Governor's orders

• As a class, watch the clip Governor's orders and discuss the issue of compensation. Dan explains that the governor has expressly ordered the marines to take nothing from the 'natives' unless they are compensated. Dan tries to find something of value to give Waruwi for the dingo. The clip portrays the marines' trust in their familiar system of authority and structure.
• Ask students to imagine they are contestants in a game called 'Supplies for survival: First Fleet'. They will be presented with a series of tasks designed to help them think critically about the processes involved in establishing a colony at Sydney Cove in 1788. Divide the class into four 'tribes'. Each tribe must choose their own name. Draw a scoreboard on the whiteboard to keep a tally of points awarded at the end of each task. 
• As their first task, the tribes must imagine that they are going camping on a mysterious island for a month. Ask the tribes to work collaboratively to brainstorm and generate a list of the tools and provisions they would take with them. Answers can be recorded on the board. Award points to the tribe with the most comprehensive list and to the tribe with the most imaginative list.
• As a class, read through the extract taken from the instructions issued to Governor Phillip by King George III on the 25 April 1787. A full transcript of this document, along with some background notes, may be found at:
  National Archives of Australia, 'Documenting a Democracy', www.foundingdocs.gov.au/item.asp?dID=35
• The instructions refer to an 'Assortment of Tools and Utensils which have been provided for the use of the Convicts and other Persons who are to compose the intended settlement'.
• As their second task, the tribes must imagine that they have been asked by Governor Phillip to help him assemble the necessary 'Assortment of Tools and Utensils'. Governor Phillip was unsure what he might find when he arrived at the new colony, or how long it would be before additional supplies could be brought to Australia, and so everything a new settlement might need had to be taken. The funds available for equipping the expedition were low. Ask students to work collaboratively in their tribes to generate a list of tools, utensils and essentials that they would take with them from Britain to ensure the survival of the European colony. As part of this task, students will make decisions and identify the issues which faced early European settlers.
• Present students with the actual list of livestock and provisions taken aboard the ships of the First Fleet. A copy of the list can be found at:
  First Fleet Fellowship, 'List of Livestock and Provisions', home.vicnet.net.au/~firstff/list.htm
• Points can be awarded for each item on the historical list which each tribe has on their own list.

• Discuss with students the trouble the colony encountered securing supplies and adequate equipment for building a settlement during its early years. Phillip found that the equipment brought out on the First Fleet was inadequate and poorly chosen and for years after landing he made constant entreaties to the British government to send more tools. In response he was sent a small amount of additional equipment which Phillip described as 'bad tools ... of no kind of use'. Ask students to consider what Philip could have done differently to overcome these problems. 
• Students could imagine that they are Governor Phillip, writing a letter to King George III. In the letter they introduce themselves and explain the problems the colony is facing and what they would have done differently to change the outcome.

Student Activity Sheet H24.3: Supplies for survival: First Fleet

• The clip Governor's orders shows a small group of marines foraging for supplies in the bush area close to the coast around Sydney. They are under orders to survey the country and report back to Governor Phillip. As a class, view the clip and ask students to discuss the historical implications of the background to the drama. 
• Ask students to conduct research (or provide them with information) on:

1. the difficulties and problems faced by Governor Phillip and the First Fleeters in establishing a colony
2. the difficulties and problems faced by the local Indigenous people at the time. 

• Refer to My Place for Teachers, 'Decade timeline' for information about the first colony. Students could incorporate historical sources taken from images, maps and the letters and journals of Governor Phillip and his officers. Students may find it useful to explore the following sites to gather information:

1. State Library of New South Wales, 'Discover Collections', From Terra Australis to Australia, www.sl.nsw.gov.au/discover_collections/history_nation/terra_australis/
2. SBS, First Australians, www.sbs.com.au/firstaustralians/
3. National Archives of Australia, 'Documenting a Democracy', www.foundingdocs.gov.au/
4. Migration Heritage Centre, 'Objects through Time', www.migrationheritage.nsw.gov.au/exhibition/objectsthroughtime/draughtinstructions/

• Ask students to complete the table in Student Activity Worksheet H24.4: Historical perspectives by analysing the cause and effect of various problems for First Fleeters and local Indigenous people.

• Ask students to identify, analyse and evaluate the situation for First Fleeters and Indigenous people in the local area.
• Divide the class into small groups and have them design and construct a game similar to Trivial Pursuit where players have to identify, analyse and evaluate the challenges which faced the First Fleeters, Governor Phillip and the Indigenous peoples of the area. The game will allow players to test their knowledge of the challenges that the colonists and Indigenous peoples of the area faced during the early days of the colony. Please note that the objective of the game is for students to pose questions and find the correct answers in order to complete the game. The end of the game is reached when a person or team answers 10 questions correctly.
• Refer to the following website for templates of games:
  Tools for Educators, 'Board Game Maker', www.toolsforeducators.com/boardgames/dailyroutines_r.php

Student Activity Sheet H24.4: Historical perspectives

• Prior to watching this clip, discuss the concept of compensation with the students. Look at the historical context where Governor Arthur Philip (1738-1814), the first governor of the colony of New South Wales from 1788 to 1792, did not want anyone to steal from Indigenous peoples. Explore why this was often overlooked by others with power and authority. 
• Make a list of the ways Indigenous people are treated in Episode 24 | 1788: Dan, including comments made and the soldiers' actions and reactions. Discuss whether comments made by the soldiers are ethnocentric. As a comparison, have students note the terms that Waruwi and her nanna use to refer to the marines. For each perspective, have students discuss the following questions:

1. Do the characters consider one culture as the ideal or the 'norm' and judge others in relation to it? 
2. Are references to lifestyles and technology described using negative terms such as 'no', 'not', 'under-' or 'dis-'? 
3. Do the characters overgeneralise about people and talk about characteristics such as personalities or social/culture behaviour in a certain way? 

