Around
        inCircles
        orExpanding Spirals?:
        aRetrospective Look
        atEducation
        inTorres Strait, 1964-2003

Barry Osborne

doi:10.1017/S1326011100003835

Authors

Barry Osborne School of Education

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1017/S1326011100003835

Abstract

From the early 1900s, education in the Torres Strait was dominated by protectionism and segregation. In 1964 on Thursday Island the segregated state school system was abolished: “coloured children” could attend the high top from 1964 and thus secondary schooling became available to all as far as year 10. Since then there have been considerable changes. This paper describes and analyses some of these within a framework of relational justice and social access. Themes discussed include written texts about the people of Torres Strait and about education in Torres Strait; the growth of Torres Strait Islander voice in educational research; educational governance, facilities and staffing; teaching in Torres Strait classrooms; curriculum and vlanguage; preparing teachers to teach in Torres Strait; supporting teachers in Torres Strait; school-community relationships; and some recent initiatives.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Babia M. ( 1997a). The status of the Kalaw Kawaw Ya language in Torres Strait. Ngoonjook, 13: 47– 54.

Babia M. ( 1997b). Using languages in schools. Ngoonjook, 12, 48– 53.

Bani E. ( 1976). The language situation in western Torres Strait. In Sutton P. (Ed.), Languages of Cape York Peninsula, Queensland(pp. 3– 6). Canberra: Australian Institute of Aboriginal Studies.

Bani E. ( 1979). Presupposition in Western Torres Strait language. Australian Institute of Aboriginal Studies Newsletter, 12, 38– 40.

Bani E. ( 1981). Sign language. Identify, 4( 5), 19.

Bani E. ( 1987). Garka a ipika: Masculine and feminine grammatical gender in Kala Lagaw Ya. Australian Journal of Linguistics, 7( 2), 189– 201.

Bani E., & Klokeid T.J. ( 1976). Ergative switching in Kala Lagau Langgus. In Sutton P. (Ed.), Languages of Cape York Peninsula, Queensland(pp. 269– 283). Canberra: Australian Institute of Aboriginal Studies.

Beckett J. ( 1963). Politics in the Torres Strait. Unpublished PhD thesis, Australian National University, Canberra.

Beckett J. ( 1972). The Torres Strait Islanders. In Walker D. (Ed.), Bridge and barrier: The natural and cultural history of Torres Strait(pp. 307– 326). Canberra: Australian National University.

Beckett J. ( 1982). The Torres Strait Islanders and the pearling industry: A case of internal colonialism. In Howard M.C. (Ed.), Aboriginal power in Australian society(pp. 131– 158). St Lucia: University of Queensland Press.

Beckett J. ( 1987). Torres Strait Islanders: Custom and colonialism. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Castley S., & Osborne B. ( 1988). Saibai Island community expectations of their first fully qualified principal. Queensland Researcher, 4( 2), 6– 20.

Connell R.W. ( 1993). Schools and social justice. Sydney: Pluto Press.

Connell R.W. ( 1996). Profile: Schools, markets, justice — Education in a fractured world. Academy of the Social Sciences of Australia Newsletter, 15( 4), 46– 55.

Corden M. (Ed.). ( 1997). Recommendations from Torres Strait Islander Regional Education Committee on the place of Torres Strait languages in education in the Torres Strait and northern Peninsula Area. Thursday Island: Torres Strait Islander Regional Education Committee.

Education Queensland. ( 1999). Partners for success. Brisbane: Education Queensland. Retrieved 18 May, 2003, from .

Fitzpatrick-Nietschmann J.M. ( 1980). Another way of dying: The social context of death in a Melanesian community, Torres Strait. Unpublished PhD thesis, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.

Fitzpatrick-Nietschmann J.M. ( 1981). Tombstone openings: Cultural change and death ceremonies in Torres Strait. Kabar Sebang, 8( 9), 1– 15.

Foster S. ( 2003). From rhetoric to reality at Badu Island State School — Five case studies. Unpublished Masters of Education thesis, James Cook University, Cairns.

