First Footprints
© ATOM 2013 A STUDY GUIDE BY CHERYL JAKAB
http://www.metromagazine.com.au
ISBN: 978-1-74295-327-4 http://www.theeducationshop.com.au CONTENTS
2 Series overview
3 The series at a glance
3 Credits
3 Series curriculum and education suitability
5 Before viewing
VIEWING QUESTIONS AND DISCUSSION STARTERS:
6 Ep 1: ‘Super Nomads’
This is a landmark series that every Australian must see. 7 Ep 2: ‘The Great Drought’ The evidence for the very ancient roots of people in 8 Ep 3: ‘The Great Flood’ Australia is presented in a compelling narrative by the , voice of Ernie Dingo. Over 50,000 years of Australia s 9 Ep 4: ‘The Biggest Estate’ ancient past is brought to life in this four-part series , through the world s oldest oral stories, new archaeological 10 Activities discoveries, stunning art, cinematic CGI and never-before- 13 Resources seen archival film. 15 Worksheets and information Suitability: This guide is designed Australia is home to the oldest living specifically for Year 7. This series cultures in the world. Over fifty thou- is destined to become the key sand years ago, well before modern regular monsoon across the north led resource for National Curriculum people reached America or domi- to cultural explosions and astound- Year 7 History Unit 1. nated Europe, people journeyed to the ing art. The flooding of coastal plains Also suitable for: Primary: Years 3, planet’s harshest habitable continent created conflict over land and even 4 & 6, History & Science; Junior and thrived. That’s a continuous culture pitched battles. Tasmania and New Secondary Earth Science, English stretching back ten times the antiquity Guinea were separated from the main- & Media; Senior Secondary: of ancient Egypt. land and diverse cultures developed Ancient History and Earth and all around the coast. environmental science Across Australia there are millions of Warning: Images of Aboriginal and prehistoric paintings, engravings and In the centuries leading up to Torres Strait people appear in this archaeological sites. The continent is European contact, over 200 nations film. one giant canvas telling an epic story and cultures covered the continent. All of endurance in the face of terrifying were managing the land to sustainably SERIES OVERVIEW megafauna, catastrophic droughts and provide for their future. rising sea levels. First Footprints is the untold story of It was the biggest estate on earth. humankind’s original pioneers. New As the series travels through time, we At all of the key sites, a strong bond DNA evidence shows Aboriginal learn of the adaptations that enabled has developed between Aboriginal Australians were the first modern survival of the last ice age, which start- Elders and archaeologists who share people out of Africa. To get to Australia ed 30,000 years ago. The knowledge knowledge about the ancient past. For from the shores of Asia they made the of water sources, part of the spiritual the first time on television, the world’s first open ocean crossing in history. and cultural knowledge enshrined in oldest oral stories, new archaeologi- SCREEN EDUCATION © ATOM 2013 Here they conducted the world’s earli- The Law, meant that people were able cal discoveries, stunning rock art, a est burials with grave goods, etched to live through the ice age even in the wealth of never-before-seen archival the earliest depiction of the human driest and harshest environments. footage and cinematic CGI reveal the face, engraved the world’s first maps, epic migrations, struggles to survive made the earliest paintings of ceremo- As sea levels rose from 15,000 years and technological breakthroughs ny and invented unique technologies ago, a quarter of the continent was made between 50,000 years ago and such as the returning boomerang. flooded, but the weather improved. A the arrival of Europeans in 1788. 2 Cinematographer Julie Nimmo – Indigenous Consultant Wayne Denning – Multimedia and Online Content Producer Professor Peter Veth – Archaeology consultant Editor – Tania Nehme Episodes 1, 3 & 4; Peter O’Donoghue Episode 2
THE SERIES AT A GLANCE While much of the world embraced CURRICULUM AND agriculture, the First Australians reject- EDUCATION SUITABILITY This series consists of four 58-minute ed it. They chose instead ingenious episodes: land management systems like fire Ideal as central resource for Unit 1 stick farming to transform the harsh- Year 7 National Curriculum Episode 1: ‘Super Nomads’ (50,000 est habitable continent into a land of to 30,000 years ago) bounty. Major Learning Area: History Over 50,000 years ago, people made CREDITS the first open sea voyage in human Historical Knowledge and history to discover Australia: an island The characters Understanding: continent full of deadly megafauna and strange plants that had been A full list of the people seen in the four Year 3 Community and evolving in isolation for 65 million episodes is included as a handout at remembrance years. the end of this guide. The importance of Country and Place to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Episode 2: ‘The Great Drought’ The Crew Islander peoples who belong to a (30,000 to 15,000 years ago) local area. (This is intended to be a Martin Butler – Director/Producer/ local area study with a focus on one When the last ice age hit Australia Sound Language group; however, if infor- 30,000 years ago, sea levels dropped Bentley Dean – Director/Producer/ mation or sources are not readily to 130 meters below today’s level. Deserts devoured ninety per cent of the continent. The greatest drought in human history lasted 10,000 years, yet people thrived.
