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terms to explain connections between persons in traditional Indigenous cultures (see Source
7.20).
Source 7.20. Kinship extract from Crossroads: Imperialism and race relations
(Cowie, 1982, p. 298).
Unlike in the primary school curriculum, kinship in this senior high school History textbook
is not explained, with the assumption made that students would understand this term as it
applies to Indigenous Australian cultures. In parts, this section is written through an
understanding or perspective that one system has to be better than another, rather than
different by equally valid (see, for example, Source 7.21).
Source 7.21. “Aboriginal standard of living” extract from Crossroads: Imperialism
and race relations (Cowie, 1982, p. 298).
7.5 Category 2: Early Colonial History and Interactions with Explorers
7.5.1 Discourses of Indigenous Australians’ pre-colonisation.
The placement of Indigenous Australians in pre-1788 history forms the majority of content
where Indigenous Australians are included in the primary school year 5 curriculum, as
represented through Primary Social Studies sourcebook year 5 (Department of Education,
1988a). The perspective broadly attributed to Indigenous Australians and Indigenous
Australian culture is one of explicit awareness that Indigenous Australians are the first
inhabitants of Australia, and an important aspect of national history for students to learn.
Also, and at least in the Teaching information sheets, descriptions of the complexities
regarding tracing the migratory journey of how Indigenous Australians came to reside in the
various parts of Australia forms an important aspect of this topic, set as an introduction to the
unit. This topic is introduced to the students through the following activity objective:
“Through research and discussion, children should become aware of one generally accepted
view of the original inhabitation of Australia” (Department of Education, 1988a, p. 10). For
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