The National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education Corporation (NATSIEC) has been notified of the distribution of a new product targeting primary schools across Australia. The board game, “First Fleet – Will you survive?”, was developed by the conservative think-tank Institute for Public Affairs (IPA). Aimed at students as young as year 4, this teaching tool whitewashes and erases the true experiences of colonisation in this country.
The board game has already been distributed to a number of primary schools, accompanied by teacher resources. These resources, which claim to align with the national curriculum, encourage teachers to use language that perpetuates the myth that Australia was ‘discovered’ by European explorers. The game allows students to role-play as colonising countries racing to the “prize” of Port Jackson. In this process, the winning country decides which language will be spoken in Australia, completely erasing the existence of over 500 First Nations dialects that were spoken prior to the arrival of the First Fleet. Furthermore, while the game details the hardships faced by First Fleet convicts, it fails to mention anything about the experiences of First Nations peoples or the violence and destruction caused by the arrival of settlers.
“The simplistic glorification of the First Fleet’s journey and arrival as an ‘amazing voyage’ completely disregards the violent invasion of Aboriginal lands and the ongoing harm our communities continue to face,”
Said Sharon Davis, CEO of NATSIEC.
“First Nations children playing this game risk psychological harm, as it forces them to engage with a distorted version of history that erases our ancestors’ strength and resistance, along with our collective pain. It sends the harmful message that Aboriginal peoples’ lived experiences do not matter,”
Added Davis.
As truth-telling continues to be a national priority across various sectors, it is now more important than ever to ensure young people are being taught the true history of Australia, which did not start in 1788. NATSIEC welcomes NSW Education Minister, Prue Car’s announcement that the new Years 7 to 10 History curriculum will explore the impact of missions and religious organisations on First Nations people’s lives, as well as highlight how Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people resisted and fought for their rights and freedoms. This curriculum is vital in ensuring that young people learn the truth of colonisation and dispossession and are equipped to challenge the myth of terra nullius.
As the peak Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander education body, NATSIEC firmly upholds the National Aboriginal Education Policy’s key principle of ‘nothing for us without us’, which is essential when considering the teaching resources our students are exposed to throughout their education – from early childhood education through to training and higher education sectors. NATSIEC calls on all educators to critically self-reflect on history and ensure that they’re selecting curriculum resources that do not cause harm to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people, families and their communities.
For further information, please contact:
Sharon Davis, CEO
National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education Corporation (NATSIEC)
Phone: 0484 850 439
Email: policy@natsiec.edu.au