Episode 3: ‘The Great Flood’ (18,000 to 5,000 years ago)
From 18,000 years ago, melting polar ice caps began drowning 25 per cent SCREEN EDUCATION © ATOM 2013 of Greater Australia. New Guinea and Tasmania became islands. This was a time of war, ingenious inventions, spectacular art and new nations.
Episode 4: ‘The Biggest Estate’ (9,000 years ago to 1788AD) 3 and some scientific discoveries have significantly changed people’s under- standing of the world (ACSHE119)
Science Inquiry Skills: Questioning and Predicting Identify questions and problems that can be investigated scientifically and make predictions based on scientific knowledge (ACSIS124)
Geography Geographical Knowledge and Understanding Unit 1: Water in available, another representative area the world may be studied) (ACHHK060) English Literacy: Interacting with Year 4 First contacts others; Plan, rehearse and deliver The diversity and longevity of presentations, selecting and sequenc- Australia’s first peoples and the ways ing appropriate content and multi- Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander modal elements to promote a point peoples are connected to Country and of view or enable a new way of Place (land, sea, waterways and skies) seeing (ACELY1720) and the implications for their daily lives. (ACHHK077) Reference: ACARA
Islander histories and cultures things and their environment; Earth’s resources(ACDSEH031) SCREEN EDUCATION © ATOM 2013 resources and their uses; Change over The Aboriginal and Torres Strait time The importance of conserving the Islander priority provides opportuni- remains of the ancient past, including ties for all learners to deepen their Science as a Human Endeavour: the heritage of Aboriginal and Torres knowledge of Australia by engaging Nature and development of science; Strait Islander Peoples. (ACDSEH148) with the world’s oldest continuous Scientific knowledge changes as living cultures. This knowledge and new evidence becomes available, Historical Skills: Chronology, terms 4 B. Share with students how they will be noting any information that is important and/or find new/interesting and/or wonder about while they view the episodes.
A list of ‘before viewing’ ideas and links to worksheets are presented for each episode below.
VIEWING QUESTIONS AND and concepts; Historical questions and explanations. In developing these DISCUSSION STARTERS and research texts and organising and presenting their findings, they use historical terms The following is a list of possible Use historical terms and con- and concepts, incorporate relevant discussion starters that teachers can cepts (ACHHS206) sources, and acknowledge their consider using depending on their sources of information. study focus in using the program. Identify a range of questions about the These starters link directly to the ac- past to inform a historical inquiry Reference: ACARA
They identify and select a range of cupation sites and features can SCREEN EDUCATION © ATOM 2013 sources and locate, compare and you name or have visited? (e.g. use information to answer inquiry Kakadu, Uluru, Flinders Ranges) questions. They examine sources 5 What do you think is important to explain points of view. When in- about understanding the geologi- terpreting sources, they identify their cal and climate history of Australia origin and purpose. Students de- in understanding the human velop texts, particularly descriptions history? 5 Responding to 1 Episode 1:
‘Super Nomads’: 50,000–30,000 years ago Summary of content:
In the earliest long-distance migra- tion of modern humans from Africa, the First Australians arrived here over 50,000 years ago. To get here, they had to make the first open-sea crossing in human history. They found Greater Australia, with New Guinea joined to the mainland – a virgin continent full of weird and deadly megafauna, deserts and glaciers. The Before viewing near-intact skeleton of Mungo Man from 42,000 years ago, the oldest Review question list and choose homo sapien found outside Africa, re- whether to hand out as worksheet or veals tantalising details about early life use as class discussion during or after and spiritual belief systems. The First the episode. Australians were great stonemasons, hollowing out caves into important 1 What is the importance of the Lake spiritual monuments and inventing Mungo find? (0:00–9:14) ground-edged axes. They engraved 2 How does the archive film from the world’s earliest maps and made People the Western desert help the first image of the human face in our understanding?(2:55– 3.30) the world. Trade networks soon criss- 3 Earliest evidence dates from crossed the land and innovations in 50,000 years ago; how does that art and technology spread rapidly. An compare with other continents? art style known as the Archaic Face (9:15–10:00) is found over thousands of kilome- 4 Where did the earliest Australians 8 What technologies were these tres, right across the deserts of West come from and how did they get ancient ancestors using? and Central Australia. Against the here? (10:00–21:00) (27:15–30:36) odds, the First Australians occupied 5 What do you think the creation 9 What date is given to the site and every available niche and thrived. mother painting and dreaming how do we know? (28:10–30:36) As evidenced through oral histories show? (12:40–15:30) 10 What does this place mean to you? and engravings across the continent, 6 What did the first Australian find? ‘It’s not just rocks in the soil’; ‘here this is the time when creation stories What evidence is there of this in they are living’; ‘My grandparents, and songlines describing land forms, ancient rock art? (15:30–21:00) they are here’. (30:36–32:00) boundaries and kinship systems came 7 What do you think about 11 What do the faces at Murujuga into being. Gabarnmung on the Arnhem Land indicate? (35,000 years) plateau? (21:00–32:00) (33:00–40:00) 12 What do the climbing figures in the Sandy Deserts show? What ques- tions are being asked about them? (40:08–41:25) 13 When did people of the western
