In the towns and cities and among the hills and valleys of West Papua, a desperate struggle for independence and the preservation of cultures and ways of life is raging. The compelling stories of West Papua are rarely heard in Australia or around the world. This is Adolf’s story, from childhood in the mountain village, to protests in the city, to fleeing for his life to continue his campaign outside the country. And a boat that helped break some of the silence around West Papua.
Episode 2 is Izzy Brown’s story, about the Freedom Flotilla, and family connections to the West Papua campaign – including one connection that’s too close to home.
This episode provides additional context and perspectives for Humanities units from both National and State Curricula.
The suggested learning activities are most relevant to:
National Curriculum
Geography
- Preliminary course, Global Challenges: Geographical study of issues at a global scale
- HSC course, Ecosystems at Risk: The functioning of ecosystems, their management and protection
Or as a provocation or additional context relevant to:
NESA
Legal Studies
- HSC Course, Option 7 – World Order
Aboriginal Studies
- Preliminary Course Part III – International Indigenous Community: Comparative Study, HSC Course Part I – Social Justice and Human Rights Issues
General Capabilities in Geography
Ethical understanding
- Ethical understanding plays an important role in geographical inquiry. Students uncover and assess ethical considerations such as the links between human rights and responsibilities and the ways diverse perspectives, values and cultures impact on geographical issues.
Skills e.g.
Interpreting, analysing and concluding
(ACHGE093)
Concepts
- place
- Environment
- Interconnection
- change
Note:
A useful and important guide for teachers is available from SBS
Queensland Studies provides a guide to Dialogue Circles and how they might be used for teaching and learning including for
- hearing people’s views on a topic
- reciprocal sharing and learning
Suggested Learning Experiences
Before listening
- Begin a KWL chart, individually, in small groups or as a whole class.
- Use a Jigsaw strategy to find out about and share information about the following (use a chart or series of questions).
- The Act of Free Choice
- The Morning Star Flag
- The Free Papua Movement
- The Grasberg Mine
- The Lombok Treaty
- Find the following places on Google Maps
- Biak
- Sorong
- Jayapura
- Wamena
While Listening
- Respond to the poem at the beginning of the episode using hear, feel, think, wonder, poetry or drawing.
- The concept of place is explained as also being “important to our security, identity, sense of belonging, and wellbeing”. What perceptions about place are communicated in Adolf’s story?
- How does Adolf’s story add to your understanding of place and the meaning they have for people? How does conflict, colonisation and displacement affect cultural and historical meanings?
Write down evocative words or phrases as you listen e.g. “Bullets fell like rain”, “ no-one held to account” use these to create a found poem that expresses the essence of Adolf’s testimony.
After listening
- How does the concept of interconnection help to understand Adolf’s story e.g cultural connections with Papua New Guinea, economic and political connections with Indonesia, the connection of Papua New Guinea into the global arms trade. Respond to the question – How is everything interconnected?
- Find out about other freedom movements in places where large mining conglomerates are based. Present the information in text, graphically or as a speech.
- Bougainville
- Chile
- Ecuador
- Congo
- Use geographical skills to show the impact of mining and militarism in one of the following places. Present the information as a mindmap, slide -show or infographic, Include some of the following, maps, graphs, images and/or text.
- West Papua
- Bougainville
- Ok Tedi Mine
Additional Reading and Episode Links
Episode 5 is available to download here
Episode 6 is available to download here
Biak Massacre Citizens Tribunal. (2020). https://www.biak-tribunal.org/
Downey, L., Bonds, E., & Clark, K. (2010). Natural Resource Extraction, Armed Violence, and Environmental Degradation. Organization & environment, 23(4), 417–445. https://doi.org/10.1177/1086026610385903
Freedom Flotilla (n.d.). https://freedomflotillawestpapua.org/
Grimshaw, Zelda (2023). War on West Papua. https://wagepeaceau.org/war-on-west-papua/
Human Rights Monitor. (2023). West Papua. https://humanrightsmonitor.org/tag/westpapua/
Chauvel, R. (6 APRIL 2011). Filep Karma and the fight for Papua’s future. https://insidestory.org.au/filep-karma-and-the-fight-for-papuas-future/
Oxfam Australia. ( n.d.). Mining. https://www.oxfam.org.au/what-we-do/economic-inequality/mining/#:~:text=Mines%20often%20disrupt%20the%20lands,sacred%20lands%20and%20cultural%20identity.
Izzy Brown. (2014). The Exchange [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8MgUSzcJmg
Padilla, C. (2015). Mining, militarization and criminalization of social protest in Latin America. https://wri-irg.org/en/story/2015/mining-militarization-and-criminalization-social-protest-latin-america
Steichen, L., & Koshgarian, L. (2020). “No Warming, No War: How Militarism Fuels the Climate Crisis — and Vice Versa”. Institute for Policy Studies. http://www.jstor.org/stable/resrep28827
