Aboriginal
and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures
It is important to integrate the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
Histories and Cultures into all aspects of learning; they have been left out
for far too long. ACARA
adds the cross curricular priorities with regard to geography. This is split
into six sub-categories for this first topic. One great way to begin would be to compare the “Aboriginal Creation” and the
Christian beliefs of creation, for example Gen 2:15 says “And the Lord God took the man,
and put him into the Garden of Eden to dress it and keep it” (NIV) ("Word in Life Bible Contempory
English Version", 1998).
It is easily integrated when you consider the spiritual significance to
the land that the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have. Their connection to the land is different to
ours. Theirs is a “more spiritual, physical, social and cultural connection”
("Meaning of land to Aboriginal people - Creative
Spirits", n.d., p. 1).The following link is a site that can easily be used to explain this: Meaning
of the land
Aboriginal spiritual beliefs are invariably about the land Aboriginal people live on. It is
‘geosophical’ (earth-centered) and not ‘theosophical’ (God-centered) ("What
is Aboriginal spirituality? - Creative Spirits", n.d., p.1) The following
link: Spiritual
connection to land can be used to enhance your explanations of this. Another easy was to engage your students on
this topic would be by the use of images.
An indigenous painting of the South Western Queensland
/ Northern New South Wales River System
“The
principles of caring for Country, caring for each other and respecting the
systems embedded in the concepts of Country and Place, People, Culture and
Identity, provides opportunities for learners to understand the histories of
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples before settlement and investigate
the shared histories and resulting relationships since settlement. For
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students it provides an opportunity to see
themselves within the curriculum in an education setting that respects and
promotes their cultural identities and heritage” ("Home | ACARA",
n.d., p. 11).
References
ACARA, (n.d.), Retrieved from http://www.acara.edu.au/verve/_resources/Shape_of_the_Australian_Curriculum_Geography.pdf#search=sustainability
ACARA, (n.d.), Retrieved from http://www.acara.edu.au/verve/_resources/Shape_of_the_Australian_Curriculum_Geography.pdf#search=sustainability
Meaning
of land to Aboriginal people - Creative Spirits. (n.d.).
Retrieved from http://www.creativespirits.info/aboriginalculture/land/meaning-of-land-to-aboriginal-people
Image: Retrieved
from
What
is Aboriginal spirituality? - Creative Spirits. (n.d.).
Retrieved from http://www.creativespirits.info/aboriginalculture/spirituality/what-is-aboriginal-spirituality
Word in Life Bible Contempory English
Version. (1998). Nashville,
USA: Thomas Nelson Publishers.
Hyperlinks:
Aboriginal Creation Embedded Video: http://www.sbs.com.au/firstaustralians//
Meaning
of the land http://www.creativespirits.info/aboriginalculture/land/meaning-of-land-to-aboriginal-people
land
Aboriginal people live on http://www.creativespirits.info/aboriginalculture/land/
Spiritual connection to land http://www.creativespirits.info/aboriginalculture/spirituality/what-is-aboriginal-spirituality
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