Question 1)
There are lots of different ways to answer this question, but arguably the power of aboriginal art comes from “all of the above”: its color, style & simplicity, its connectedness with nature & the Dreamtime, the message/s underpinning it. The art & music & dance of groups that have been oppressed often derive power from their potential to liberate.
Question 2)
Evonne Goolagong Cawley has been described as the first mother to win Wimbledon, but she was actually the first mother to win Wimbledon in 66 years (the previous one being English woman, Dorothea Lambert-Chambers in 1914). Goolagong did, however, win Wimbledon before & after she became a mother.
There are many memorable moments in aboriginal sport. Perhaps the most memorable was Kathy Freeman being selected the final torch-bearer at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, then winning gold in the 400m event.
Another memorable moment was when Queensland fast bowler Eddie Gilbert dismissed Bradman for a duck in 1931. Bradman said later that the 6 balls he faced from Gilbert were the fastest he had ever faced in his career.
There have been many great aboriginal athletes in a wide range of sports, including Australian rules, rugby, boxing, cricket & athletics.
Question 3)
If you exclude fish & seafood, most Australians eat very little bush tucker. Most of us have tried damper (which is an aboriginal recipe) & macadamia nuts (which, though an indigenous plant, were probably grown in Hawaii). Kangaroo meat is now available in many supermarkets, but – despite the fact it is very lean – is not mainstream popular. Little businesses spring up now & then & market bush tucker products like quandong jam. You can also buy bush tucker such as emu snags or croc burgers at various community markets & aboriginal cultural centres.
Question 4)
Music & dance have a central role in traditional aboriginal spirituality. They connect the past with the present by preserving important myths; they unite social groupings by helping define social rules. Didgeridoos are world famous for their unique sound & the unique way that they come into being (by termites hollowing out certain eucalyptus branches).
As well as traditional music, many aboriginal communities & individuals have embraced western forms of music (such as country & hip hop) & fused them with traditional forms to create new distinctly indigenous styles (e.g. the Wilcannia Kids). Well-known aboriginal performers include Yothu Yindi, Archie Roach & Christine Anu.
Question 5)
Example 1: Ernie Dingo. Ernie was a talented basketballer before he turned to acting. He has a laid-back, non-confrontational & comical style.
Example 2: Sally Morgan. Like Ernie Dingo, Sally is a West Australian. She is a professor at UWA but is better known for My Place, the story of her self-discovery of her aboriginal heritage, & her beautiful artwork.
Question 6)
Sample answer
If any part of our community is hurting, it affects all of us. The rest of Australia really appreciates how hard you are fighting for indigenous rights.
1) Make visiting aboriginal cultural centres &/or sites an integral part of your program.
2) Investigate bush tucker tours in your area. These are conducted all over Australia.
3) Build up your school’s/department’s collection of bush tucker guides. Here are some examples:
4) Learn to identify edible (& non-edible) plants & have taster sessions in the field. You could include any wild food, not just indigenous food (e.g. blackberries, fennel seeds, etc.).
5) Set a research project/task where students – individually or in small groups – gather information about a famous aboriginal person or tribe.
6) Take a didgeridoo & clap sticks on camp. (Note that women are commonly not allowed to play didgeridoos.) If you don’t have a didgeridoo, take cardboard tubes or plastic pipe to make didgeridoo sounds. Alternately, play didgeridoo CDs in your bus CD player.
7) Invite an aboriginal elder/activist/performer to speak to your students.
8) Visit aboriginal art galleries/exhibitions.
collecting bush fruit (credit: http://www.wildorchidimages.com.au, April 2008)
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