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Analysis of Professional Practice of Being an
Indigenous Cultural Awareness Trainer
A project submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of
Arts
Ron Murray
School of Education
College of Design and Social Context
RMIT University
March 2009
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Declaration
Title: Analysis of Professional Practice of Being an
Indigenous Cultural Awareness Trainer
Candidate’s name Ron Murray
Name of School School of Education
RMIT University
Date submitted: March 2009
Declaration by the
candidate
I certify that:
This thesis is entirely my own work, and due acknowledgement have been made
where appropriate. The work has not been submitted previously, in whole or in
part, to qualify for any other academic award. The content of the thesis is the
result of work which has been carried out since the official commencement date of
the approved research program. Any editorial work, paid or unpaid, carried out by
a third party has been acknowledged.
Candidate’s signature:
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Abstract
The purpose of this research project has been to gain a deeper awareness of the
practice of Cultural Awareness Training and to develop resources that will support
other practitioners in the field.
My hope in undertaking this project is to make the wider community more aware of
what it means to be Aboriginal, at a time when jail is replacing initiation for many
young Indigenous people. I want to engender a greater understanding about social,
cultural and political issues in the Aboriginal community, by building bridges of
awareness between Indigenous and Western cultures.
My research question is: How does my approach to Cultural Awareness Training deal
with uninformed and racist attitudes towards Aboriginal people in ways that effect
positive, constructive change?
In the documentation of my professional practice, I have examined critical incidents
that have shaped my responses to uninformed and racially stereotyped attitudes
within an educational context. This includes stories of overt racism in the classroom
experience.
In undertaking critical reflection about my professional practice as a Cultural
Awareness Trainer, I have aimed to provide insights, as well as practical resources, to
support the professional practice of others in this field.
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Note to readers: A CD containing my stories and didgeridoo performances
accompanies this exegesis.
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Contents
Declaration 2
Abstract 3
Contents 5
INTRODUCTION 7
1. Overview of Project 7
Content of Cultural Awareness Workshops 7
Purpose of Cultural Awareness Training 7
2. Methodology 9
Approaches in Cultural Awareness Workshops 11
Exemplars of Practice 13
Learning Through Stories 14
Module One: Indigenous Cultures in Australia 16
Module One Diagram: Indigenous Cultures in Australia 17
The Significance of Stories 18
3. Ron Murray’s Stories 19
Story Number One 19
Story Number Two 20
Story Number Three 21
Story Number Four 22
Story Number Five 23
Part I. DEEP LISTENING 24
Dadirri as Methodology 24
What it Means to be Aboriginal 24
The Art of Story-telling 25
Aboriginal History 27
Part II. EDUCATION 32
Links Between Story-telling and Education 32
Young People 33
Teaching Cultural Knowledge 35
Teaching Tradition 36
Contemporary Issues 39
Songlines 40
Stereotypes 46
Intercultural Understanding 49
Stopping the Cycle 50
Intergenerational Cultural Knowledge Transference 50