Becoming Aboriginal

1978, 10 Minutes

Aboriginal children at the Bamyili Government settlement in the Northern Territory must undergo two forms of education, one in an English language school, learning European skills and values, and another in their traditional way of life.

Becoming Aboriginal examines how they learn those ways. The girls are taught how to weave and collect food. The boys are taught the traditional dances for the corroborees. The film highlights the benefits these children gain through an understanding of and connection with their Aboriginal heritage. In doing so, it also explores the relationship between Indigenous people and their land, and the ways in which this knowledge is passed down through the generations.

© 2011 National Film and Sound Archive of Australia.