desert shown in the film make con- SCREEN EDUCATION © ATOM 2013 tact with modern Australian peo- ple? (41:25–42:00; 42:30–45:20) 14 What are songlines, maps and dreaming tracks of country? (42:30–45:00) 15 Where are the earliest known maps of the world located, how are they 6 made and what do they show? innovative ways. In many parts they (46:00–48:00). became desert people, with new 16 What trade went on between the technologies like the grindstone. earliest occupation in Australia? At the Willandra Lakes, footprints (48:00–52:00) from 20,000 years ago show people 17 What was the pattern of spread thriving even at the height of the ice throughout the whole of Australia age. People recorded every water and what is the evidence for this? source and passed the information on (52:00–55:00) through songlines – the oral transmis- 18 What is an ecological niche, and sion of important cultural and spiritual what is the niche of the earliest information. This information, codi- Australians? (55:00–58:00) fied into The Law, was the blueprint 19 How is the existing direct link for survival through this punishing between today and the past of this drought, even in places we can’t live episode shown? (56:30–57:30) in today. 20,000 years ago, people 20 What might the change to cli- crossed the treeless plain of the mate mentioned at the end of Nullarbor to visit Koonalda Cave and the program have on the people? mark their presence at the height of (7:00–8:00) (56:30–58:00) the ice age. 4 How long do scientists now think the first people and megafauna Responding to Before viewing coexisted? (8:00–21:00) 5 What do you know about ice Episode 2: 2 Review the major development of ages and how they occur? Episode 1, including comparing the (11:30–21:00) ‘The Great Drought’: time period involved in Australian 6 When did the last ice age begin, 30,000–15,000 years ancient history with other parts of the and what effects did it have on the ago world. (Links to Worksheet 1 activity). environment? (11:30–21:00) 7 What do you think about the Summary of content: Discuss megafauna and ice ages. Willandra Lakes footprint evi- dence and how it is interpreted? For thousands of years people lived 1 How did the people respond to (14:00–20:00) with Australia’s strange and ferocious the longest drought in human 8 Where does the Willandra Lakes megafauna, like the six-metre giant liz- history?(0:002:10) water come from? (20:00–24:30) ard megalania and the marsupial lion. 2 What is recorded in the Djileri rock 9 How is a picture of the ice age But all these beasts went extinct dur- shelter and what is its importance? in Australia being developed? ing the last ice age. In Australia, sea (2:10–7:07) (20:10–24:30)) levels dropped to 130 metres below 3 What are the megafauna? 10 How does the archive film of the today’s level and deserts spread from people of the Western Desert help sixty per cent to ninety per cent of us understand what is seen in the continent. Temperatures were six the ancient sites? (21:00–22:30; SCREEN EDUCATION © ATOM 2013 degrees colder, it was dry and windy, 23:33–24:30; 30:00–32:30) and it lasted over 10,000 years. It was 11 How do you think ancient knowl- the biggest drought ever experienced edge of plants and animals shown by people. at Binpi is similar to or different from today? (24:30–40:00) As conditions worsened, people 12 How did the people adapt to the adapted to the new environments in changing climate? (28:00–37:00) 7 13 How did diet change in response to the ice age? (28:00–32:30) 14 What is important about the grind- stone technology? (33:15–37:00) 15 How did the people make their bread? (36:00–37:00) 16 What are Songlines, the Dreamtime superhighway and the Law? (37:00–39:00) 17 What problems were faced in the crossing of the Nullarbor Plain shown in First Footprints? (39:00–42:20) 18 What is the importance of Koonalda Cave to the Indigenous people and to archaeologists? What is found there? (42:20–52:20) 19 How did the people in Tasmania survive 40,000 to 13,000 years every generation. The Wadi Nyi Nyi ago, as shown in caves? (E.g. Dreaming Story of the Pitjantjatjara Kutikina Cave) (51:30–52:30) tells of this great flood and how the were permanently cut off. The isola- 20 What was the new challenge at the Ancestral Beings stopped it, possibly tion of the Tasmanians had profound end of the ice age and how did it the oldest religious story in the world. consequences on diet, language and change the landmass of Australia? Similar Dreaming stories are found all technology. (55:35–56:35) around Australia. Across the north of Australia, the warming weather brings Before viewing Responding to a regular monsoon. In the Kimberley and Arnhem Land there were cultural What can the ancient art sites tell Episode 3: 3 explosions in art and technology. us about the early pre-history of Australia? (Links to Worksheet 2) ‘The Great Flood’: The astounding Gwion figures in 18,000–5,000 years ago the Kimberley and the Dynamic art 1 What led to the great change in of Arnhem Land gives us a detailed the environment culture around Summary of content: insight into a rich life 12,000 years 13,000 years ago?