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the 42 page unit of work in a textbook produced by a state-based History teachers’
association covering Indigenous Australian cultures and histories; and combined with the
number of primary source documents used, including photographs in an attempt to bring
history alive to students in a way that they can engage with the content more than just
through the written word demonstrates the respect for Indigenous knowledges and cultures.
Two sample passages where respect for Indigenous cultures is evident are included at Source
7.50.
Source 7.50. Sample passages demonstrating respect for Indigenous cultures from
Living history (Gurry, 1987, p. 106).
In addition, Indigenous cultures as fluid and continuous is evident through the example of the
brittle spear (see Source 7.51), where it is apparent that the author, through the selection of
the primary source document, is communicating that Indigenous cultures continue to develop
and the people within them continue to learn different skills and strategies, and are not
static—as indeed no cultures are where people still practice them. This presents as a
significant departure from the way Indigenous cultures are commonly presented to school
students through core curriculum content.
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