthevarious“encounters”overthetwopages.Whichdoyouthinkweremostreflectiveoftheircontext?Whichdoyoubelievetransgressedbeyondthenormalboundsofthinking?Giveevidenceforboth.

b) FindonlinesomeotherdiaryentriesfromCaptainCookthatrefertoAboriginalpeople.DiscussCaptainCook’sviewoftheAboriginalpeople.Washedifferentfromotherexplorersofthesametime?Inretrospect,manypeoplearedisparagingofCaptainCookandhisencounterswithAboriginalpeople.Why?

c) Chooseatleastonediaryentryfrom“Colonialtimes”toincludeinyourwebsite.Analysetheuseoflanguageintheentry.Howdoestheirwordchoiceinparticularreflecttheirperspective?

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3http://www.warrenfahey.com/indigenous‐2.htm

WRITINGOURHISTORY–REFLECTINGOLDANDNEWINFLUENCES

Australianliteraturereflectsarangeofinfluences,fromEnglishliterarytraditionstothestorytellingofIndigenousAustraliansandtheEuropeansettlersandconvictswhoarrivedinAustraliainthelate18thcentury.Today’swritingalsoreflectstheculturaldiversityofcontemporaryAustraliansociety.

Australianwritershaveproducedadiverserangeofinternationallyacclaimednovels,drama,poetryandnon‐fiction.Theirworkshaveincreasinglybeenrecognisedthroughinternationalliteraryawards.ManyprominentauthorshavesoughtinspirationinEnglishandEuropeanliterature,andtheseculturalrelationshipsremainstrong.TherearealsosomeparallelsbetweenthedevelopmentofAustralianliteratureandNorthAmericanliterature.

TheoralstorytellingofIndigenousAustraliansandconvictsandsettlerscontributedtothedevelopmentofdistinctiveAustralianwritingstyles.EarlyauthorsexploredthemesofIndigenousandsettleridentity,alienation,exileandrelationshiptoplace.Australia’svast,drylandscapeitselfbecameacharacterinearlyAustralianworksofliterature.DislocatedfromtheircountriesoforiginintheearlydaysofAustralia’ssettlement,manywritersstruggledwithnotionsofwhatitmeanttobeAustralian.Inaddition,strongsentimentsofegalitarianism—awishtobefreeoftheoldsocietyofclassandprivilege—werebornandsurfacedinAustralianliteraturefromthattime.4

Remember,AboriginalAustralianauthorsarenotunifiedintheiraimsandapproachestowriting.ThediversityofAboriginalliteraryperspectivesisperhapsbestillustratedbyBlackAustralianpoetryinEnglish.WhetheritispublishedinpopularAustralianperiodicalssuchastheBulletinorinlocalandregionalAboriginalcommunitypublicationsliketheNorthQueenslandMessageStickortheKimberleyLandCouncilNewsletter,poetryhasattractedmoreBlackAustralianauthorsthananyothermodeofcreativewriting.WhetheritsorientationistowardsAboriginalhealth,education,legalmatters,orgovernmentpolicy,almosteveryAboriginalnewspaperormagazinecontainspoetryonaregularbasis.VerseisnotonlythemostpopulargenreofAboriginalcreativeexpressioninEnglish;italsoclearlyillustratesthewidespectrumofBlackAustralianattitudestothepracticeofwritingandtothesocialpurposeandutilityofliterature.5

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ACTIVITY1

a) ResearchandsummarisefivekeyinfluencesofAustralianliterature.b) WhatarethemainthemesthatearlyAustralianauthorswroteabout?Whydoyou

thinkthisisso?c) WhatseemstobethemostpopularstyleofwritingforAboriginalauthors?Why?d) ReadatextwrittenbyanAboriginalauthorandatextbyanon‐Aboriginalauthor

selectedfromthelistwithaviewtopresentingashorttalktotheclass.Inyourtalk,youaretodiscusstheperspectivesofferedbytheirchosenauthorsontheAboriginalandwhitecharactersand/ortherelationsbetweenthem.Studentsshouldconsider

4http://www.dfat.gov.au/facts/literature.html5http://epress.anu.edu.au/bwwp/mobile_devices/ch08.html

howcontexthasimpactedontherepresentationofmeaninginthesetexts.Studentswilltalkforapproximately5minutes.