• Is each culture represented as valid and worthwhile, and acknowledged for its complexity and diversity, or is it considered primitive or uncivilised compared to other cultures?
• Be aware of the sensitivities underlying these discussions, particularly for Indigenous students and students from other cultural backgrounds in your class. Be aware of students' backgrounds, understandings and experiences to ensure discussions are inclusive to all groups. If you are unsure, discuss your concerns with Indigenous staff, families or community members in your school.
• Support your classroom activities and discussions by referring to the 'Racism. No way!' website:
  Racismnoway, 'Teaching Resources', www.racismnoway.com.au/teaching-resources/anti-racism-activities/
• Draw students' attention to the conversation between Dan and the soldier Goodwin. Refer students to Student Activity Sheet E24.3: Compensation to answer the following questions:

1. According to Goodwin, who makes the laws?
2. Why doesn't Goodwin regard taking the dingo from Waruwi as stealing?
3. What does this say about the different ways Indigenous people were seen and treated at this time?
4. According to Dan, what does the governor say about taking things from Indigenous people?
5. Who does Dan blame for ignoring the governor's law about compensation?

• Ask students to write down a list of the objects that Dan steals to give to Waruwi as compensation for taking her dog. Ask the students to write their opinion of whether they think this is a fair exchange.

• Ask students to recount a time in which they gave something up in exchange for something else. Ask them to write what they gave up, what they got in return, why they did it, whether they regretted it, if they would do it again and whether they think it's a good way to acquire new things. Ask them to share their experiences with the class.
• Ask each student to bring an object to class to trade. Have students pair off and discuss each of their items. Ask them to consider:

1. What gives an object value?
2. Does that value always correspond to its cost?
3. Would they trade their object for the object their partner brought in? Have them list their reasons.

• Ask students to develop an advertisement for their object. The advertisement could be a poster, newspaper advertisement or filmed advertisement.

Student Activity Sheet E25.2a: Compensation 

• Focus students' attention on the fact that in Episode 24 | 1788: Dan, as in Episode 23 | 1788: Waruwi, the British marines are waiting for the return of a ship to pick them up and take them to the settlement at Sydney Cove. You could read extracts from Daniel Defoe's Robinson Crusoe to give students an example of what it was like to be stranded on an unfamiliar island.
• Draw student's attention to the conversation between the cook and Dan. Ask students the following questions:

1. Dan asks for dripping to line his boots - what is dripping?
2. How was dripping normally eaten?
3. Dan says he wants it for his feet - is this true?
4. How would it have helped his feet?
5. What is his real purpose in asking for the dripping?
6. What are rations?

• Focus students' attention on the fact that the cook says, 'The colony is starving and he wants to waste precious dripping on his boots.' Explain to students the use of the word 'colony' and draw students' attention to the cook's line, 'We'll be eating those boots if no ship turns up.' Ask students to research what food was in plentiful supply in the environment around them that Indigenous peoples had eaten over many thousands of years and that the soldiers could have eaten. Refer to the following websites:

1. ABC Education: Schools, 'Food for Thought: Episode 4', Wild Tucker: Australia's Indigenous Food, www.abc.net.au/schoolstv/food/ep4.htm  
2. Australian National Botanic Gardens, 'Traditional Uses of Australian Native Plants', www.anbg.gov.au/bibliography/bushfood.html 
3. Screen Australia, 'Living Country 2005', aso.gov.au/titles/documentaries/living-country/clip3/ Honey ants - Northern Territory
4. ——'Cool Drink and Culture 2006', aso.gov.au/titles/documentaries/cool-drink-and-culture/clip3/ Ininti seeds - Northern Territory
5. ——'Dugong Dugong 1980', aso.gov.au/titles/documentaries/dugong-dugong/clip2/ Dugong - Mornington Island
6. ——'My Survival as an Aboriginal 1978: Zigzag', aso.gov.au/titles/documentaries/my-survival-aboriginal/clip1/ Echidna - NSW
7. ——'My Survival as an Aboriginal 1978: Lessons on Survival', aso.gov.au/titles/documentaries/my-survival-aboriginal/clip2/ Fruit - NSW

• Connect with local Indigenous peoples and groups to find out about local foods that are still used and how the technologies, preparation and laws around these local foods have changed over time.

• Ask students to design two menus:

1. Local foods which Waruwi could have made for Dan and the marines.
2. Food which Dan would have eaten and could have made and served to Waruwi.

• Refer students to Student Activity Sheet E24.4: Stranded. Students could also present the menus as a poster or slideshow presentation.

Student Activity Sheet E25.2b: Stranded