Freebody P., & Luke A. ( 1990). Literacies programs: Debates and demands in cultural context. Prospect, 5, 7– 15.

Freire P. ( 1972). Pedagogy of the oppressed. Harmondsworth: Penguin.

Fuary M.M. ( 1991a). Fishing and its social significance on Yam Island. In Johannes R.E., & McFarlane J.W. (Eds.), Traditional fishing in the Torres Strait Islands(pp. 144– 156). Hobart: Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation.

Fuary M.M. ( 1991b). In so many words: An ethnography of life and identity on Yam Island. Unpublished PhD thesis, James Cook University, Townsville.

Fuary M.M. ( 1993). Torres Strait cultural history. In Loos N., & Osanai T. (Eds.), Indigenous minorities and education: Australian and Japanese perspectives of their indigenous peoples, the Ainu, Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders(pp. 165– 186). Tokyo: Sanyusha.

Gaffney E. ( 1989). Somebody now: The autobiography of Ellie Gaffney, a woman of Torres Strait. Canberra: Aboriginal Studies Press.

Gewirtz S. ( 2001). Rethinking social justice. In Demaine J. (Ed.), Sociology of education today(pp. 49– 64). Hampshire: Palgrave.

Gibson L. ( 1998). Teaching as an encounter with self: Unravelling the mix of personal beliefs, educational ideologies and pedagogical practices. Anthropology and Education Quarterly, 29( 3), 360– 371.

Haddon A.C. (Ed.). ( 1904-1935). Reports of the Cambridge anthropological expedition to Torres Strait (6 Vols). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Kalantzis M., Cope B., Noble G., & Poynting S. ( 1990). Cultures of schooling: Pedagogies for cultural difference and social access. London: Falmer Press.

Kale J. ( 1987, August). Controllers or victims: Language and education. Paper presented at the 57th ANZAAS Congress, James Cook University, Townsville.

Kale J. ( 1995). “Al gad dha pawa”: Literacy practices of orality and literacy of an urban Torres Strait Islander child. Unpublished PhD thesis, James Cook University, Townsville.

Kehoe-Forutan S. ( 1988). Torres Strait independence: A chronicle of events. St Lucia: Department of Geographical Sciences, University of Queensland.

Kennedy R.J. ( 1981). Phonology of Kala Lagaw Ya in Saibai dialect. In Waters B. (Ed.), Australian phonologies: Collected papers(pp. 103– 137). Work Papers of SIL-AAB A-5. Darwin: Australian Aborigines Branch, Summer Institute of Linguistics.

Kennedy R.J. ( 1984). Semantic roles — The language speaker’s categories (in Kala Lagaw Ya). In Glasgoq K., & Capell A. (Eds.), Papers in Australian Linguistics 16(pp. 153– 169). Pacific Linguistics Series A-68. Canberra: Department of Linguistics, Research School of Pacific Studies, Australian National University.

Kennedy R.J. ( 1985a). Clauses in Kala Lagaw Ya. In Ray S. (Ed.), Aboriginal and Islander grammars: Collected papers(pp. 59– 79). Work Papers of SIL-AAB A-9. Darwin: Australian Aborigines Branch, Summer Institute of Linguistics.

Kennedy R.J. ( 1985b). Kalaw Kawaw verbs. In Ray S. (Ed.), Aboriginal and Islander grammars: Collected papers(pp. 81– 103). Work Papers of SIL-AAB A-9. Darwin: Australian Aborigines Branch, Summer Institute of Linguistics.

Kennedy R.J. ( 1985c). Kalaw Kawaw verbs: Speaker perspective and tense, mood, and aspect. In Ray S. (Ed.), Aboriginal and Islander grammars: Collected papers(pp. 105– 118). Work Papers of SIL-AAB A-9. Darwin: Australian Aborigines Branch, Summer Institute of Linguistics.

Kennedy R., & Kennedy J. ( 1986). “Adha Gar Tidi”: Cultural sensitivity topics for workers in western Torres Strait(Torres Strait Working Papers 2). Townsville: Department of Pedagogics and Scientific Studies in Education, James Cook University.

