CR181 History Posts - Sustainability

    Retrieved from Leo (2013)

This image taken during an ANZAC Day march produces many questions about how Australian history will continue to be sustained through British Imperialistic and nationalistic visions. ACARA states that teaching sustainability “will allow all young Australians to develop the knowledge, skills, values and world views necessary for them to act in ways that contribute to more sustainable patterns of living” (ACARA). When assessing the photograph students will need to determine what elements and issues in Australian history are raised in piece.

Immediately we are drawn towards the patriotism oozing from the crowd as they cheer and thank former soldiers from Australia’s past campaigns. What the image first reveals is Australia’s continued sense of patriotism felt by ANZAC Day and the Gallipoli legend. Instead of being sombre and restrained, the crowd are waving their national flag in great excitement. At this point the ideology of Gallipoli being the birth of a nation creates a feeling of patriotism as ‘diggers’ march by the crowd fanatically waving  Australian flags. In the photograph the flag presents itself as a nationalist icon and starts to construct a view of history that does not represent all Australians. The ANZAC spirit and ‘Birth of a Nation’ ideology mixed with the Australian flag only represents a white European’s Australia. The crowd celebrate the birth of their nation through only white history; they do not recognise the tens of thousands of years in which Indigenous people lived solely, on the land.

 Amongst the crowd there is a cross section of age but not race. Young children to elderly woman line the pavement with no mix of non-Anglo citizens. The marching ex-servicemen are all of a white European appearance, despite the fact that many non-white European men and women served and continue to serve in the Australian armed forces. A comparative photo of a Remembrance Day march in Britain shows many similarities to the ANZAC march photograph, the most important in terms of British influence on Australian history is the presence of the Union Jack. 

       Retrieved from http://www.imagesbythehamiltons.com/photoblog20.htm

All three images contain the Union Jack, this symbolises the British Imperialism over indigenous history and neo-cultural diversity. These three photographs, when crossed with the ACARA aim to educate students to recognise patterns of sustainability in a global context, present students with an understanding of importance to look beyond nationalism and patriotism. Students will learn that sustainability in history can be deceptive and one sided. There are multiple narratives in history; if only one is presented then alternative histories cannot be sustained.  

References

Image [n.d]. Retrieved from http://www.imagesbythehamiltons.com/photoblog20.htm

Australian Curriculum Assessment and Reporting Authority. (2013). Cross-curriculum priorities. Retrieved from http://www.acara.edu.au/curriculum/cross_curriculum_priorities.html

Leo, R. (2013). Lecture : Whose Australia is it anyway [Powerpoint slides]. Retrieved from CR181H, Christian Heritage College, Moodle: http://chc.moodle.com.au/course/view.php?id=231