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CHCIC302A: Support Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander families to participate in children’s services

Identify influence of own cultural identify on interactions with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people and communities

Warning

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are respectfully advised that the material in this Unit and outside web pages may contain images, voices and names of deceased people. This material is also culturally sensitive. NSW TAFE regrets any distress this may cause.

Acknowledgements

Content provided by: Rebecca Evans, Teacher, Child and Family Studies, TAFE NSW Sigrid Herring/ Jenny Khan, Teachers, Children’s Services, TAFE NSW Mary Jacobs, Teacher, Child Studies, TAFE NSW

Contents

Overview 3

Identify significant events in own family history which may influence own cultural beliefs and values 4 Cultural identity 4

Identify aspects of the environment which influence own cultural identity 6 Influences on what you like 6 Influential people 6 Examine aspects of family history and personal cultural identity for own personal values and potential impact on interactions with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait islander children and families 7

Support the cultural identity of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander children and families 8

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander identity 9 Identity 9 Key values, attitudes and expectations 10

Suggested resources 12

2 Certificate III in Children’s Services: CHCIC302A: Reader LO 11938 © NSW DET 2010

Overview

This topic focuses on the importance of developing self-awareness about your own cultural identity—and how the beliefs and values that are part of this identity can influence the way in which you interact with people of other cultural identities, in particular Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and families.

Certificate III in Children’s Services: CHCIC302A: Reader LO 11938 3 © NSW DET 2010

Identify significant events in own family history which may influence own cultural beliefs and values

Cultural identity

Who are you? What is your identity? What do we mean when we speak of our identity? Someone might say that they identify as being a daughter, a woman, a Catholic and as part of a culture (or more than one culture). You can see that this person’s identity is derived from her family, her gender and her culture.

You can see that identity is different for everyone. It is about who you see yourself as. It is what you know and feel—your beliefs, values and attitudes. These are shaped by various factors—your family, your upbringing, your culture, your life experiences and your education, to begin with.

Your culture embodies those things in your life that make you and your family unique. You live your culture through your daily routines, rituals and how you interact with the world.

Your culture, for you, is safe—it is where you feel safe and where you feel you belong. It can be forever changing yet for others they will have a totally different perspective on you and how you function within the community. Your ‘family culture’ gives you the sense of who you are and where you belong, be it positive or negative.

We might say that each of us are a result of cultural group membership—in other words, our cultural group serves as a basis for to us to become humanised. We become human through being part of a cultural group or groups.

Australian culture and society have changed dramatically in the second half of the nineteenth century. Influences on our culture are a result of an ever changing population and the acceptance of other varied ethnic groups.

In our discussion, we spoke about culture. What did we mean? Let’s look at a definition.

Culture is a way of life. It is the way we think, how we interact and the goods we produce. It is expressed through our values, expectations, beliefs and language. It is internalised from birth, mainly through the family, but also through the media and your schooling years. Activity 1

Source: Australian Dept Education, Science and Training Interactive ochre (2006)

Identify aspects of the environment which influence own cultural identity

Now you have had the opportunity to put pen to paper to describe yourself, consider the influences on your identity.

Influences on what you like

Here’s a simple exercise in exploring what makes you you.

Take a moment to reflect on the kind of music you like—and why you like it. (Apart from music, you might want to consider books, movies, food and so on.) • Did someone introduce this to you?

• Is your music different to the music preferred by your friends? Why?

• Is there music you know well and are familiar with that you don’t tell your friends about?

Various types of dance music become popular in different decades, for instance, rock and roll in the 50s, soul and rhythm and blues in the 60s, disco in the 70s and hip hop and techno, heavy metal and rap in the 80s.

Many people who are now around middle-aged still know music of the 60s, 70s and 80s well. Why? Where have you heard music of these decades? Who played it for you? Does this have anything to do with the influences over your life?

We, as human beings, are a product of both our environment and our natural genetic make-up. Cultural influences such as customs, family traditions, music, religion and language are part of our environment. This culture is introduced from birth, usually through family’.

Influential people

Now it’s time to think about those influential people in your life, as you were growing-up.

Activity 2

Examine aspects of family history and personal cultural identity for own personal values and potential impact on interactions with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait islander children and families

The family environment provides a scaffold for children to develop understanding about themselves and also the community around them. Growing-up in your local neighbourhood/suburb will have influenced your family and friends about how they view others.

It is important for us to identify our biases and prejudices and understand how they were formed—only after this understanding would we be in a position to challenge the way we think.

The majority of people in Australia will view themselves as not being prejudiced or biased against anyone, however we need to critically reflect on the other influential factors, such as: family role-models, educational environment, media, life experience, economic /social status, beliefs and perceptions that impact on our views often unconsciously.