Laade W. ( 1969). Ethnographic notes on the Murray Islanders, Torres Straits. Zeitschrift für Ethnologique, 94( 1), 33– 46.

Laade W. ( 1970). Examples of language of Saibai Island, Torres Straits. Anthropos, 65(1/ 2), 271– 277.

Laade W. ( 1973). Notes on the clans, economy, trade and traditional law of the Murray Islanders, Torres Straits. Journal de la Société des Océanistes, 29( 39), 151– 167.

Langbridge J. ( 1977). From enculturation to evangelism: An account of missionary education in the islands of Torres Strait to 1915. Unpublished Bachelor of Education (Hons) thesis, James Cook University, Townsville.

Lawrie M. ( 1970). Myths and legends of Torres Strait. St Lucia: University of Queensland Press.

Lawrie M. ( 1972). Tales from Torres Strait. St Lucia: University of Queensland Press.

Loos N., & Miller G. (Eds.). ( 1989). Succeeding against the odds: The Townsville Aboriginal and Islander Teacher Education Program. Sydney: Allen & Unwin.

Loos N., & Weightman L. ( 1989). On becoming a Torres Strait Islander teacher. In Loos N., & Miller G. (Eds.), Succeeding against the odds: The Townsville Aboriginal andIslander Teacher Educatimi Program(pp. 79– 92). Sydney: Allen & Unwin.

Lowah T. ( 1988). Eded mer (my life). Kuranda, QLD: Rams Skull Press.

Lui G. ( 1974). Torres Strait Islander and Aboriginal views. The Aboriginal Child at School, 2( 5), 26– 31.

Mabo E.K. ( 1982). Land rights in the Torres Strait. In Olbrei E. (Ed.), Black Australians: The prospects for change(pp. 143– 148). Townsville: James Cook University Student Union.

McDonald H. ( 1988). Succeeding against the odds: Torres Strait Islanders at university. Queensland Researcher, 4( 2), 21– 44.

McDonald H., & AITEP Students. ( 1989). Aboriginal and Islander tertiary students as creators of culture. In Loos N., & Miller G. (Eds.), Succeeding against the odds: The Townsville Aboriginal and Islander Teacher Education Program(pp. 145– 153). Sydney: Allen & Unwin.

Miller G., & Foster S. ( 1989). Meeting the needs of Torres Strait Islander and remote Aboriginal communities. In Loos N., & Miller G. (Eds.), Succeeding against the odds: The Townsville Aboriginal and Islander Teacher Education Program(pp. 224– 233). Sydney: Allen & Unwin.

Mills B. ( 1982). Islanders’ response to proposed repeal of Torres Strait Islanders Act. In Olbrei E. (Ed.), Black Australians: The prospects for change(pp. 165– 167). Townsville: James Cook University Students Union.

Mills P. ( 1989). New directions for Torres Strait Islands health. Aboriginal Health Worker, 13( 4), 27– 29.

Moore D.R. ( 1979). Aborigines and Islanders at Cape York: An ethnographic reconstruction based on the 1848-1850 ‘Rattlesnake’ journals of 0. W. Brierly and information he obtained from Barbara Thompson. Canberra: Australian Institute of Aboriginal Studies.

Mullins S. ( 1995). Torres Strait: A history of cultural occupation and cultural contact, 1864-1897. Rockhampton, QLD: Central Queensland University Press.

Murray E.E. ( 1988). Torres Strait English program. Thursday Island: Far Northern Schools Development Unit.

Nakata M.N. ( 1991). Placing Torres Strait Islanders on a sociolinguistic and literate continuum. The Aboriginal Child at School, 19( 3), 39– 53.

Nakata M.N. ( 1993). Culture in education: For us or for them?. In Loos N., & Osanai T. (Eds.), Indigenous minorities and education: Australian and Japanese perspectives of their indigenous peoples, the Ainu, Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders(pp. 334– 349). Tokyo: Sanyusha.