Suggestionsbelow.Aboriginalauthors: Bayet‐Charlton,Fabienne:FindingUllagundahiIsland Bird:TheStolenChildren,TheirStoriesDavis,Jack:ABoy’sLife Frankland,RichardJ:DiggerJJones Heiss,Anita:WhoAmI?TheDiaryofMaryTalence,Sydney,1937 Lucashenko,Melissa:TooFlash Morgan,Sally:MyPlace PilkingtonNugiGarimara,Doris:FollowtheRabbit‐ProofFence Pryor,Boori:MaybeTomorrow Whiteauthors: Baillie,Allan:Songman Crew,Gary:TheRabbits(picturebook) Gwynne,Phillip:DeadlyUnna Grenville:TheSecretRiverHooper,Meredith:TheJournalofWatkinTench Hutchins,Elizabeth:BringBacktheSongs Hill,Anthony:TheBurntStick Kidd,Diana:TwoHandsTogether

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FILMNARRATIVESThroughoutthelatterhalfofthepastcenturycinemahasplayedasignificantroleintheshapingofthecorenarrativesofAustralia.FilmsexpressandimplicitlyshapenationalimagesandsymbolicrepresentationsofculturalfictionsinwhichideasaboutIndigenousidentityhavebeenembedded.FilmicrepresentationsofAboriginalidentityareinfluencedbysocio‐culturalvariables,historicalfactors,anddominantdiscourses.Pictures,whethercinematographicorphotographic,alwaysusethemediaasavehicleforconstructingreality.Filmassemblesimagestogethertodisseminatecompellingnarrativestoavastaudienceatthesametime.ThescopeandrepresentationofAboriginalpeopleinAustraliancinematoday,dependsagreatdealonimage‐makerscarryingmessagesacrosstoAustralianaudiences.UnfortunatelymostfilmicrepresentationsofAboriginalidentitycreateAboriginalcharacterswhoare‘figuresoftheimagination’andperceivedasbeingdistortionsofactualreality(Langton).Aboriginalpeopleareregardedasbeingsafecharactersrelatedthroughstoriestoldby‘formercolonists’.Theserepresentationsarenotofanactualworldofpeoplebutonlyimagesthatnon‐AboriginalAustraliansfindacceptable.AboriginalidentityisconstructedatvariouslevelsinAustraliansociety,imposingparticularpoliticalandsocialdiscursiveregimesonAboriginalpeoplearoundaseriesoffalsedichotomiesandforcedchoices.Thisallowsforanintellectual,cultural,andmaterialconstructionofwhitecolonialhegemonyonAboriginalcultureandidentity.ItallowsandcontinuestoallowAboriginalpeopletobestructurallymarginalizedfromAustralianhistoriesandpresentsthestrongestargumentforAboriginalexclusionfromAustraliannarratives,includingfilmicnarratives.AboriginalexclusionextendsacolonialperspectiveonAboriginalissuesandultimatelyAboriginalrepresentationinculturalproductions,suchasfilm,whereAboriginalpeopleareshownasnothingelsebutvictims,alcoholics,fringe,andslumdwellers.AconsistentreinforcementofAboriginalracialstereotypingisalsomarkedcinematicallythroughtheexistenceofbinaryoppositions,ordualisms,withinthefilmicnarrative.

gACTIVITY1

a) ConsiderTHREEfilmsfeaturingAboriginalpeopleyouhaveseen.Describehowtheyarerepresentedinthefilms.Aretheyhomogenous?Dotheyrepresentordebunkstereotypes?CompareandcontrastthecontextofthedifferentfilmsandhowthatimpactsontherepresentationoftheAboriginalpeople.Remember,contextisnotjustwhenafilmismadebutalsowhataudienceitismadefor.DiscusshowmodernfilmmakersaredealingwiththerelationshipbetweenAboriginalandwhitepeopleintheirfilms.Becarefultoconsiderbywhomthefilmshavebeenwritten,directedandproducedasthisprovidesalensthroughwhichfilmmakersviewAboriginalpeopleandpresentthemonscreen.

b) Choseonefilmtoconsideronyourwebsite.Writeascriptforavlogorpodcastthatexplainswhythisfilmisimportantforunderstanding:

a. HowAboriginalpeoplehavebeenrepresentedovertime.b. Whatcontextthefilmwasmadeinandhowthataffectsmeaning.c. Whatwecanlearnfromhistext.

c) Findsomestillsorshortsfromthefilmtoaccompanyyourvlog/podcast.

