This task involves reading
and breaking down a primary source document, then watching a clip from a
telemovie which supports the description from the primary source.
This exercise was completed at the beginning of a unit about the effects white settlement had on the Aboriginal population of Australia. The purpose of this task in particular was for the students to gain an understanding about the arrival of the First Fleet and to highlight to the students how little the Indigenous population knew about white men. The aim was to then lead into teaching the students that the Europeans actually knew nothing about the Indigenous population and their culture either.
The primary source is taken from a letter written by an officer from the First Fleet in 1788 (included below). The language is quite difficult and for that reason I decided to go through the meaning of the letter with the class as a whole. Each student had a copy of the document and as a class we read through it and deciphered the language together. As we read through the letter, I wrote some key words on the board and asked the students to copy them down and write out their definitions. The letter described the first meeting between the settlers and the Indigenous people of Australia. In this description it stated that because the European men were wearing clothes, the Indigenous people were unsure what sex they were, so in order to let them know the European soldiers had to pull their pants down and show them. After reading the letter, in order to consolidate their understanding I showed them a scene from the telemovie ‘The Incredible Story of Mary Bryant’ in which the content of this letter was played out.
This activity may also be useful to facilitate a discussion about the reliability of primary sources as well as how primary sources can be used in the creation of secondary documents and the artistic licence taken by some directors of historical television and movies.
This exercise was completed at the beginning of a unit about the effects white settlement had on the Aboriginal population of Australia. The purpose of this task in particular was for the students to gain an understanding about the arrival of the First Fleet and to highlight to the students how little the Indigenous population knew about white men. The aim was to then lead into teaching the students that the Europeans actually knew nothing about the Indigenous population and their culture either.
The primary source is taken from a letter written by an officer from the First Fleet in 1788 (included below). The language is quite difficult and for that reason I decided to go through the meaning of the letter with the class as a whole. Each student had a copy of the document and as a class we read through it and deciphered the language together. As we read through the letter, I wrote some key words on the board and asked the students to copy them down and write out their definitions. The letter described the first meeting between the settlers and the Indigenous people of Australia. In this description it stated that because the European men were wearing clothes, the Indigenous people were unsure what sex they were, so in order to let them know the European soldiers had to pull their pants down and show them. After reading the letter, in order to consolidate their understanding I showed them a scene from the telemovie ‘The Incredible Story of Mary Bryant’ in which the content of this letter was played out.
This activity may also be useful to facilitate a discussion about the reliability of primary sources as well as how primary sources can be used in the creation of secondary documents and the artistic licence taken by some directors of historical television and movies.
Primary Source
Excerpt regarding the
Australian aboriginal people from a letter from George Worgan to his brother
Richard, 12 June 1788.
I
must not omit mentioning a very singular curiosity among the [aboriginal] men
here, arising from a doubt of what sex we are, for from our not having, like
themselves long beards, and not seeing when they open our shirt-bosoms (which
they do very roughly and without any ceremony) the usual distinguishing
characteristics of women, they start back with amazement, and give a hum! with
a significant look, implying. What kind
of creatures are these?! – As it was not possible for us to satisfy their
inquisitiveness in this particular, by the simple words. Yes or no. We had
recourse to the evidence of ocular demonstration, which made them laugh, jump
& skip in an extravagant manner.
Secondary Source
Clip from ‘The Incredible
Story of Mary Bryant’
Watch from 3.00 – 5.45
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