Outline

Overview

Indigenous Art and Culture engages with traditional and contemporary art and cultural expression, offering students an opportunity to critically and creatively explore a variety of artistic and creative practices undertaken by Indigenous Australians. Students will study traditional cultural expression such as oral storytelling and song-cycles, ceremony and art, and contemporary cultural expression in the visual arts, literature, performance, theatre, film and music.

Unit details and rules

Academic unit	Arts and Social Sciences
Credit points	6
Prerequisites ?	INDG1001 and INDG1002
Corequisites ?	None
Prohibitions ?	None
Assumed knowledge ?	None
Available to study abroad and exchange students	No

Teaching staff

Coordinator	Lynette Riley, lynette.riley@sydney.edu.au
Lecturer(s)	Christine Evans, christine.evans@sydney.edu.au

Type	Description	Weight	Due	Length
Presentation	Seminar Presentation 20 min. presentation inc. 15 min oral/visual component on provided topic	15%	Multiple weeks	20 minute/ 750 word equivalent
Outcomes assessed:
Presentation	Presentation paper Reflective, academic seminar paper	15%	Multiple weeks	750 words
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Online gallery and reflective paper Online Gallery and reflective paper	30%	Week 10 Due date: 09 Oct 2024 at 23:59	2 parts: equivalent to 500 & 1000 words
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Creative work and reflective exegesis Creative work in any form/genre and reflective, academic exegesis	40%	Week 13 Due date: 30 Oct 2024 at 23:59	2000 word equivalent
Outcomes assessed:

Assessment summary

Task	Word/time limit	Weighting	Due date
1. Seminar Presentation	20 minutes 750 word equivalent	15%	In class, Weeks 11 or 12
2. Presentation Paper	750 word equivalent	15%	Weeks 12 or 13
3. Online Gallery and reflective paper	1000 word equivalent	30%	Week 10
4. Creative Work and reflective exegesis	2000 word equivalent	40%	Exhibited or performed in class, Week 13

Assessment criteria

The University awards common result grades, set out in the Coursework Policy 2014 (Schedule 1).

As a general guide, a high distinction indicates work of an exceptional standard, a distinction a very high standard, a credit a good standard, and a pass an acceptable standard

Result name

Mark range

Description

High distinction

85 -

100

Consistently strong and ongoing demonstration and evidence of superior organisational and conceptual skills. The work is extremely well conceived, coherent, logical, original and lucid as well as professionally prepared.

Impressive and original depth of understanding of the content and discipline is displayed. Information is gathered from a wide range of current & relevant sources beyond the core materials.

Convincing synthesis of evidence, critical analysis and understanding of multiple perspectives to formulate a coherent argument.
Critical assessment and analysis of the relationship between theory, research and practice. Possible insightful and/or original deployments of theory or theoretical concepts. Implications for personal and professional practice are carefully considered and explored. Work potentially worth dissemination and/or postgraduate study.

Distinction

75 - 84

Consistently strong and ongoing demonstration of very good organisational and conceptual skills. The work is well conceived, coherent, logical and lucid as well as professionally prepared.

Thorough and comprehensive understanding of the content and/or discipline gathered from a wide range of current & relevant sources beyond the core materials.
Convincing synthesis of evidence, critical analysis and understanding of multiple perspectives to formulate a coherent argument.
Insightful critique or consideration of relationship between theory, research and practice. Personal / professional implications for practice considered.

Credit

65 - 74

Strong organizational & conceptual skills and evidence that the task is logical and coherent and professionally prepared.
Considers topics and issues in the broader disciplinary context. Evidence of having read current and relevant sources beyond the core materials.

Credible argument making relevant use of evidence, analysis and understanding. Able to apply concepts and draw and justify conclusions

Critical or evaluative discussion/thinking about links between theory, research and practice.

Pass

50 - 64

Demonstrates task organization and conceptual understanding in a style which is mostly logical, coherent and flowing.

Clear understanding of topic. Demonstrates understanding of materials presented in core texts and readings.

Demonstrates some evidence of analytical and evaluative skills. Able to apply fundamental concepts and draw and justify conclusions

Beginning to develop critical reflection and analysis of practice through theory and research. Relevant concepts etc applied in a generally appropriate and thoughtful way.

