representing our history
DESCRIPTION
Unit of work that students work through. Directed at Year 9 with the use of their laptops.TRANSCRIPT
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.