(0:00 –2:10) ago. Boomerangs were invented, and 2 How is the great flood remem- From 18,000 years ago, melting polar then discarded across the north, as bered in the first people’s culture? ice caps began drowning twenty-five trees replaced grassland. As rising (3:30–7:07) per cent of Greater Australia. seas flooded coastal plains, conflict 3 What is the oldest story known to and even pitched battles between science in the world and how is it On the Nullarbor, up to 100 kilo- groups of warriors appear in the told across Australia? (6:30–8:20) metres of coast was swallowed art. The earliest battle scenes in the 4 How are the artworks interpreted world are in Arnhem Land. Conflict to describe the changing environ- over land appears to have led to the ment 7,000–8,000 years ago?
death of Narrabeen Man, the earliest (8:20–14:00) SCREEN EDUCATION © ATOM 2013 evidence of ritual killing in Australia. 5 In the Kimberley, what changes His skeleton was found under a bus were occurring to culture? stop on Sydney’s northern beaches. (14:00–20:00) The rising seas filled a river valley to 6 How is life 12,000 years ago being create Sydney harbour, a rich environ- studied? (11:30–21:00) ment where permanent occupation 7 When were boomerangs first developed. New Guinea and Tasmania seen in the art? (17:00–20:00; 8 26:00–30:00) 8 What do the art in the Kimberley and Arnhem Land rock paintings show and how are they interpret- ed? (20:00–26:30) 9 What is the evidence of crea- tivity in the post-drought era? (26:00–30:00) 10 How does the returning boo- merang work, what was it used women carried out different du- for and when was it invented? ties? (42:20–46:10) (26:00–29:30) 19 How long has Tasmania been 11 What were the uses of boomer- cut off from the mainland, and angs in arid areas? (29:00–32:00) what differences in culture are 12 What explanation is given for why seen when a group is cut off? boomerangs disappeared from use (46:10–56:35) in Arnhem Land? (30:00–33:00) 20 What evidence is found in 13 How did the change in sea Tasmania about technology and Fire stick farming was used all around level affect the lifestyle of the what people need? (48:40–56:35) Australia to create habitats that population in northern Australia? encouraged particular plants and (30:00–32:30) Responding to animals. Eucalypt forest everywhere 14 What is important about the spear- was burned to create deliberate grass Episode 4: thrower technology? (32:15–34:00) 4 lanes that were used to lure and trap 15 How is the battle scene painting kangaroos. important in understanding the ‘The Biggest Estate: changing culture? (35:00–37:00) 9,000 years ago– Here, people created something 16 What evidence is found near 1788AD unique in human history: they trans- Sydney in 2005 of fight over land? formed an entire continent into the (36:38–41:45) Summary of content: Over 9,000 years biggest estate on earth – fully sustain- 17 How did the Sydney area and ago, agriculture started in different able into the future until outsiders its people change with the rising parts of the planet: The Middle East, arrived: first Maccassan traders from seas? (41:45–42:20) China and Greater Australia in the Indonesia, then the Dutch, followed by 18 What is the importance of the Highlands of New Guinea, still then at- the English who came to stay in 1788. rock art around Sydney to the tached to the mainland. As seas rose, Indigenous people and to archae- agriculture spread to the Torres Strait Before viewing ologists? What is found there? Islands, but on mainland Australia How do we know that men and people rejected it. They chose instead What ancient sites do you think are to carefully manipulate the avail- most astounding/interesting/informa- able natural plants and animals to tive? (Links to Worksheet 3)
