CR181 - History 1 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders

1. Cross-curriculum priorities in the ACARA History: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island histories and culture

I recently came across this picture below in my university lecture, and it really spoke to me in regard to Aboriginal people their culture and where they are today. Social justice and human rights for aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people needs to be a life of opportunity, dignity and free from discrimination, and disadvantage, it should be an ideal and a basic human right.

The ACARA History Curriculum describes: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island histories and culture as:

communities that are strong, rich and diverse. Their Identity is central to this priority and is intrinsically linked to living, learning and communities, deep knowledge traditions and holistic world view. They have a conceptual framework based unique sense of Identity has been developed as a structural tool for the embedding and cultures within the Australian curriculum. This sense of Identity is approached through the interconnected aspects of Country/Place, People and Culture. Embracing these elements enhances all areas of the curriculum. The priority provides opportunities for all learners to deepen their knowledge of Australia by engaging with the world’s oldest continuous living cultures. This knowledge and understanding will enrich their ability to participate positively in the ongoing development of Australia.

Source D: Domestic servant source: J. Isaac, Pioneer Women in the bush and outback, Lansdowne, 1998, p186.

Looking at this picture it speaks nothing to me of the ACARA curriculum priority, in the richness of the Aboriginal culture, traditions and their communities. It only speaks of discrimination, social injustice and humiliation, and lack of human rights. It has a sad looking aboriginal girl, who is holding a happy white child on her shoulder, nearly covering the aboriginals face. The white girl wears a dress and hat with style, while the Aboriginal older child wears old dirty servant clothes. It is a sad picture with a deep meaning of what life must have been like at this time.

Now a days a  Social Justice Commissioner reports to federal parliament in response to the findings of the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody and there is a National Inquiry into racial violence.

There has also been a response to the extreme social and economic disadvantage faced by Indigenous Australians. The Commissioner has an important role to keep Indigenous issues before the federal Government and the Australian community, to promote understanding and respect for the rights of Indigenous Australians.

The Role and functions of the Commission is for:

·        advocate for the rights of Indigenous peoples

·        promote an Indigenous perspective on different issues

·        build support and understanding for an Indigenous perspective, and

·        empower Indigenous peoples.

The Social Justice Commissioner Mick Gooda reports to a media association with news of updates in the above issues. Social justice is about creating an Australian life for Indigenous and non-Indigenous people that has choices about how they live and the means to be able to make choices.

Social justice is founded in the hands-on, day-to-day truths of life. It is about being able to get up in a household with running water and correct sanitation and offering one children an education that aids them to develop their prospective and respect their beliefs. It is the viewpoint of sustaining an occupation and good health. Social justice means to identify the distinctive human rights that Indigenous Australians hold as the original peoples of this land.

A very moving 10 minute video reminds us of the “UN Declaration of rights for recognition” in the indigenous community. “Let no one say the past is dead, the past is all about us and within.”- Kath Walker

References

ACARA, (2012) Australian National Curriculum, Taken on the 24 May, 2013 http://www.acara. edu.au/curriculum.html

Australian HRC (2012) Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice. Taken on the 27 May 2013. https://www.humanrights .gov.au/aboriginal-and-torres-strait-islander-social-justice

Australia HRC (2012) UN Declaration of rights for recognition. For information on Australian Human Rights Commission resources on the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, taken on the 27 may 2013 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bB2uZxekt-k

Federal Circuit court of Australia (2013) Indigenous Australians and Family Law Litigation: Indigenous perspectives on access to justice, taken on the 22 May 2013 http://www.fmc.gov.au/pubs/html/Report%20-%20Ralph%20-%20Indigenous%20-%202013.html

Gooda, M (n.d.) Central Australia Aboriginal Media Association.  CAAMA, taken on the 26 May 2013 http://caama.com.au/tag/aboriginal-and-torres-strait-islander-social-justice-commissioner

Gooda, M (n.d.) Justice Reinvestment Campaign for aboriginal people, taken on the 25 May 2013 http://justicereinvestmentnow.net.au/

Louth, S. (n.d.) Overcoming the shame factor empowering Indigenous people to share and celebrate their culture, Southern Queensland University.  Taken on the 21 May 2013. http://www.auamii.com/proceedings  _Phuket_2012/Louth.pdf

Reconciliation Australia (2012) Social Justice Commissioner releases the 2012 Social Justice and Native Title Reports. Taken on the 23 May 2013.  http://governance.reconciliation.org.au/governance-watch/social-justice-commissioner-releases-the-2012-social-justice-and-native-title-reports

Wikipedia (2013) .taken on the 27 May 2013 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indigenous_peoples