We need to regularly reflect on our thought actions and words examine these objectively. We need to make sure that we gather knowledge and experiences so that we do not make judgements based on stereotypes or hearsay. Activity 3

Support the cultural identity of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander children and families

Consider how much you have exposed to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people. In the area you grew up in and where you now live, do you see them or have contact with them? Answer each of the following by recording often, sometimes or never next to the example.

See in my town In my street (live near) on TV shows on TV news programs in movies Hear about parents talking when I was a child others talking (eg at work, social functions etc) Attend with Went to school with attend uni/further education with Personal Played with relationship with Slept over at in the weekend Belong to the same group/club Go to the same parties Meet with after work Talk with Professional As fellow students /business As teachers relationship with As lawyers As doctors As accountants As someone to buy things from (shopkeepers) Read about in newspapers In lifestyle magazines

Activity 4

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander identity

Identity

To identify as an Aboriginal person is not as easy as people think. For instance an Aboriginal person may not fit the stereotypical image that mainstream Australia has reinforced through the media and various other means. An Aboriginal person in today’s society has a very multi-racial background and this has presented many dilemmas for the rest of Australia. The general understanding is that an Aboriginal person must prove their identity by presenting a letter from an Aboriginal organisation that can verify that person as being Aboriginal. This is most important for government agencies such as Centrelink for Abstudy entitlement or a person may apply for an Aboriginal identified position.

There are many examples of identity being confusing for others, for example: • A child could have one parent Aboriginal and the other non- Aboriginal— and has a physical appearance that is very Anglo-Australian.

• An Aboriginal child could be raised in a non-Aboriginal foster home and becomes confused about their identity as an adult.

Identity can be become an issue for you as a childcare worker and, more information will be needed to ensure prejudice and stereotypes do not present in the childcare centre. Aboriginal culture is inclusive of all differences and Aboriginal children are not seen as different to other Aboriginal children just because they may look different.

For those Indigenous people who are very Anglo-Australian in appearance, often are ‘robbed’ of their Aboriginality because they continually need to justify to non- Aboriginal people how they are ‘Aboriginal’.

Aboriginality does not mean that a person possesses distinctive characteristic. There are many people who think that what makes someone an Aboriginal person is their skin colour and ‘blood’. To them, the darker someone’s skin is, the more Aboriginal they are. This kind of thinking robs Aboriginal people who have fair

complexions of their Aboriginality. They are seen as being ‘part-Aborigine’—this is an offensive term. Activity 5

Activity 6

Activity 7

Key values, attitudes and expectations

Values are the judgments we make about what are important in our lives. They are standards. Family culture and values are inextricably linked.

In Aboriginal culture it is not the parents alone who are responsible for rearing the child and in the transmission of values. The extended family has a very important role in these family issues.

Key values of Aboriginal people are: • Culture—both traditional and contemporary

• people —respect for the dignity of a human being

• harmony in social relationships

• family and kinship system – observing family obligations and responsibilities – family networks – shared experience with responsibilities within the family • land survival of its spirit

• looking after it

• survival of it physically – not irrevocably damaging or changing the environment

• as country – a place of belonging.

Attitudes of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are tied in with their cultural beliefs and identity. The key values held with regard to family kinship and the land are reflected in attitudes such as:. • interdependence

• respect for elders

• self reliance

• sharing and caring

• co-operation

• observation, imitation and discovery learning

• improvisation and innovation.

Expectations are also tied in with cultural beliefs, identity and values.

This includes expectations such as: • listening to your family

• learning from your families

• learning sense of ‘belonging’

• being strong in the Aboriginal way.

Activity 8

Suggested resources

Australian Bureau of Statistics (2007) Statistics on Aboriginal Usage patterns: The Health and Welfare of Australia's Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People, Australian Government Publishing Service, Canberra.

Australian Government of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations FOR THE COUNCIL OF Australian Governments (2009) Belonging, Being & Becoming: The Early years learning framework for Australia. http://www.deewr.gov.au/

Australia. Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission (2007) Bringing Them Home (videorecording), HREOC, Sydney.

Cavaggion R (2007) Why me? (videorecording) Light Image, South Australia.

Connor J. (2007) Dreaming Stories: A springboard for learning, Research in practice series, v14, no2, Australian Early Childhood Association, Watson, ACT.

Darkinyung Language Group (2007) Darkinyung yada gudjagang = Strong healthy kids, Author, West Gosford, N.S.W.

Dau E (ed) (2001) The Anti-Bias Approach in Early Childhood (2nd edn), Pearson Education, Australia

Elder B (2000) Blood on the Wattle: Massacres and Maltreatment of Aboriginal AustraliansSince 1788, New Holland Publishers, Sydney.

Ellis T (2001) Building Bridges (videorecording), Australian Early Childhood Association, Watson, ACT.

Gungil, Jindibah (1994) Learning From the Past, Department of Community Services, NSW.

Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission (1997) Bringing Them Home: Report of the National Inquiry into the Separation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children from their Families, HREOC, Sydney.

Jones K and Barnes S (2001) How Children View Aboriginality, Every Child, vol. 7, no. 1, pp 10-11.

McClay D (1999) Talking Early Childhood: A resource book, Batchelor College, Batchelor, NT.

Morgan S (1999) My Place, Fremantle Press, Fremantle, WA.

Network SA Resource, Advisory and Management Services (2003) Aboriginal Arts and Crafts: Information and ideas to use in a program for children, Aboriginal Resource and Management Support Unit, Angle Park, SA.

Nowland S (2003) Including Cultural Experiences in your Program, Aboriginal Resource and Management Support Unit, Regency Park, SA

Nowland S (2003) Outdoor Aboriginal Games and Activities for Children, Aboriginal Resource and Management Support Unit, Regency Park, SA.

NSW Department of Aboriginal Affairs (Fact sheets) (c2004), Aboriginal Affairs Media Kit: Background briefing. 10 titles available. Available from: http://www.daa.nsw.gov.au/publications/31.html

Olsen C (2002) Rabbit-proof Fence (videorecording and study guide), Rumbalara Films, Olsen Levy Production in association with Showtime Australia

Panckhurst H (2008) First Australians (videorecording), SBS, Screen Australia, NSW Film and Television Office, South Australian Film Corporation, Screen West and Blackfella Films/First Nation Films. http://www.sbs.com.au/firstaustralians/

Perkins R (2008) First Australians: An illustrated history, Melbourne University Publishing, Carlton, Vic.

Robinson G (2008) Contexts of Child Development: Culture, policy and intervention, Charles Darwin University Press, Darwin, NT.

Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care (2005), Achieving Stable and Culturally Strong Out of Home Care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children, North Fitzroy, Vic. This can be downloaded from: http://www.snaicc.asn.au/news/view_article.cfm?id=25&loadref=8

Willsher M (2001) Good Ideas, Happy Kids, Batchelor Press, Batchelor, NT.

Wilson J T and Link Up (NSW) Aboriginal Corporation (1997) In the Best Interest of the Child? Stolen Children: Aboriginal Pain/White Shame, Aboriginal History, Canberra, ACT.

Other useful websites and resources

Aboriginal history: http://aso.gov.au/education/indigenous/

The history of the Cadital and Wangal people , around the Marrickville area of Sydney. http://www.marrickville.nsw.gov.au/cadigalwangal/main.htm

Family support services

Australian Government Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs: http://www.facsia.gov.au/sa/indigenous/progserv/families/icp/Pages/icp_service s_directory.aspx

Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care: http://www.snaicc.asn.au/index.cfm

Raising Children Network – Indigenous Parents: http://raisingchildren.net.au/articles/indigenous_parents.html

Aboriginal culture

Aboriginal Institute of Family Studies: http://www.aiatsis.gov.au/

Indigenous flags: http://www.aiatsis.gov.au/

ABC Message Sticks: http://www.abc.net.au/tv/messagestick/

Creative Spirits: http://www.creativespirits.info/aboriginalculture/index.html

Lore of the Land: http://www.loreoftheland.com.au/

Little Red, Yellow, Black Site: http://lryb.aiatsis.gov.au/resources.html

Time line of Indigenous films: http://www.creativespirits.info/resources/movies/indigenous-film-timeline.html

NSW Department of Aboriginal Affairs (fact sheets).(c2004)—10 titles- Health, Overview of history, Education: http://www.daa.nsw.gov.au/publications/31.html

Aboriginal lands / language group

Horton’s map of Aboriginal Australia. David R Horton is the creator of the Indigenous Language Map. This map is based on language data gathered by Aboriginal Studies Press, AIATSIS and Auslig/Sinclair, Knight, Merz, (1996). The map attempts to represent all of the language or tribal or nation groups of Indigenous people of Australia. http://www.abc.net.au/indigenous/map/default.htm

Map from Norman.B.Tindale’s Aboriginal Tribes of Australia (1974) http://www.samuseum.sa.gov.au/page/default.asp? site=2&page=TIN_Tribal&level=1

NSW Aboriginal Lands Council: http://www.alc.org.au/

Loss of Land Mabo Decision: http://aso.gov.au/titles/documentaries/after- mabo/clip2/

Language

Aboriginal Institute of family studies: http://www.aiatsis.gov.au/

http://www.abc.net.au/rn/hindsight/features/holdingourtongues/

http://www.ards.com.au/language.htm

National Indigenous Times: http://www.nit.com.au/links/LinkList.aspx? CategoryID=33

Resources

Indigenous Children’s Books: http://www.creativespirits.info/resources/store.html

List of titles and open book opportunities

State Library of Queensland: http://www.slq.qld.gov.au/find/virtualbooks/aboriginal_and_torres_strait_island ers_books

Connor J( 2007) Dreaming Stories: A springboard for learning, Research in practice series, v14, no2, Australian Early Childhood Association, Watson, ACT.

