Indigenous education
Professor Jon Altman, from the Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research at ANU Australian National University wants our brothers to stick to hunter gatherer career choices.
But the crucial issue that neither Johns nor Storry address is that of curricula. Too much emphasis is being placed in the current debate on providing opportunity for indigenous kids in very remote Australia for imagined futures as “lawyers, doctors and plumbers” (as suggested by Amanda Vanstone) and too little for futures as artists, land managers and hunters living on the land that they own.The professor is obviously a good communicator. In one paragraph he has underlined one of the main problems with education of our brothers. Unfortunately he has got it the wrong way round and although people reading the letter may well believe that because he is a ‘Professor’ then his word should be heeded, he is in fact suggesting we reinforce failure; …… artists, land managers and hunters Now there’s a career list that’s going nowhere. They need to be educated the same as the rest of the country’s kids so that when graduating they have a choice of careers; not some limited idea from an ‘out of touch professor’ that would have the boys learning ‘spear and woomera 101’ and girls swatting over ‘100 yam recipies for the busy mia mia wife’ The professor thinks we should pay heed to the ‘outstation’ mentality where Whitlam and Nugget Coombes believed they should all be living in the desert;
Rather than just seek mainstream education solutions to complex non-mainstream indigenous circumstances, we should develop curricula relevant to local settings and new enterprises and then see what impact this might have on attendance.They really need a broad education that will allow them to view ‘outstation’ life for what it is; demeaning, pointless and set to fail.
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Kev
I am one of quite a few Aussies of minority Aboriginal descent (I am also proudly Irish – one Gran was a Gaelic speaker; and Jewish through another lineage). I do not claim to be Aboriginal as I was not brought up as such. I am however, quite pround of that side of my family. A few years ago, I worked as a researcher in PNG looking at the problems of malnutrition in small children. In the course of my research I encountered quite a few aid development workers whose aim was to keep the locals as museum pieces – as subistence farmers. The only problem was that the locals wanted the same stuff that everyone else in the world wants – economic development, education, and jobs. In my current professional role in working with my Aboriginal cousins, I find the same museum piece thinking. I have just returned from FNQ and find that welfare dependancy and stupid paternalistic attitudes are wrecking many remote communities. I am somewhat heartened though to read today that the tightening of the CDEP scheme and forcing people into maintream employment seeking schemes may indeed be working.
From my point of view however – is that all races or ethnicities of people must be treated the same way – lazy buggers in FNQ should be treated just as those in inner Melb (of non-Indigenous origins). Similarly, black crooks need to be treated as people and charged accordingly (but that is another story). Anyway, I like your website, and respect your views for the most part. Cheers
Keep telling your story DocDan for the sake of your cousins I’m not surprised with the arrogance displayed by the social engineers in your first para and agree whole heartedly with the views in the second.
One country, one law and one set of social standards.
Indigenous means ‘born in the country’ according to one of a few definitions available.
So it isn’t particularly descriptive.
What’s wrong with Aboriginal?
Must be some sort of marketing objection from Satchi & Satchi.
How could THAT be??
If indigenous refers to more than 7 or 8 generations of ancestors then perhaps we need a sub definitional system to describe most other Aboriginals who also have European ancestors
Love the way I’m defined as a “non indigenous” when what they mean is “non Aboriginal”.
I’m not “non” anything, I’m Australian.
Insulting bastards.