Nakata M.N. ( 1994). Report on education and schooling practice in Torres Strait and Northern Peninsula Area. Thursday Island: Torres Strait Islander Regional Education Committee.

Nakata M.N. ( 1997). The cultural interface: An exploration of the interface of Western knowledge systems and Torres Strait Islander positions and experiences. Unpublished PhD thesis, James Cook University, Townsville.

Nakata M.N. ( 1999). History, cultural diversity and English language in teaching. In Wignell P. (Ed.), Double power: English literacy and Indigenous education(pp. 5– 22). Melbourne: Language Australia.

Nakata M.N. ( 2001). Another window on reality: A Torres Strait Islander’s story of a search for “better” education. In Osborne A.B. (Ed.), Teaching, diversity and democracy(pp. 331– 354). Altona: Victoria: Common Ground Publishing.

Ober D.Y. ( 1985). The Torres Strait languages: The need for support to maintain and develop them. Paper presented to the ANZAAS Festival of Science, Monash University, Clayton.

Orr K.R., & Williamson A. ( 1973). Education in Torres Strait: Perspectives for development. Canberra: Research School of Pacific Studies, Australian National University.

Osborne A.B. ( 1982). Field-dependence/independence of Torres Strait Islander and Aboriginal pupils. Journal of Intercultural Studies, 3( 3), 5– 18.

Osborne A.B. ( 1986). Torres Strait Islander styles of communication and learning(Torres Strait Working Papers 1). Townsville: Department of Pedagogics and Scientific Studies in Education, James Cook University.

Osborne A.B. ( 1987). The search for a paradigm to inform cross-cultural classroom research. Australian Journal of Education, 31( 2), 99– 128.

Osborne A.B. ( 1988). Teachers’ initial perceptions of teaching at Thursday Island State High School. Queensland Researcher, 4( 2), 45– 66.

Osborne A.B. ( 1989a). Initial “effects” of the “takeover” of education in Torres Strait. Unpublished manuscript, James Cook University, Townsville.

Osborne A.B. ( 1989b, December). An analysis of takeover of education in Torres Strait. Paper presented at the National Conference of the Institute for Cultural Policy Studies, Culture: Theory and practice, Griffith University, Brisbane.

Osborne A.B. ( 1991a). Towards an ethnology of culturally responsive pedagogy in small-scale remote communities: Native American and Torres Strait Islander. International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education, 4( 1), 1– 17.

Osborne A.B. ( 1991b, February). Culturally responsive pedagogy revisited: A researcher returns to teaching a Torres Strait high school class. Paper presented at Tenth Annual Ethnography in Education Forum, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia.

Osborne A.B. ( 1993). Education in Torres Strait: Past present and future. In Loos N., & Osanai T. (Eds.), Indigenous minorities and education: Australian and Japanese perspectives of their indigenous peoples, the Ainu, Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders(pp. 222– 236). Tokyo: Sanyusha.

Osborne A.B. ( 1996a). Practice into theory into practice: Culturally relevant pedagogy for students we have marginalized and normalized. Anthropology and Education Quarterly, 27( 3), 285– 314.

Osborne A.B. (Ed.). ( 2001a). Teadring, diversity and democracy. Altona, VIC: Common Ground Publishing.

Osborne A.B. ( 2001b, April). Productive pedagogies meets culturally relevant pedagogy. Paper presented at Successful Futures: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education Symposium, Cairns.

Osborne A.B., & Bamford B. ( 1987). Torres Strait Islanders teaching Torres Strait Islanders II(Torres Strait Working Papers 4). Townsville: Department of Pedagogics and Scientific Studies in Education, James Cook University.

Osborne A.B., & Carpenter C. ( 1993). Inverting junior history and geography curriculum: Torres Strait Islanders in an urban college. The Social Educator, November, 38– 46.

Osborne A.B., & Coombs G.D. ( 1987). Setting up an intercultural encounter: An ethnographic study of “settling down” a Thursday Island High School class(Torres Strait Working Papers 6). Townsville: Department of Pedagogics and Scientific Studies in Education, James Cook University.