Pascoe B (2008) The Little Red, Yellow, Black Book: An introduction to Indigenous Australia. AIATSIS, Aboriginal Press. http://lryb.aiatsis.gov.au/

Yarn Strong Sista Korri Educational Consultant. http://www.yarnstrongsista.com/Frameset_Services.htm

Stolen Generations

Australian screen

http://aso.gov.au/education/indigenous/families-and-communities/

Excerpt from the documentary Stolen Generations (PG). http://aso.gov.au/titles/documentaries/stolen-generations/clip1/

Rosie’s Story.http://aso.gov.au/titles/documentaries/rosie/clip1/

Australian Bureau of Statistics 2007, Statistics on Aboriginal Usage patterns: The Health and Welfare of Australia's Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People, Australian Government Publishing Service, Canberra.

Australian Indigenous Healthinfonet (c2009) Indigenous Health (online). http://healthinfonet.ecu.edu.au/

Dau E (ed) (2001) The Anti-Bias Approach in Early Childhood (2nd edn) Pearson education, Australia

Early Childhood Australia Code of Ethics http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/code_of_ethics/early_childhood_aust ralias_code_of_ethics.html

Nixon D and Aldwinckle M (1999) Exploring: Child development—Three to six years, Social Science Press, Katoomba.

NSW Board of Studies, Working with Aboriginal Communities (revised 2008) A Guide to Community Consultation Protocols, Sydney

NSW Department of Aboriginal Affairs (fact sheets) (c2004) Aboriginal Affairs Media Kit: Back ground Briefing. 10 titles available. Available from: http://www.daa.nsw.gov.au/publications/31.html

Rudd K (2008) The Apology to the Stolen Generations of Australia (videorecording) Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Canberra.

Pascoe B and AIATSIS (2008) The Little Red, Yellow and Black Book, Aboriginal Press, Canberra

Parbury N (1998) Survival: A history of Aboriginal life in NSW, Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs, Sydney

Partington G and McCudden (1992) Ethnicity and Education, Thomson Press, Australia

Network SA Resource, Advisory and Management Services (2003) Aboriginal Arts and Crafts: Information and ideas to use in a program for children, Aboriginal Resource & Management Support Unit, Angle Park, SA.

Wilson J T and Link Up (NSW) Aboriginal Corporation (1997) In the Best Interest of the child? Stolen children: Aboriginal pain/White shame, Aboriginal History, Canberra, ACT

Van Dieman V and Johns V (1995) From the Flat Earth: A guide for childcare staff caring for Aboriginal children, Children’s Services Resources and Advisory Program, NT.

Infection control and personal hygiene in child care settings

Staying Healthy in Child Care (4h edn) http://www.nhmrc.gov.au/publications/synopses/ch43syn.htm

Queensland Health Departments Germ Busters program at www.health.qld.gov.au/germbusters/resources_ec.asp

Green cleaning

www.sasiclean.com.au

www.freshgreenclean.com.au

www.tec.org.au

Food safety

HACCP Based Food Safety Programmes and Endorsements: http://www.haccp.com.au/

NCAC (2006) Food Safety: Quality improvement and accreditation system principle 6.2. Surry Hills, NCAC. http://www.ncac.gov.au/factsheets/qias_factsheet_3.pdf

NSW Food Authority (2008) Food Service in NSW Childcare Centres: Preliminary evaluation findings. Newington, NSW http://www.foodauthority.nsw.gov.au/_Documents/industry_pdf/food_service_i n_nsw_preliminary_evaluation.pdf

Lady Gowrie Child Centre, A Guide to Documenting Food Safety Plans. http://www.gowrie- sydney.com.au/userdata/downloads/s//Resource%20Form %20Current%2008.pdf

DVD/videos/screen

Cowden A (1994) Growing up Koori, Equality Videos, Drysdale, Vic.

Featherstone D (1986) Babakiueria: What do you call this place? Australian Film Commission.

First Australians (DVD)(2008) Blackfella Films, SBS. You can view this at: http://www.sbs.com.au/firstaustralians

Heiss G (book and video) (1995) Poopajyn Boori Noorta Noorta Boola - Little Children Learning Together: An Aboriginal resource book for early childhood services, Aboriginal Early Childhood Services Support Unit, Sydney.

Rudd K (2008) The Apology to the Stolen Generations of Australia (videorecording] Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Canberra.

Excerpt from the documentary Stolen Generations (PG): http://aso.gov.au/education/indigenous/families-and-communities/

http://aso.gov.au/titles/documentaries/stolen-generations/clip1/

Rosie’s Story: http://aso.gov.au/titles/documentaries/rosie/clip1/