greatly increase their food resources. SCREEN EDUCATION © ATOM 2013 In Queensland’s rainforest, people 1 How would you summarise the learned how to remove the poison first people’s history of manage- from some of the forest’s most abun- ment of the land?(0:00–2:10) dant toxic nuts. In Victoria, a huge 2 What might have prompted the communal aquaculture system was start of farming? (2:05–7:07) engineered. Thousands of people lived 3 What are the advantages and in stone houses in settled villages. disadvantages of agriculture? 9 (6:00–8:20) 4 What major agricultural crops were domesticated at Kuk in Papua New Guinea? (6:20–7:40) (Taro, banana, sugar cane) 5 How has the large-scale manipula- tion of the environment changed the land? (14:00–20:00) 6 How is the development of agricul- ture in the New Guinea highlands (Gunditjmara country)? different from other parts of the (24:15–34:00) world? (8:30–21:00) 15 How do the fish traps show that 7 What are some differences be- the people were ‘not just simple tween Torres Strait Islander culture hunter-gatherers’? (24:15–29:00) and mainland cultures? (10:00– 16 What evidence is there for per- 20:00; 26:00–29:00) manent house sites in Western 8 Who were the Lapita people? Victoria and why would the people (10:00–13:30) have created them? (30:00–32:45) outside world made first contact? 9 How can large numbers of people 17 What does domesticating the (46:00–56:40 Maccassan & Dutch; make a living on small islands? landscape mean, as compared to 56:42–58:00 English) (13:00–15:00) domesticating animals and plants 10 How does the canoe allow islander in farming? What is the impor- ACTIVITIES life to continue? (14:00–17:00) tance of fire and fire stick farming? 11 What was traded between New (33:53–36:20) Four stages of the Guinea and Australia through 18 How did fire change environments Torres strait? (18:00) across Australia? How did fire 1 Australian prehistory 12 What can be gathered for use in make food resources more reliable timeline: Places, rainforests, rather than having to through policy rather than chance? evidence and people garden? (19:00–33:00) (36:20–44:50) 13 How are toxic nuts treated for 19 How can Australia be called the use? (20:30–24:00) biggest estate, and in what ways is (Worksheet 1) 14 What important difference was it different from what people did on seen in technology in Western other continents? (36:20–46:00) (Most Suitable for Year 7 as presented; Victoria 20 What happened when the could be modified for other levels)
Curriculum link: History – Historical Knowledge and Understanding / Investigating the ancient past
The task: Students complete the worksheet by locating the places and events, by using information from
programs as a group. SCREEN EDUCATION © ATOM 2013
NB: The information collected in this group activity could be used as source information to complete an individual assignment (Worksheet 2) on one of the sites presented in the series.
10 Curriculum focus: Year 7 History Unit 1; General capability: Literacy; Cross-curriculum priorities: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures
Individual Report.
Prior to handing out worksheet: NB: The timestamps in the viewer Time allocated: 2–3 class hours question lists could be a useful re- Provide hard or electronic copies of source for groups to access parts of The task: Create a written and illus- viewer question lists for Episode 1. their program to review. trated report on one of the important Hand out worksheet after watching sites of ancient rock art traces left and responding to this first episode Return to home groups: Have stu- by Australia’s first inhabitants us- using the questions to guide a class dents share their expert information on ing the headings in the table on the discussion. their episode, which group members worksheet. can then record on their worksheet. Hand out Worksheet 1. Prior to handing out worksheet After completing worksheet Suggested teaching strategy: Class discussion: Compare the age Jigsaw groups of four. One student in Working as a class, review the sites of the traces in and on rock found each home group could be allocated listed. Discuss what students think in Australia, including artworks, with one program to record information. about each site, ensuring they have those found elsewhere in the world Move into the four expert groups, one accurate dates and appreciate the (Episode 1, Timestamp: 9:15–10:00) for each episode, to share their ideas time lengths involved. of the important information from that - What do we know about the First episode. Review: Which site do you think is Australians from their artworks? the most interesting of all those talked NB: Important places mentioned in about in First Footprints? Discuss selected artwork at chosen each episode for students to include sites with class – use timestamps in are: Evidence of the viewer questions to locate artworks to make a slideshow. past: Reading rocks, -- Episode 1. Lake Mungo, 2 Gabarnmung, Murujuga art and technology, from -- Episode 2. Djileri, Willandra Australia s distant past SCREEN EDUCATION © ATOM 2013 Lakes, Koonalda Cave (Nullarbor), Kutikina Cave (Tas) -- Episode 3. Kimberley, Arnhem (Worksheet 2) Land, Sydney, Tasmania -- Episode 4. New Guinea, Torres (Most suitable as individual research Strait Islands, Western Victoria and report writing Year 7, could be fishtraps adapted for Years 3–6) 11 Hand out Worksheet 2
