7th May T2W4L2 English

Themes in Indigenous Literature:

• Voice
• Stereotyping
• Marginalisation and “Othering”
  • Exclusion
  • An “other” in the poem, where they are being excluded, etc
• Country
  • Connection to country
  • Spiritual
• Dichotomous relationship between the urban and rural

Step-in, step out

• What is the evidence (step in)
• How is that making a comment on society, etc

Close reading

• 2 poems to choose
• Every class would have different poems
• Write an essay discussing themes, ideas, contexts, etc

Australian poetry - history

• Expresses collective values
• Representative
• Australia = very individualistic
  • Freedom
  • Expression
  • Australia is founded on ideas of exploration and identity loss
• Non-indigenous Australian views
  • Deep attraction to like (in a different way to First Nations’)
  • Based around difference in culture
• Note: poetry is written to be cathartic
• Songs of indigenous australians = oldest texts in Australia
• Land
• Nomadic
  • With gatherings
    • Especially to find partners
    • Important information to be passed down