VELS 5Indigenous Australians
VELS 6Indigenous Australians
Use these materials with the worksheets on the right, to help students evaluate sources, compare images and study a single image in detail. Below the worksheets are printable versions of all materials, which you can use in the classroom.
For more information on evaluating sources see:
See curriculum links
Relevant VELS Level 5 standards include:
Civics and Citizenship
- identify significant developments in the governance and achievement of political rights in Australia.
English
- infer meanings and messages in texts, analyse how social values or attitudes are conveyed.
Humanities - History
- evaluate historical sources for meaning, point of view, values and attitudes.
Communication
- interpret complex information and evaluate the effectiveness of its presentation.
For more information, see Curriculum Links Level 5 [pdf 40KB]
See background information
The following sources illustrate changing attitudes to Indigenous people, and their
struggle for rights in Australia. Issues include Reconciliation and the Stolen Generations,
land rights and the Australian bicentenary of European settlement.
For
additional information, see:
Reconciliation Convention 1997
Native Title & the Yorta
Yorta
Treatment of the Aborigines from 1788 to 1995
Creator
Michael Leunig
Date created
Circa 1983–circa 1995
Important to note
In
this cartoon, the first three frames illustrate the violence and lack of
respect that Aboriginals have faced since European settlement. The fourth frame
reveals the flaws of modern political correctness with the text, ‘...and anyone
caught making jokes about this fella will get a knuckle sandwich.'
The things that unite us
Creator
John Spooner
Date created
2000
Important to note
This
cartoon comments on the Howard government's policy on reconciliation and the
Stolen Generations by showing Howard running away from three people, including
an Aboriginal woman. The title, Things
that unite us, may relate to communities across Australia coming out in favour of the reconciliation movement
in opposition against Howard's refusal to say ‘sorry'.
Love means never having to say you're sorry
Creator
Susi Blackwell and Monique McNamara / Red planet posters
Date created
1999
Important to note
This
poster refers to John Howard's refusal to apologise to indigenous Australians
and the Stolen Generations. The words ‘Love means never having to say you're
sorry' are taken from the 1970 film, Love
Story. The artist's selective use of yellow text changes the message by
emphasising the words ‘loves means...sorry'.
White Australia has a black history
Creator
Unknown
Date created
Circa
1988
Important to note
This
badge was created around the time of the Australian Bicentenary of European
settlement, which some people felt celebrated colonisation without
acknowledging its impact on Indigenous people. The text refers to Australia's Indigenous history, but also implies a history of
conflict and violence between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians.