Discuss with the class what form the report might take, the other reference material they can use and the length of class time that they will have to complete the report. sites covered in assignments on a NB Share with students how to take a display map of Australia. Make sure screen-grab: all sites mentioned in each of the four episodes are located on the master a Press control/printscreen map with information about the site. b Paste into Paint program c Crop selection (include timestamp) Before starting the task, review the d Save with name of site and image places mentioned and visited in the series that students found most Report assessment interesting. What do you remember of that site? Discuss assessment requirements. This could include creating an assess- Four expert groups could be created, ment rubric with class. one for each episode, to check all important information is collected: and Torres Strait Islander histories and Ancient Australian cultures -- Episode 1. Lake Mungo, Significant sites 3 Gabarnmung, Murujuga Individual or paired activity -- Episode 2. Djileri, Willandra (Worksheet 3) Lakes, Koonalda Cave (Nullarbor), Allow at least 120 minutes for this Kutikina Cave (Tas) activity. (Suitable all levels as presented with -- Episode 3. Kimberley, Arnhem greater or lesser support depending Land, Sydney, Tasmania This activity would be best completed on age group) -- Episode 4. New Guinea, Torres as a final project, after the whole Strait Islands, Western Victoria story of the first people to Australia Creating a whole-class display. fishtraps has been examined in other activi- ties, including creating timelines and Time allocated: 1–2 class hours NB: This map could be created to documenting details of archaeological, display the information collected on rock art and oral histories. The task: Working as a class, create the sites in the previous two activities a master map locating the significant if these were completed. Aim: Develop an audio-visual pres- entation describing and explaining Telling our the significance and importance of preserving one aspect of First SCREEN EDUCATION © ATOM 2013 history 4 Australian pre-history using the voice of one of the people in First Footprints, (Worksheet 4) using ICT, to recreate and show the specific features of the site. Curriculum focus: Year 7 History Unit 1; General capability: Literacy; National Curriculum Outcome: The Cross curriculum priorities: Aboriginal importance of conserving the remains 12 Specific resources on sites
Gabarnmung Oldest dated painting in Australia found http://www.academia. edu/3107260/A_28_000_year_old_ excavated_painted_rock_from_ Nawarla_Gabarnmang_northern_ Australia http://www.academia. edu/3107260/A_28_000_year_old_ excavated_painted_rock_from_ Nawarla_Gabarnmang_northern_ Australia Mungo National Park of the ancient past, including the presentation for a story of one of the Site of ancient burials of Mungo heritage of Aboriginal and Torres Strait sites, e.g. Lady and Mungo Man Islander Peoples. (ACDSEH148) http://www.visitmungo.com.au 1. Design a poster http://www.mungoyouthproject. Prior to handing out worksheet 2. You are a journalist writing an com.au/ article of agreed length. http://www.australiangeographic. Working as a class: Discuss historical For ideas on how to write the com.au/journal/the-discovery-of- skills including chronology concepts, article, go to
Provide the list of people seen in First http://www.youtube.com/ http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/167 SCREEN EDUCATION © ATOM 2013 Footprints in Handout Information protectrockart Sheet showing characters and their in- http://www.protectaustraliasspirit. volvement in events of First Footprints. com.au Connecting Country: The Jawoyn Working Individually, in pairs or in Homeland Project small groups, discuss with students http://connectingcountry.arts. how to decide on their own mode of monash.edu.au/ 13 This study guide was produced by ATOM. (© ATOM 2013) ISBN: 978-1-74295-327-4 [email protected] For information on SCREEN EDUCATION magazine, or to download other study guides for assessment, visit
visit
14 WORKSHEET 1
AUSTRALIAN PREHISTORY TIMELINE: PLACES, EVIDENCE, PEOPLE
Working in groups: 1, 2, 3, 4 The task: Make notes on the three major ancient sites visited for timeline about three significant sites each episode, including the place described in each Episodes of First name, nature of the evidence and Footprints in the boxes provided. what it tells us about human in Record information about at least Australia.
Place Place Evidence Evidence
What it means What it means
Placece Placece Evidence Evidence
What it means What it means
Place Place Evidence Evidence
What it means What it means
1. SUPER NOMADS 3. THE GREAT FLOOD
50,000 30,000 18,000 9,000 1,788
2. THE GREAT DROUGHT 4. THE BIGGEST ESTATE
Place Place Evidence Evidence
What it means What it means
Placece Placece Evidence Evidence
What it means What it means SCREEN EDUCATION © ATOM 2013
Place Place Evidence Evidence
What it means What it means
http://www.metromagazine.com.au – ISBN 978-1-74295-159-1 15 WORKSHEET 2
EVIDENCE OF THE PAST: READING ROCK ART FROM AUSTRALIAN DISTANT PAST
Individual Report. Time allocated: 2–3 class hours WHAT TO DO:
The task: Create a written and -- Choose one the most important rock art sites from illustrated report on one of First Footprints e.g. Episode 1. Gabarnmung; Murujuga; Episode 2. Djileri, Koonalda Cave the important sites (Nullarbor). of ancient traces -- Use the table below to create notes for your report. left by Australia’s -- Discuss with your teacher possible format for the first inhabitants report and how it is to be presented. -- Present your report as negotiated with your using the teacher. headings in the -- References: Include at least three references, table below. with the First Footprints series as one.
