The Kulin Nation

The British and Kulin People had completely different views on the land. The Kulin saw it as something to which they belonged, the Europeans as something that belonged to them.

"Although the Aborigines may be the legitimate proprietors of the soil, they have previous to colonisation, possessed a greater quantity than they required, and it cannot be improper to reclaim their grounds from a useless waste to a state of fertility, giving employment to the idle, food to the hungry and quick sure return to the adventurist capitalist"

Port Phillip Herald, 4 February 1842

Life Before and After European Settlement for the Kulin Nation

1. Introduction to the Kulin People

2. Life after European Settlement

3. Why teach it to Level 4 students

4. How to teach it to Level 4 students

Corroboree by William Barak 1895, National Gallery of Australia

The Aboriginal People of South Central Victoria

Approximately 50,000 years ago the first Aboriginal people migrated to Australia

Taungurung

Woiwurrung

Dja Dja Wrung

Boon Wurung

Wathaurung

The Kulin Nation

Image adapted from Broome (1990)

Traditional

Cultural Practices

Altered

The Dreaming

Sometime in 1770.......

Bunjil Shelter (2012) by Michael Barnett

A time of great change.....

I proclaim this land

terra nullius

A New Economy

....the British map and claim the east coast of Australia

Timeline of events from 1788 to 2013

A Life of Balance

Timeline of Events

Overall Aboriginal society in the Kulin Nation was stable and placed more importance on continuity rather than change (Broome, 1984).

John Batman successfully acquires large amount of land. The surrounding region is known as Port Phillip District. William Buckley resurfaces and tells his extraordinary tale.

The clash of cultures brought about great change for the Kulin People

Small settlement established near modern day Sorrento. It is soon abandoned. Convict William Buckley escapes and lives amount the Wauthaurung People.

First British settlement established at Sydney Cover, Port Jackson.

Kinship and Law

Connection to Country

1851

1834

1788

1835

1803

Sheep farmer Edward Henty establishes farm near Portland.

The Port Phillip region gains independence from N.S.W and is named the Colony of Victoria.

Indigenous Australian Fisherman (1902) by Josef Korensky

Melbourne tribe holding Corroboree after seeing ships for the first time (c. 1890) by Tommy McRae

Sketches (1890) by Tommy McRae

Victorian Aboriginals (1901) By Josef Korensky

The Connection to the

Land Broken

Disease

White Man's Law

Adapted from Broome 1990; Broome 1984)

Teaching Level 4 Students about the Kulin People

Why?

Aboriginal culture is Australian culture

The Australian Curriculum - Level 4

Humanities - History

Cross Curriculum Priority - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures

Reconciliation

Education is the link between the rhetoric of Reconciliation and the reality of a vision fulfilled (Craven, 1999).

How?

Build understanding through inquiry based learning

1. A visit to Victoria Museum's Bunjilaka Aboriginal Culture Centre

2. Field trip to known sites of Aboriginal Cultural Heritage in the Melbourne area

Rich Tasks

1. A day in the life

2. Compare and Contrast

3. What did Melbourne once look like?

4. Expression through art and poetry