Geography Study Cards Term 4 Flashcards
What are Aboriginal and Torre Strait Islander origins?
It is believed that they are of Melanesian origin. Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander people have lived on this country, Australia, for over 60 000 years making them the oldest, continuous culture in the world. This is a testament as to how expertly they lived sustainably from the land, never taking more than they needed to survive and allowing the land to regenerate (grow again) e.g. leaving turtle eggs for the next season when it was needed. This way the young species can grow into maturity and have young themselves which continues and encourages their survival.
Sustainable - to look after what you have, not waste it - you only take what you need and by not wasting resources you care for country and it will continue to provide.
How many Aboriginal and Torre Strait Islanders are there in the population of Australia?
The population of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Australia is 984 000 making up 3.8% of the total population. This is an increase from 2016 of over 185 000 people. This indicates that health services are being increasingly accessed by our First Nations people.
How many languages do they have?
At the time of colonisation there were 250 distinct Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander languages. Of the 145 languages left, 110 are endangered. This is challenging because it is not always easy to pass these languages down if there’s few people who have the skills to teach the language or if they can’t access elders when they do want to learn. Loss of language is a big problem because language is tied closely to culture.
Where do Aboriginal people live?
Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islander people live in all states and territories in Australia. The majority of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders live in cities and urban areas while others choose to live in remote areas where it is often easier to access a more traditional lifestyle. In remote areas there is better and more consistent access to country.
How do they use and interact with the land?
Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islander people interacted closely with the land as it was critical for their continued survival in terms of providing food and shelter for their physical survival. They were very respectful towards the land (including animals and plants) to make sure they never used more than needed to. In this way the land could sustain them as it had a chance to regenerate (for the next season). Our First Nations people lived sustainably!
What are their beliefs? (Religion) (Culture)
Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islander people believed in an all encompassing connection to the land. This was described as the Dreamtime which included the stories, songs, dances and artwork which detailed how the earth was made, and the traditions and cultural beliefs passed down from one generation to the next. These stories explained why the physical land was formed in the way it was e.g. Burringurrah, the Rainbow Serpent (river). They did not worship a single god, they believed in ancestral spirits. These ancestral spirits could live in Totems which the first nations people protected and had responsibility for.
Identify how the Aboriginal and Torre Strait Islander people connect with the land? - Why was the land important to them?
The land was connected to them in all ways.
The land is within them and they are within the land.
They depended on their land to survive but also trusted their ancestors spirits residing in the natural forms and sacred places around them.
What is Acknowledgement of Country and how can we use it?
Why is it important?
Acknowledgement of Country is usually made at a start of an event. It can be announced by any culture. It makes us an inclusive community to do the Acknowledgement of Country and pays our respects to those who came before us.
It is important to do because is includes the indigenous who feels that they are being excluded. It makes Australia a more inclusive country and it gives non-Indigenous an opportunity to learn about the Aboriginal and Torre Strait Islanders culture and history.
Describe key Indigenous cultural dates and event and how can we use it in our lives?
Why is it important?
We can celebrate the Indigenous culture and make them feel prouder about their community. To learn about this in classrooms gives us a better understanding to celebrate the Indigenous.
It is important to celebrate certain special dates so we can incorporate the Indigenous culture. It gives us a reflection on how we can look at the Aboriginal perspective on their lives.
Describe flying the flags high (Aboriginal and Torre Strait Islander flags) and how we can use or respond to it in our lives?
Why is it important?
Both flags represent unity and cultural identity. I think we could celebrate these flags by learning about them more because we don’t get told what the flags represent. The Torre Strait Islander flag is deeply connected to the land, sea and sky which is part of their culture and traditions.
The Flags are important because they show the recognition of the Torre Strait Islander and Aboriginal peoples. They are shared to use a sense of cultural awareness.
How can our school help out by having artworks, posters, plaques or artefacts that can celebrate culture.
Why is it important?
It demonstrates the presence of the Indigenous cultures. It gives us a deeper understanding about their culture and why they used these artefacts. The artworks show historical paintings and what they used. Red paint would probably represent the crushed berries as what the elders used.
This is important so we can embrace the Torre Strait Islanders and Aboriginal peoples culture. It is a way so we can include the first nation peoples and the community they have made. It gives us a better understanding so we can see the visual image of what items they had in the stolen generation.
What are the Orang Asli?
The term Orang Asli can be translated as ‘original peoples.’
Orang Asli are all descendants of the earliest known inhabitants of the Malay Peninsula.
The Orang Asli peoples are located in Malaysia.
What are the tribes and population of the Orang Asli?
The Orang Asli peoples are divided into a great number of tribal groups with very little contact with each other.
Each of the groups have their own languages and their own ways of living.
They make up an extremely small percentage of the Malaysian population.
what are the living condition of the orang Asli?
Loss of homes from the traditional land. The government moved them into concrete instead of wooden houses.
The Orang Asli are not well-off from a material and nutritional perspective.
They lack basic skills/amenities which includes the loss of hunting and gathering ability.
what are the languages of the Orang Asli?
They do not have a written language and therefore no written history. They rely upon their histories being passed down by word of mouth.
Oral language is very important.
