The dark side of colonisation

Aborigines resisting the arrival of Captain Cook

Activity: Understand the impact of colonisation.

Background

Understanding the impact that colonisation has had on the rights, recognition and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders peoples is a big step towards understanding the importance of reconciliation in Australia.

According to John Pilger (1985), ‘The secret history of Australia is a historical conspiracy of silence. Written history has long applied selectivity to what it records, largely ignoring the shameful way that Aboriginal people [and Torres Strait Islander people] were, and continue to be, treated.’

Activity

View The Secret CountryThe First Australians fight back 

Warning: The Secret Country includes confronting themes and requires a considered approach to debriefing dark themes contained in the film. Any group discussion will require skilled facilitation.

youtu.be/sxFZwKpazDw

References

Pilger, J 1985, The secret country — The first Australians fight back, video, YouTube, viewed 1 September 2016 <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sxFZwKpazDw>