Fail

0 - 49

When you don’t meet the learning outcomes of the unit to a satisfactory standard.
Attempts are made to demonstrate a logical & coherent understanding of the assessment task but some aspects may be confused or undeveloped.
Limited understanding of topic with serious gaps or errors. Demonstrates little evidence of having read materials presented in core texts & readings.
Little or no evidence of analytical and evaluative skills. Fails to draw on fundamental concepts and to justify conclusions.
Very little or no consideration of the relationships between theory, research and practice.

For more information see guide to grades

For more information see guide to grades.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

This unit has an exception to the standard University policy or supplementary information has been provided by the unit coordinator. This information is displayed below:

Late submission In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date: • Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date. • After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

Academic integrity

The Current Student website provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. The University expects students and staff to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.

We use similarity detection software to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and automated writing tools

You may only use generative AI and automated writing tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator. If you do use these tools, you must acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section. The assessment instructions or unit outline will give guidance of the types of tools that are permitted and how the tools should be used.

Your final submitted work must be your own, original work. You must acknowledge any use of generative AI tools that have been used in the assessment, and any material that forms part of your submission must be appropriately referenced. For guidance on how to acknowledge the use of AI, please refer to the AI in Education Canvas site.

The unapproved use of these tools or unacknowledged use will be considered a breach of the Academic Integrity Policy and penalties may apply.

Studiosity is permitted unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission as detailed on the Learning Hub’s Canvas page.

Outside assessment tasks, generative AI tools may be used to support your learning. The AI in Education Canvas site contains a number of productive ways that students are using AI to improve their learning.

Learning support

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

Support for students

The Support for Students Policy reflects the University’s commitment to supporting students in their academic journey and making the University safe for students. It is important that you read and understand this policy so that you are familiar with the range of support services available to you and understand how to engage with them.

The University uses email as its primary source of communication with students who need support under the Support for Students Policy. Make sure you check your University email regularly and respond to any communications received from the University.

Learning resources and detailed information about weekly assessment and learning activities can be accessed via Canvas. It is essential that you visit your unit of study Canvas site to ensure you are up to date with all of your tasks.

If you are having difficulties completing your studies, or are feeling unsure about your progress, we are here to help. You can access the support services offered by the University at any time:

Support and Services (including health and wellbeing services, financial support and learning support)
Course planning and administration
Meet with an Academic Adviser

Weekly schedule

WK	Topic	Learning activity
Week 01	Welcome & Introduction	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 02	Pre-Exhibition	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 03	Exhibition visit	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 04	Contemporary Visual arts	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 05	Film – history and early cinema	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 06	Film – contemporary cinema	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 07	Film – contemporary cinema	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 09	Literature - theatre and performance	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 10	Literature – song cycles, poetry and poetics	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 11	Case-study 1; Online Galleries and Student seminars	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 12	Case-study 2; Online Galleries and Student seminars	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 13	Creative Exhibition	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)

Attendance and class requirements

The Sydney School of Education and Social Work requires attendance of at least 90 percent of all seminars, workshops or lectures. Where a student is unable to attend at the required rate evidence of illness or misadventure may be required and the student may be required to undertake extra work. Students should discuss the circumstances of their absence(s) with the co-ordinator of the unit of study. Further details are provided in the School canvas site: https://canvas.sydney.edu.au/courses
/13426

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Required readings

Library reserve:

Bancroft, Kleinert and Neale, The Oxford companion to Aboriginal art and culture. Oxford University Press, 2000.

Casey, Maryrose. Creating frames: contemporary Indigenous theatre 1967-1990. St. Lucia, Qld. : University of Queensland Press, 2004.

Morphy, Howard. Aboriginal Art. London: Phaidon Press. 1998.

Minter , Peter and Anita Heiss, Macquarie PEN Anthology of Aboriginal Literature. Crows Nest, N.S.W.: Allen & Unwin, 2008.

Weekly readings:

Week 1 Welcome & Introduction

Reading 1: Grieves, Vicki. 2008. “Aboriginal Spirituality: A Baseline for Indigenous Knowledges Development in Australia.” The Canadian Journal of Native Studies 28 (2):363-398.

Reading 2a: Taylor, Luke. 2008. "From Rock to Bark: Art from Western Arnhem Land." In They are meditating : bark paintings from the MCA's Arnott's collection. Sydney : Museum of Contemporary Art.

