Indigenous People of the Kimberley

THE BACKBONE OF THE PASTORAL INDUSTRY

An Australian Produced Educational Resource for Upper Primary and High School

on DVD and Windows CD-ROM

Now available on DVD

"The Backbone of the Pastoral Industry" tells of the vital role that the Aboriginal People played in the establishment, and continue to play in the operation of the Kimberley pastoral industry. It tells of their life and work on the stations, their relationships with the European pastoralists, and of their struggle to remain on their land.

The program consists of a twenty five-minute documentary presented on DVD and Windows or CD-ROM. The CD-ROM also contains an interactive review, teachers’ guide and student work sheets.

A word from our Indigenous Adviser- Rodney Rivers,

from the Gooniyandi Language Group.

After viewing this program, students should have a basic understanding of...

the five major regions of Kimberley grasslands, the arrival of the European Pastoralists and how their settlement was tolerated by some Aboriginal groups and resisted by others;
the establishment of the Christian missions that provided a safe haven for may Indigenous People;
the passing of the 1905 Aborigines Act by the Western Australian Parliament which gave the government control over virtually every aspect of the Aboriginal People's lives;
the establishment of the pastoral stations, the methods used by the pastoralists in getting the Aboriginal People to work for them, the types of work required of them and the varied treatment they received at the hands of the station managers;
the meaningful relationships that developed between many Aboriginal and European families and the joint sense of belonging and pride in their country and station that was established;
the implementation of the 1966 Equal Wage Case Ruling that caused many Aboriginal People to be driven off the stations and into pride destroying unemployment and ghetto style living conditions in the fringe camps that were set up on the outskirts of the local towns;
the enactment of commonwealth land rights legislation that allowed traditional owners to lodge claims to regain their land and revitalised the role of the Aboriginal stockmen.

Rationale...

The "Indigenous People of the Kimberley" was produced with the cooperation, support
and assistance of the Kimberley Aboriginal People.

In producing the program, our researchers were struck by the almost complete lack of
vindictiveness towards European Australians among those Aboriginal people with whom
they discussed this project. Almost without exception, the Indigenous People expressed
no desires of revenge for the injustices that had been inflicted on their people, and often
recognised that, in addition to the atrocities, there were also acts of kindness and benefit
as well. They also expressed a deep sense of pride, both men and women alike, in their
abilities as stockmen and stockwomen, and in the vital role they played in the establishment
and continue to play in the operation of the Kimberley cattle industry. However, they all
felt very strongly that for effective reconciliation to occur, the truth of what happened
should, and must be told.

With this in mind, we were determined to write and produce the program maintaining that
same attitude. The program is intended to tell the basic story of the European settlement
of the Kimberley, without bias or accusation, in the hope it will stimulate students to further
investigate and form their own opinions about this important part of Australia's history,
and give them a better understanding of a proud and courageous people and their struggle
to control their land and their lives, and provide a more meaningful sense of what
reconciliation is about.

"The Backbone of the Pastoral Industry" consists of a twenty five-minute documentary presented on DVD and Windows or Macintosh CD-ROM. The CD-ROM also contains an interactive review, teachers’ guide and student work sheets.

Set comes with 1 DVD & 1 CD-ROM $137.50 Unlimited Site Licence $33.00

Order Form

Indigenous People of the Kimberley "The Coming of a New Order"

Special offer; Order both "The Coming of a New Order" and "The Backbone of the Pastoral Industry" with Unlimited Site Licence and receive "The Aboriginal People of Australia" on Audio CD Free.

"The Aboriginal People of Australia" on Audio CD tells the history and culture of Australia's Aboriginal People. Comprising of two 20 minute parts. Complete with Teachers' Guide, Student Work Sheets and Follow-up Activities.