Mirrung (Belonging)

Group B Elective

Mirrung (Belonging) - Year 10, 2023

Mirrung, or “belonging” in the Dharug language, is a new Category B course being introduced in 2023 to provide students with the opportunity to develop knowledge and understanding of Aboriginal Peoples, histories and cultures.

Students will investigate and celebrate Aboriginal cultural and social heritage, continuity and resilience. They will be given opportunities to recognise and respect the knowledges and practices of Aboriginal Peoples. The study of Aboriginal identity and lived experiences of Aboriginal Peoples will give students deeper insights that will enable more respectful and reciprocal engagement with Aboriginal Peoples and communities.

Apart from empowering students and enriching their understanding of Aboriginal Peoples, Mirrung will also give students valuable skills they will be able to use in their senior studies, such as critical thinking, research and strong written and oral communication skills.

Mirrung is designed to complement the Walking on Earth course and covers different topics and issues.

Modes of Assessment

Year 10 – Core Content

Core Topic 1

Core Topic 2
Semester 1 Aboriginal Identities Self-Determination and Autonomy
Students investigate the diversity of Aboriginal cultures and identities, as well as the social factors and experiences that affect identity and cultural expression. Students examine how Aboriginal Peoples’ human rights and entitlement to self-determination have been denied. Students develop knowledge and understanding of the relationship between land rights and Aboriginal communities’ autonomy.
Semester 2 Aboriginal Peoples and Oral and Written Expression Aboriginal Peoples’ Interactions with Legal and Political Systems
Students explore oral and written forms of communication used by Aboriginal Peoples before and after invasion. Students focus on different forms of oral and written expression to develop an understanding of the diversity of Aboriginal styles and viewpoints. Students also investigate how these works have contributed to Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal cultures, histories and identities.         Students examine the relationship and interactions between Aboriginal Peoples and Australian legal and political systems. Students explore Aboriginal Peoples’ initiatives and advocacy to access their rights, and to overcome disadvantage in legal and political systems.

 

Links to the Broader Curriculum

  • Critical Thinking
  • IB Theory of Knowledge
  • English
  • History
  • Legal Studies

This course will be taught by staff from the History department.