Reading 2b: Gilchrist, S 2022, The Aftermath. in Y Chavez & NM Mithlo (eds), Visualising Genocide: Indigenous Interventions in Art, Archives and Museums. The University of Arizona Press, USA, pp.38-56

Week 2 Pre-Exhibition

Reading 3a: Museum of Contemporary Art. 2024. “Jonathan Jones interviewed on 'naa (to see or look)' in 2015”

Reading 3b: Langton, Marcia. 2000. “Sacred Geography: Western Desert Traditions of Landscape Art." In Papaya Tula: Genesis and Genius, Art Gallery of NSW in association with Papaya Tula Artists”, Perkins, Hetti and Fink, Hannah, eds. Pp. 259-267.

Reading 4: Tate. 2021. “ Five Things to Know about John Mawurndjul “

Week 3 Exhibition visit

Reading 5a: Jones, J. (2020). “untitled (giran)”. Visual Communication, 19(3), 415-428.

Reading 5b: Morphy, Howard. 1998. “A Totemic Landscape: Art, maps and People.” In Aboriginal Art, 101-142. London: Phaidon Press.

Reading 6a:

Reading 6b: Biddle, Jennifer. 2003. "Country, Skin, Canvas: The Intercorporeal Art of Kathleen Petyarre." In Australian and New Zealand Journal of Art, 4(1): 61-76.

Weeks 4 & 5 From Art to Film

Reading 7: Coffey, Essie: "My Survival as an Aboriginal." 49 mins. Sydney: Goodgabah Productions, 1978.

Reading 8: Croft, Brenda L: "Boomalli: From Little Things Big Things Grow." Painting the Land Story. Ed. Taylor, Luke. Canberra: National Museum of Australia, 1999. 95-118.

Reading 9: Riley, Michael: "Boomalli - Five Koorie Artists." 28 minutes. San Francisco: Film Australia and Kanopy Streaming, 1988/2015.

Week 6 Film: Tracey Moffatt

Reading 10: Langton, Marcia: "Well, I Heard It on the Radio and I Saw It on the Television" : An Essay for the Australian Film Commission on the Politics and Aesthetics of Filmmaking by and About Aboriginal People and Things. North Sydney, NSW: Australian Film Commission, 1993. [Note this reading is a freely available copy of the book from the Screen Australia Australian Film Commission archive]

Reading 11: Baron, Cynthia: "Films by Tracey Moffatt: Reclaiming First Australians' Rights, Celebrating Women's Rites." Women's Studies Quarterly 30, no. 1/2 (2002): 151-77.

Reading 12: Moffatt, Tracey: "Nice Coloured Girls." 17 mins. Canberra: Ronin Films, 1987.

Reading 13: Moffatt, Tracey: "Night Cries: A Rural Tragedy." 19 mins. Canberra: Ronin Films, 1989.

Reading 14: Moffatt, Tracey: "beDevil." 87 mins. Canberra: Ronin Films, 1993.

Week 7 Film: Warwick Thornton’s Samson and Delilah

Reading 15: Thornton, Warwick: "Samson and Delilah." 96 min. 42 sec. Collingwood: Madman Entertainment, 2009.

Reading 16: Cole, Beck. "Making Samson and Delilah." Scarlett Pictures, 2009.

Reading 17: Isaacs, Bruce. "Screening 'Australia': Samson and Delilah." Screen Education 54 (2009): 12-17.

Reading 18: Milner, Johnny. "The sounds of love and monotony: Telling stories without speech in Samson and Delilah”. Screen Education, No. 66, Winter 2012: 99-104.

Week 8 Literature: Introductory texts

Reading 19: Heiss, Anita, and Peter Minter. "Aboriginal Literature." In Macquarie Pen Anthology of Aboriginal Literature, edited by Anita Heiss and Peter Minter, 1-8. Crows Nest, N.S.W.: Allen & Unwin, 2008.

Reading 20: Wheeler, Belinda. "Introduction: The Emerging Canon." In A Companion to Australian Aboriginal Literature, 1-14: Boydell and Brewer, 2013.

Week 8 Literature: Theatre and Performance

Reading 21: Casey, Maryrose. "Collective Beginnings 1972." In Creating Frames : Contemporary Indigenous Theatre 1967-1990, 42-65. St. Lucia, Qld.: University of Queensland Press, 2004.

