Yiwarra Kuju: The Canning Stock Route – education kit - National ...

Activities for History1 Alfred Canning was considered by hiscontemporaries to be a successful surveyorand explorer and perhaps even a hero. Askyour students whether he would be seen thesame way today. Now ask them to discusswhy people in history can be viewed indifferent ways at different times. Have themfind out about another person in Australianhistory who has also been judged differentlyin different times by either theircontemporaries, historians or others.2 Alfred Canning used Aboriginal people tohelp him find water and survey the stock route.There are many other examples since 1788where Aboriginal people have helped Europeanexplorers and surveyors; sometimes willinglybut often against their will. Have studentsresearch one example of this type of contactbetween Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal peopleand present their findings to the class.3 Ask students to find out about the rightsof Aboriginal people in the different states andterritories after 1901. [The National Museumof Australia has a number of resources that canhelp you with this investigation. Go to www.nma.gov.au/education/school_resources/indigenous] Create a timeline of importantevents in history illustrating Indigenous rightsin Australia.4 The history of the Canning Stock Routehas been written by non Indigenous people,as has much of the story of contact betweenIndigenous and non Indigenous Australians.Have students research a contact event orincident from their state or territory and askthem to report their findings from an Aboriginalperspective (i.e. from the perspective of howAboriginal people might view this event orincident). Ask them how this exercise hashelped them understand how we learn historyand what we need to take into account whenwe read accounts of history.5 Mission stations were establishedalong the Canning Stock Route following thecreation of the stock route. Have studentsconduct an in-depth investigation about onemission station or government reserve fromtheir state or territory. Have them sharetheir findings with the class and ask theclass to compare the living conditions underwhich Aboriginal people lived.6 Use the Theme Sheets History of theCanning Stock Route, The legacy of AlfredCanning and Droving on the Canning to initiatea discussion with students about the impactof a settler society on an Indigenous society.Ask students to research and compare theAustralian experience with that of anothercountry such as the United States, South Africaor Brazil.7 Have students explore how Aboriginalpeople were affected by the creation of theCanning Stock Route and how that legacy orhistory continues to affect their lives today.Now ask them to reflect on whether history isonly about the past or whether it is ongoingand of continuing relevance to today’s world.