Music in context

Australian music

Australia’s unique and continuing tradition of music making begins with the music of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Today, Australian music includes the traditional and contemporary music of the First Peoples and the broad, eclectic and dynamic musical culture driven by the practice and expression of the Australian community. The spectrum of cultural backgrounds of Australians contributes to the diversity of music that is part of everyday life in Australia and provides a rich and ever-changing range of choice for listening, performing and inspiring composers.

It is easier than ever to access music from almost anywhere in the world. Listening and sharing platforms offer the instant gratification of being able to enjoy music almost everywhere and at anytime.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders have made and performed traditional music in this land for countless generations and continue to make both traditional and contemporary music. The traditional music of the indigenous nations of Australia has been part of social, cultural and ceremonial life for over 60,000 years.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander music is embedded in culture, law, ceremony, geography and connection to land. Aside from special ceremonial music and songs for welcome or thanks, there are countless songs that impart deep knowledge of the stories, history and significance of places, which form a vast body of understanding of Australia itself. The Victorian Curriculum F–10 includes language learning opportunities for Victorian Aboriginal Languages.

It is important when introducing traditional Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander music to students that the breadth and depth of that musical culture is acknowledged and to do this with local Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander people who have authority to represent their community. The Victorian Aboriginal community-preferred model for imparting Koorie cultural knowledge is to start locally before looking further afield. For government schools, information about how to connect with the Koorie community in your area is provided in the Department of Education and Training’s Koorie Cross-Curriculum Protocols. Also be aware that if a teacher is an Aboriginal person, but comes from a different cultural group, they should seek permission from the Traditional Owners of the country on which the school stands to teach their own material. This is a matter of respect for the Traditional Owners.

Songlines is Victoria’s peak Aboriginal music body, a not-for-profit organisation with links to many indigenous organisations and artists.

Contemporary indigenous music offers a way to introduce musical style and form as well as storytelling, politics and social comment. Contemporary indigenous music can be played to students with the confidence that it has been created to share. If a task or unit will require students to actively develop or produce a replica of a Koorie, Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander cultural expression, consultation with the Koorie, Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander community that owns the cultural expression is required.

If you are unsure about the need to consult, or are seeking advice on appropriate local Koorie community organisations, contact Victorian Aboriginal Education Association Inc. (VAEAI). All schools can also access VAEAI’s advice on working with Koorie communities, including their own Protocols for Koorie Education in Victorian Primary and Secondary Schools.

 

Koorie Cross-Curriculum Protocols

Songlines

Victorian Aboriginal Education Association Inc.

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