Reading 22: Casey, Maryrose. "Bold, Black, and Brilliant Aboriginal Australian Drama." In A Companion to Australian Aboriginal Literature, 155-72: Boydell and Brewer, 2013.

Reading 23: Gilbert, Kevin. "The Cherry Pickers [Act 3, Scene 2]." In Macquarie Pen Anthology of Aboriginal Literature, edited by Anita Heiss and Peter Minter, 77-82. Crows Nest, N.S.W.: Allen & Unwin, 2008.

Week 9 Literature: Fiction

Reading 24: Scott, Kim. "'From the Heart', 'the First White Born Man', 'Raised to This...', 'Funerals'." In Benang : From the Heart, 7-22. South Fremantle, W.A.: Fremantle Arts Centre Press, 1999.

Reading 25: Scott, Kim. "'Tongue and Paper"'and 'Death and Spirit'." In That Deadman Dance, 132-147. Sydney: Picador, 2010.

Reading 26: Wright, Alexis. "Norm's Responsibility." Chap. 8 In Carpentaria, 229-75. Artarmon, N.S.W.: Giramondo, 2006.

Reading 27: Wright, Alexis. "On Writing Carpentaria." Heat 13 (2007): 79-95.

Reading 28: Wright, Alexis. "Deep Weather." Meanjin 70, no. 2 (2011): 70.

Week 10 Literature: Song Cycles, Poetry and Poetics

Reading 29: Cooke, Stuart. "Tracing a Trajectory from Songpoetry to Contemporary Aboriginal Poetry." In A Companion to Australian Aboriginal Literature, 89-106: Boydell and Brewer, 2013.

Reading 30: Berndt, Ronald M. "A Wonguri-Mandjikai Song Cycle of the Moon-Bone." Oceania 19, no. 1 (1948): 16-50.

Reading 31: Eckermann, Ali Cobby. "Yankunytjatjara Love Poems." Southerly 71, no. 2 (2011 2011): 103-04.

Reading 32: Eckermann, Ali Cobby. Love Dreaming and Other Poems. Sydney & Tokyo: Vagabond, 2012.

Reading 33: Eckermann, Ali Cobby. "Inside My Mother; Deaths in Custody." Wasafiri 31, no. 2 (2016/04/02 2016): 12-12.

Reading 34: Etherington, Ben. "An Interview with Ali Cobby Eckermann." Wasafiri 31, no. 2 (2016/04/02 2016): 13-17.

Reading 35: Meenamatta, Pura-lia (Jim Everett), and Jonathon Kimberley. Meenamatta Lena Narla Puellakanny: Meenamatta Water Country Discussion. A Writing and Painting Collaboration. Hobart, Devonport: Bett Gallery, Devonport: Devonport Regional Gallery, 2006.

Reading 36: Vivian, Helen. "An Unlandscape of Words and Paintings: From Meenamatta to Paradise. [a Cross-Cultural Collaboration between Indigenous Poet Jim Everett and Visual Artist Jonathan Kimberley. Paper In: After the Missionaries. Murray, Kevin (Ed.).]." Artlink 29, no. 2 (2009 2009): 66-70.

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

Outcomes
Graduate qualities

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

LO1. Demonstrate a knowledge of Indigenous Australian arts across a range of traditional and contemporary Indigenous art forms and practices
LO2. Identify and reflect upon key forms of Indigenous cultural expression, including the visual arts, literature, performance, theatre, film and music, and key movements and figures
LO3. Understand and reflect upon the national and international significance of Indigenous creative expression and its place in local, regional and transnational arts spheres
LO4. Undertake research, writing and speaking activities that develop and apply a critical framework informed by Indigenous standpoint theory and decolonisation theory

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1	Depth of disciplinary expertise Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.
GQ2	Critical thinking and problem solving Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.
GQ3	Oral and written communication Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.
GQ4	Information and digital literacy Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.
GQ5	Inventiveness Generating novel ideas and solutions.
GQ6	Cultural competence Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.
GQ7	Interdisciplinary effectiveness Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.
GQ8	Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.
GQ9	Influence Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes	Graduate qualities
Learning outcomes

Responding to student feedback

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

Assessment dates, activities & some readings have been updated in this version.

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to amend units of study or no longer offer certain units, including where there are low enrolment numbers.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.

Current students

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Support for students

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

INDG2002: Indigenous Art and Culture

Semester 2, 2024 [Normal day] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Support for students

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links