Indigenous Australian Culture Major

In this course you will learn to identify the key components of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander identity and explore cross-cultural and Indigenous ways of seeing and knowing. You'll gain a strong understanding of Indigenous Australian communities and worldview and be able to contrast that with the dominant worldview.

You'll also learn about the events and ideas that led to the development of colonial, political and ideological structures; and how to challenge dominant discourses of development - including in the context of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

You'll explore the importance of land and sea in Indigenous Australian culture and learn how to appraise the significance of sacred and significant sites within local and global contexts. This knowledge will also help you to apply appropriate cultural competencies when engaging with Indigenous artists.

This course includes on-Country experiences and study tours, and you'll also have access to the facilities of Curtin's renowned Centre for Aboriginal Studies.

Upon completing this course you'll have the skills for diverse professional roles, including in government departments, the private sector and Indigenous organisations.

• analyse historical and contemporary issues faced by Indigenous Australians, examining the impacts of colonization, government policies, and resistance movements, GC1, GC4, GC5
• examine the social, political, and economic inequalities faced by Indigenous communities and develop strategies for advocacy and allyship, GC1, GC2, GC3, GC5, GC6
• develop ethical and respectful methods for engaging with Indigenous communities, fostering cross-cultural understanding and collaboration, GC1, GC3, GC4, GC5
• understand Indigenous ecological knowledge, sustainable practices, and their interconnectedness with the environment, GC1, GC4, GC5