Filmsyoumightconsider:(Viewedinyear7)RabbitProofFence(Viewedatthebeginningofthisunit)BranNueDae(Viewedinclass)BabakieriaAustraliaMabo–TheLifeOfAnIslandMan‐http://dl.screenaustralia.gov.au/module/1450/#resourcesBlackfellasPriscilla,QueenoftheDessertJeddaOneNight,theMoon(2001)RatedM.Forclipssee:www.australianscreen.com.au/titles/one‐night‐moon/TheTracker(2002).RatedM.ForclipsandTeacher’sNotessee:www.australianscreen.com.au/titles/tracker/TenCanoes(2006).RatedM.Foratrailerandstudyguidesuggestionssee:www.tencanoes.com.au/tencanoes

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TELLINGOURSTORIESINNEWWAYSTheviewpointsofAboriginalpeople,theirself‐representation,andtheirperspectivesonhowothersperceivethemhavebeenexpressedinmanydifferentwaysovertime.Theirvoicesarenowincreasinglybeingheardintheinternationalarena.Similarly,whitepeople’sperspectivesonAboriginalpeoplehavebeengivenvoiceintheirliteratureandtheartsovertimeandthesehaverangedfromtheracistandintoleranttotheconciliatory,sympatheticandrespectful.

d STARTERAnswerinyournotebook:WhatwouldyouconsidertherolesofAboriginalliteratureinAustralia?Giveexamplestosubstantiateyourclaim.ACTIVITY1–INPAIRS

a) Logintohttp://www.abc.net.au/dustechoes/.Explorethesiteandviewoneoftheanimatedfilmsonit.Thenanswerthefollowingquestions:

b) Summarisewhatthefilmisabout.Don’tjustretellthestorybutconsiderwhattheoriginalpurposeofthestorywouldhavebeen.(Considerthefollowingpossibilities;toteachcertainlawsorrules,toexplainrelationshipsandidentity,teachpeopleaboutnaturalevents,towarnthemaboutdangers.)

c) WhatdoesthefilmhelpusunderstandaboutanyofthesetopicsoraspectsoftraditionalAboriginallifeandsociety?

• Food• Work• Family• Society• Lawandrules• Duties• Spiritual/religiousbeliefs• Education• Technology(toolsandweapons)• Relationshipswithothers• Roles• Emotions.Writeonesentenceforanyofthesethatyouthinkistouchedoninthestory.d) Howdoesthefilmaddmeaningtothestoryasawhole?

Herearesomeoftheelementsorpartsofafilmthatcaninfluenceyou.Integratetheseanswersintoyouranalysis.Giveexampleswherepossible.•Thefilm’sgraphicstyle–Whatdothepeoplelooklike?Whatdoesthebackgroundlooklike?Whatcoloursareused?•Thefilm’suseofmusic–IsittraditionalAboriginalmusicormodernmusic?Howdoesthemusicinfluenceyourreactions?Isiteffective?•Whatothersoundsareinthefilm–Arenaturalsoundsused?Isthereanyothersound,suchaspeople’svoices?•Theuseofviewpoint–Thereisnocamerafilmingtheactionineachstory,butyoucanseetheartistspresentingtheimagesasifthereis.Whatarethe‘camera’angles

thatareused?Doesthe‘camera’remainatgroundlevel,ordoesitchangeangles?Doesitmove?Whatistheeffectorimpactofchangingourviewpointaswewatchthefilm?•Narration–Someofthestorieshaveanarrator.Whatsortofvoiceisit?Howdoesthenarratortellthestory?Doeshejustspeak,orarethereotherelementsthatheincludes?Isiteffective?

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USEFULWEBSITESFORYOURATBANDTHISUNIT

http://www.kooriweb.org/Sitewithallsortsofimages,linksanddiscussionsabouttherepresentationofAboriginalpeopleovertime.

http://www.sl.nsw.gov.au/discover_collections/history_nation/indigenous/eora/index.htmlEoranationimagesandhistory.

http://www.kooriweb.org/foley/images/history/toons/toonsdx.htmlCartoons.http://dl.screenaustralia.gov.au/module/1450/#activitiesEddieMabofilmandactivities.http://www.rouge.com.au/6/aboriginal.htmlPoliticsofrepresentationessay.http://www.nla.gov.au/openpublish/index.php/nlasp/article/viewArticle/960/1235AnothergreatessaytalkingabouttherepresentationofAboriginalpeopleovertime.http://www.macquariepenanthology.com.au/abor‐websites.html#2Linkstovarioustimelines,Aboriginalauthors,playwrights,databasesandsoon.http://www.abc.net.au/indigenous/education/default.htmBehindTheNews,simpleexplanationsofAboriginalnewsitems.http://www.warrenfahey.com/indigenous‐4.htmAcollectionofAboriginalstoriesandsongsthroughouthistory.http://www.dfat.gov.au/facts/Indigenous_peoples.htmlAboriginalhistoryandculture.