LibGuides: ANCIENT AUSTRALIANS: Teachers' Resources

A Maccassan Prau - fishing boat from the Indonesian Islands.

Artist: Wonggo.Bark painting, East Arnhem Land, Northern Territory, c.1942.

Teacher Resources:

General:

Common Ground Common Ground is designed to build a foundational level of knowledge for all Australians, and be a go to resource for those wanting to learn more and connect with our First Peoples. This website covers various topics associated with history, culture and reconciliation.
ABC Online Indigenous Portal The ABC Indigenous portal aggregates Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander stories from around the ABC & around Australia.Access the latest Indigenous stories and features from ABC Radio, News & Current Affairs, TV and iview.
Black Words Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander writers and storytellers. It gives teachers and students access to Indigenous-written and Indigenous-influenced stories in many forms and to up-to-date information on authors and their works.
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An AustLit site.
Black Australia's Timeline A calendar of significant events in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander history since the arrival of European culture in Australia.
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An AustLit site.
The Orb Walk in our shoes, see through our eyes and journey alongside us… the Tasmanian Aboriginal community. Fully interactive experience produced by the Tasmanian Govt. and Ed. Dept.
Narragunnawali: Reconciliation in Schools and Early Learning Reconciliation Australia’s Narragunnawali: Reconciliation in Schools and Early Learning program is designed to support all schools and early learning services in Australia to develop environments that foster a higher level of knowledge and pride in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories, cultures and contributions.
Share our Pride This website will gives you a glimpse of how life looks from an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspective. Share our Pride is designed to take you on an awareness-raising journey.
AIATSIS Online Resources The Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies is an independent Australian Government statutory authority. Their education section catalogues monumental moments in history and explores the culture of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
National Indigenous Television (NITV) On Demand Home of Indigenous storytelling, with TV programs that inspire, instill pride and lead to a greater respect of Indigenous Australians. Access to NITV programs on SBS on demand is free.

Ancient Australians:

Australian Aboriginal History Timeline Australian Aboriginal history is the only history that grows both ways—forward into the present and backwards into the past as new scientific methods indicate that archaeological sites are much older than originally thought.
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Site contains advertisements.
VIDEO: Australia's Ancient Past in Trouble. .ABC Splash
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How and why do things that are precious and important sometimes get damaged or destroyed? This clip from 1969 gives us some answers. It explores what was happening to significant Aboriginal rock carvings in and around Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park in New South Wales. We see many of the carvings, and hear a museum curator speak about why they should be protected.

VIDEO: When did the first aboriginal people arrive in Australia? World Book explains.

Aboriginal Art:

Aboriginal Art: A Journey Downunder [Slideshare] Inspiration for a lesson on Aboriginal art techniques. By Sebastian Iglesias (Australian LA). January2013.
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Aims:
>discover a little bit about Australia and the Aboriginal People
• learn about aboriginal culture and art• study the symbols used in aboriginal art
• Look at colour and understand how different colours may have different meanings

Aboriginal Culture:

Yubalyawan Dreaming Project The Yubulyawan Dreaming Project YDP is dedicated to documenting and sharing the wonderful cultural heritage and wisdom of Yidumduma Bill Harney, senior Australian Aboriginal Elder of the Yubulyawan clan of the Wardaman people. The Elder has directed the collection of all material and approved all material shown on this site. This site is organised into 10 teaching video chapters with a YDP Education Guide and further research links, on the lower bar navigation.

The Dreaming:

"Wadu Matyidi : Language of Belonging" Resource Overview See the 'Languages' page for more information. "Wadu Matyidi : Language of Belonging" is a multi-platform education resource based on the ground breaking Indigenous short animation Wadu Matyidi and the five accompanying behind the scenes mini- documentaries. Designed specifically for Primary-aged students, this diverse learning program gives students the opportunity to explore the Adnyamathanha language, culture, stories and traditions, and develop their own portfolio and cultural understanding.

Teacher Resources : Lesson Plans

Look for the Australian History Mysteries on the 'Find Information' tab. You will be asked for the library password.

Year 3: Community and Remembrance: Case Study - Who lived here first and how do we know?; Interactive website; What contributions have individuals and groups made in our communities?. (See Interactive site link, PDF's and video links on the right)

Year 4: First Contacts: Case Studies - "What was Life like for the Aboriginals before the arrival of the Europeans?"; "Why did the great journeys of exploration occur?"; "The nature of contact with the Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islander Peoples."(See Interactive site link, PDF's and video links on the right)

Year 5: The Australian Colonies: Case Study - Who migrated to the Australian Colonies and what were their lives like? (See Interactive site link, PDF's and video links on the right)

Year 6: Australia as a Nation: Case Studies - Who were the people who came to Australia and why did they come?; How did Australian society change throughout the 20th century to become more equal? (See Interactive site link, PDF's and video links on the right)

Year 7: Investigating the Past. Case Study - "What are the mysteries of Lake Mungo?"(Secondary: Extension); "Who discovered Australia?" (Secondary: Extension); (See Interactive site link, PDF's and video links on the right)

Resources include: Teacher Guide; Video; Print resources; Interactive site

Before the Modern Australian Nation.
Lesson Outline.
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The areas in which people choose to live and settle are greatly affected by the type and abundance of resources in close proximity. This lesson serves as a basis for learning about the locations of different Aboriginal regions and the resources clans in those regions may have used.

Before Nation: Geographic Drilldown
Worksheet.

Timeline Commentary - The diversity of cultures in Indigenous Australia
By Professor Andrew Jakubowicz.
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For 60,000 years or more...
Before the Invasion - a diversity of languages, cultures and societies in what is now Australia
Indigenous Dancers at Festival Celebrations, 1901.
Original photograph taken in 1901, from the Dr Helen Irving Collection.

Early Contacts - "Boat People" of the Past
Lesson Outline.
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This lesson uses graphic, audio and text resources from Making Multicultural Australia to explore the contact between the Macassan people of Indonesia and Aboriginal people in the Northern Territory.
A Maccassan Prau [Primary source]
East Arnham Land Wonggo. [JPEG Image]
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Source: Courtesy Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders
"The Maccassans" with Mick Dodson
Audio interview.
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An interview with Mick Dodson in which he discusses the nature of the Maccassans trading with Asia long before the arrival of the Europeans.
Early relations between indigenous Australians and the outside world.
Audio commentary by Prof Andrew Jakubowicz.
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Commentary on: Early relations between Indigenous Australians and the outside world »

Astronomy

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 first in a series of curricula projects is available from the Australian Government Indigenous Affairs website on the topic of Astronomy. (See also the teacher guides below.)