Where the art is located
Type of evidence it shows
Characteristics of the art
When it was made and how we know
What archaeologists interpret the evidence to
mean SCREEN EDUCATION © ATOM 2013
What local people interpret the evidence
http://www.metromagazine.com.au – ISBN 978-1-74295-159-1 16 WORKSHEET 3
ANCIENT AUSTRALIAN SIGNIFICANT SITES
Many sites are mentioned in First INCLUDE: Footprints. Use information -- Episode 1: from the series to Lake Mungo; Gabarnmung; Murujuga record the locations -- Episode 2: of some of the Djileri, Willandra Lakes, Koonalda Cave (Nullarbor), most important Kuti-kina Cave (Tas) -- Episode 3: archaeological Kimberley; Arnhem land, Sydney, Tasmania sites and what they -- Episode 4: show. Include some New Guinea, Torres Strait Islands, from the list on right. Western Victoria fishtraps SCREEN EDUCATION © ATOM 2013
http://www.metromagazine.com.au – ISBN 978-1-74295-159-1 17 WORKSHEET 4
TELLING OUR HISTORY The voices and works of many people are heard in First Footprints. Which one/s did you find most compelling?
The task: Write a story about a site of significance WHAT TO DO: A. Researching what is said in First Footprints from the 1 Choose one or a group of the characters heard from in a section perspective of one of the of one episode (Use the list provided and your reactions when watching the series to help make your selection). characters seen in the series. 2 Review the section of the film to track what they say and do about the site/trace/object/dreaming. 3 Record details of the section and the importance to understanding the site and what it tells us about the history. Use table below. 4 Use the notes to write an account of the importance of the evidence as if you were that person.
The key ideas of What they say Other references to the history/Historical skill and do event/evidence
Traces described E.g. artwork, bones, tracks
Evidence of what past events
What dates and Dating evidence
Social structure of the ancient society implied
Activities implied
Significance
Other comments/ interpretations SCREEN EDUCATION © ATOM 2013
WHAT TO DO: B. Writing the story (Length to be negotiated)
Rewrite a first-person account of your chosen event, using the information from First Footprints recorded above as a guide. You could write as an archaeologist, historian or Indigenous person.
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THE CHARACTERS AND THEIR INVOLVEMENT IN EVENTS OF FIRST FOOTPRINTS
EPISODE 1 Dr Ken Mulvaney, Chief Archaeologist for Rio Tinto has been an enthusiastic advocate for the preservation Warren Clark, Roy Kennedy, Noel Johnson and of the engravings at Murujuga. He has devoted much of Patrick Lawson, Elders and Rangers from the his career to working with Traditional Owners to record Willandra Lakes World Heritage Area All are active in and understand them. Wilfred Hicks, Wong-Goo-Too preserving the site of Mungo Man, who at 42,000 years Elder has worked with Ken for many years to record and is the oldest modern human found outside Africa. They protect the art for future generations. are working on a suitable resting place for the remains discovered at Lake Mungo. EPISODE 2
Prof. Jim Bowler, Geologist Discovered Mungo Lady Prof. Peter Veth, Archaeologist from the University and Mungo Man. Until then scientists had thought people of Western Australia. It was Peter’s knowledge and had been here for a mere 12,000 years. enthusiasm about this subject that helped inspire us to make First Footprints. He told us what to read, gave us Dr Michael Westaway, Biological contacts and throughout the scripting was an invaluable Anthropologist We found Michael tire- consultant. lessly digging at the bottom of a pit in the red dirt in tropical Queensland, Timmy Patterson, Geoffery Stewart, Jimmy as well as gently revealing the Morgan and Ben Brown The Martu men we met in secrets of the oldest known the Western Desert. Recording their discussion about Australian. songlines around the campfire as the desert night de- scended was a special moment. The sound and rhythm Dr Sally K May, Archaeologist of the language carried a serenity and a connection that Has worked for many years with the was poignant. Particularly as this would be Jimmy’s last Gunbalanya and Kakadu communities. trip to his country – he passed away shortly after filming. With Traditional Owners she has ambitious plans to expand the surveying for rock art in Kakadu. Colin Hughes, Aboriginal Heritage Officer for the Tasmanian Aboriginal Land and Sea Margaret Katherine, Jawoyn Elder Has an electric Council A superb guide with an personality and deep knowledge of culture. She is a gen- infectious passion for his work. erous visionary for her people and a brilliant storyteller around the campfire. Dr. Richard Cosgrove, Archaeologist at La Trobe Ben Gunn, Rock Art Specialist First identified the at- University who has worked in tributes of Genyornis in the painting at Gabarnmung, one Tasmania, tropical Queensland of a handful of paintings of Australia’s megafauna. and now France.
