Language and identity
The following clips have teachers’ notes related to this topic:
Water and fire
Tom E Lewis gives a brief introduction into how Arnhemland society is structured. There are 12 clans in Numbulwar, and the society is divided into two moieties. The two moieties in Arnhemland are water and …
Swamp canoes
Rolf de Heer oversees the construction of swamp canoes that will be used in the film Ten Canoes (2006).
For the future
Against a backdrop of images of the Ramingining community, director Rolf de Heer talks about the unexpected problems in casting Ten Canoes (2006). The kinship laws are so complex that the final choice of cast …
Creation
Benny Tjapaltarri and Mick Ngamurarri tell us the significance of the Dreaming, and how the Dreaming ancestors created the landscape.
This child, Zita
Aggie Abbott tells of how, when Zita returned to her mother after years of being absent, her mother said that her daughter was dead. Ron Wallace, Zita’s husband, talks about Zita’s experience of …
Back to country
Zita is sitting on a stool feeding a poddy calf. In voice-over Aggie Abbott says most children who were taken away never returned to their country. Zita on the other hand has sought her family …
Better than watching
A map shows the path of the Finke Desert Race, starting in Alice Springs to the community of Finke 229 kilometres away. The racers stop for the night, then do the return ride the next …
Lessons on survival
Essie Coffey gives the children lessons on how to survive in the bush. She shows them different sorts of fruits and trees.
‘Had a car’
Behind the wheel driving through the mining fields, Norman tells us that they used to get into his old Landrover to hunt kangaroo for meat, sometimes hitting the animal with the car. They would take …
‘I’m telling you the law’
Walking through the mining fields, Norman tells us how the old people used to work the fields, but the young people don’t work anymore, and drink too much grog. Norman says that white people …
Mbantua
A 60 Minutes crew film Warren H Williams and John Williamson around a campfire as they sing a song about 1,000 feet of people having walked through this land. Warren collaborates with Ted Egan …
Myths, stereotypes and prejudice
In their fifth meeting, the group discusses stereotypes and expose their own prejudices. One participant wants to define what an Aboriginal person is, then expresses a strong resentment towards the 'benefits’ offered to 'welfare groups’.
Hunting wombat
Wanda Miller talks about working with Gladys Miller to design language programs that will allow Wirangu to be taught in schools. Wanda’s grandchildren are Wirrangul through her husband. Wombat is the traditional food of …
