← Aboriginal Studies syllabus

NSWAboriginal Studies

Core Part 2: Heritage and Identity

6 dot points across 6 inquiry questions. Click any dot point for a focused answer with worked past exam questions where available.

What does Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander identity mean today, and why is it diverse, dynamic and self-defined rather than fixed?

Examine the diverse and dynamic nature of contemporary Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander identities and how identity is defined and asserted
A clear answer on contemporary Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander identities for HSC Aboriginal Studies. Covers the diversity of identity across urban, regional and remote contexts, the three-part definition of Aboriginality, self-identification, the rejection of stereotypes, and identity as dynamic and self-determined.
6 min answer →

How do Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples express and maintain heritage and identity through art, music, dance, story and the media?

Examine cultural expression through art, music, dance, story, film and media as a means of maintaining and renewing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander heritage and identity
A clear answer on cultural expression for HSC Aboriginal Studies. Covers visual art, songlines and music, dance and ceremony, story, and contemporary film and media, explaining how the arts carry Dreaming knowledge, assert identity, and renew culture, while respecting cultural protocols and intellectual property.
6 min answer →

How do kinship systems organise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander societies, and why are they central to heritage and identity?

Examine the role of kinship systems and family structures in organising Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander societies and shaping identity
A clear answer on kinship for HSC Aboriginal Studies. Explains kinship systems, moieties, skin names and totems, obligations and reciprocity, the extended family, and how colonisation disrupted kinship, while showing why kinship remains central to heritage and identity today.
6 min answer →

Why are language and cultural maintenance central to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander identity, and how are communities reviving what colonisation tried to erase?

Evaluate the role of language revival and cultural maintenance in strengthening Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander heritage and identity
A clear answer on language revival and cultural maintenance for HSC Aboriginal Studies. Covers the loss of languages under colonisation, the link between language and identity, community-led revival, language centres and education, and the role of self-determination in cultural maintenance.
6 min answer →

How have racism, prejudice and stereotyping affected Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and how have communities challenged them?

Analyse the nature and impact of racism, prejudice and stereotyping on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and the ways communities have challenged them
A clear answer on racism, prejudice and stereotyping for HSC Aboriginal Studies. Distinguishes individual, institutional and systemic racism, traces their roots in colonisation, examines stereotyping and media representation, and shows how Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have challenged racism, centring their agency.
6 min answer →

How does the Dreaming shape Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander spirituality and identity, and how is it expressed and maintained today?

Analyse the relationship between the Dreaming, spirituality and identity, and how it is expressed and maintained by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
A clear answer on the Dreaming, spirituality and identity for HSC Aboriginal Studies. Explains the Dreaming as law and worldview, sacred sites and totems, the link between spirituality and identity, the impact of disruption, and contemporary spiritual maintenance and revival.
6 min answer →