Dr Bruno David, Archaeologist from Monash Ronald Lamilami Namunidjbuk University whose team found a ground-edged axe Elder has been collaborating from 35,000 years ago and the oldest dated painting in for years with Professor Paul Tacon from Australia. Griffith University to reveal the splendour of the rock art on Ronald’s country. Paul holds the first chair in Rock Art Prof. Jean-Jacques Delannoy, Geomorphologist in the country and has set up campaigns to preserve it. from the University of Savoie, France. It was his work that revealed the shelter at Gabarnmung was man-made. Rebecca Budby and Gary Hardiman, Barada Barna
researchers and Dr Scott Hocknull, Paleontologist SCREEN EDUCATION © ATOM 2013 Prof. Jean-Michel Geneste, Archaeologist and from Queensland Museum were engaged in a huge dig Director of Centre National de Prehistoire, France, in the middle of the Bowen Basin in Queensland search- responsible for both the Lascaux and Chauvet cave sites. ing for megafauna and human remains. Scott is young, Loves working in Australia because ‘Here the sites are dynamic, hard working and may have history changing really living. That’s the difference.’ dates when the final results come in.
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EPISODE 3 EPISODE 4
Daryl Pappin, Mutthi Mutthi and Dr Nikki Stern, Ru Kundil is a Kawelka Elder from the Highlands of archaeologist at La Trobe University is another long- Papua New Guinea. Evidence of agriculture from over term collaboration. Daryl is studying archaeology. Nikki 9,000 years ago has been found on his land and he and he have ambitious plans to survey the entire system is immensely proud. As a student, Herman Mandui at Lake Mungo. worked on the excavations. He is now the Government’s chief Archaeologist and the Director of the National Kumbaya Girgiba and Thelma Judson are Museum and Art Gallery of Papua New Guinea. two Martu women who have taken us out to their desert country a few times. Cygnet Repu is Quarantine Officer on Mabuiag, a It’s great to see their total comfort fine singer, and very knowledgeable about Torres Strait in this harsh environment and their Islander history. With Professor Ian McNiven from infectious and constant laughter. Monash University, the coming of agriculture to these islands has been dated. Pitjantjatjara Elders Roy Underwood, Ned Grant, Fred Professor Bill Gammage, historian and author of Grant and Lennard Walker took us ‘The Biggest Estate – How Aboriginal people made to the Nullarbor and to Koonalda Cave. Australia’ won the Prime Minister’s Literary Award for They speak little English and have contin- Australian History. ued much of their traditional lifestyle. Archaeologist Dr Scott Cane and initiated Pitjantjatjara man Ian Baird Mamu Ngadjon-Jii Elder Ernie Raymond is a Park have established a deep respect and rapport with the Ranger in Malanda Falls, proudly re- men over many years of collaboration. Scott is writing a vealing his rainforest to visitors. companion book for First Footprints. Gunditjmara Elder Ken Sylvester Mangolamara, Albert Peurmora and Saunders was generous Albert Bundamurra, Wunambal Gaambera with his knowledge of the Traditional Owners are immensely proud of their Gwion ancient past. The Gunditjmara art heritage and have been working with a major ar- community are very active in chaeological team, including Dr June Ross and Prof Mike preserving and sharing their Morwood to interpret and firm up the dates for the art. heritage.
Dr Philip Jones from the South Australia Museum Shaun Namarnyilk, Marius knows more about the spread of boomerangs than any- Namarnyilk, Ashley Nayilibidj and Nipper one, and his museum has the best collection. Gumurdul, are Fire Rangers at Gunbalanya in Arnhem Land. They love their work. Gadigal Elder Allen Madden has a wealth of informa- tion about life in the ancient past in the Sydney basin. He Wik Elder Silas Wollombi is over eighty but that didn’t has worked with archaeologist and Rock Art Specialist stop him passionately retelling the story of the Dutch visit Dr Jo McDonald for many years. to his country in 1606. SCREEN EDUCATION © ATOM 2013
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