Osborne A.B., & Dawes G. ( 1992). Communicative competence in an ESL task: A dilemma in a Torres Strait Islander class. Australian Review of Applied Linguistics, Series S, 9, 83– 100.

Osborne A.B., & Francis D. ( 1987). Torres Strait Islanders teaching Torres Strait Islanders III(Torres Strait Working Papers 5). Townsville: Department of Pedagogics and Scientific Studies in Education, James Cook University.

Osborne A.B., & Sellars N. ( 1987). Torres Strait islanders teaching Torres Strait Islanders I(Torres Strait Working Papers 3). Townsville: Department of Pedagogics and Scientific Studies in Education, James Cook University.

Osborne A.B., & Tait S. ( 1998). Listen•Learn•Understand•Teach: Social justice and teaching Torres Strait Islander and Aboriginal students. In Partington G. (Ed.), Perspectives on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander education(pp. 76– 95). Katoomba, NSW: Social Science Press.

Osborne A.B., & Wilson E. ( 2003). Multiliteracies in Torres Strait: A Mabuiag Island State School diabetes project. Australian Journal of Language and Literacy, 26( 1), 23– 38.

Osborne E. ( 1990). The forgotten evacuation: The effects of the Pacific War on two groups of women whose roots ran deep in the soil of the islands of the Torres Strait. Unpublished Bachelor of Arts (Hons) thesis, James Cook University, Townsville.

Osborne E. ( 1993). “Looking for the new light”: Torres Strait Islanders and the Pacific War, 1942-1945. In Loos N., & Osanai T. (Eds.), indigenous minorities and education: Australian and Japanese perspectives of their indigenous peoples, the Ainu, Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders(pp. 52– 66). Tokyo: Sanyusha.

Osborne E. ( 1995). Our voices: Torres Strait Islander women in a war zone, 1942-1945. Unpublished PhD thesis, James Cook University, Townsville.

Osborne E. ( 1997). Torres Strait Islander women and the Pacific War. Canberra: Aboriginal Studies Press.

Passi D. ( 1987). From pagan to Christian priesthood. In Trompf G.W. (Ed.), The gospel is not Western: Black theologies in the south west Pacific(pp. 45– 48). Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books.

Passi G. ( 1986). Traditional resource knowledge, Western education and self-management autonomy of Torres Strait. Unpublished MSPD thesis, University of Queensland, Brisbane.

Passi G.K., & Piper N. ( 1994). Meryam Mir: Description and word list. In Thieberger N., & McGregor W. (Eds.), Macquarie Aboriginal words(pp. 320– 351). Sydney: Macquarie.

Pearson N. ( 2002). Untitled document. Retrieved 12 July, 2002, from .

Pryor C. ( 2001). Thursday Island State High School, Torres Strait. The Australian, 28 November.

Sharp N. ( 1980a). Torres Strait Islands 1879-1979: Theme for an overviewLa Trobe Working Papers in Sociology 52). Bundoora: La Trobe University.

Sharp N. ( 1980b). Torres Strait Islands: A great cultural refusal Bundoora: La Trobe University.

Sharp N. ( 1984). Springs of originality among Torres Strait Islanders: After the storm winds the leafing of the Wongai tree. Unpublished PhD thesis, La Trobe University, Bundoora.

Sharp N. ( 1993). Stars of Tagai: The Torres Strait Islanders Canberra: Aboriginal Studies Press.

Shnukal A. ( 1983a). Torres Strait Creole: The growth of a new Torres Strait language. Aboriginal History, 7( 2), 173– 185.

Shnukal A. ( 1983b). Blaikman Tok: Changing attitudes to Torres Strait Creole. Australian Aboriginal Studies, 2, 25– 33.

Shnukal A. ( 1984a). Torres Strait Islander students in Queensland mainland schools: Language background. The Aboriginal Child at School, 12( 3), 27– 33.

Shnukal A. ( 1984b). Torres Strait Islander students in Queensland mainland schools: Language difficulties. The Aboriginal Child at School, 12( 5), 13– 21.

Shnukal A. ( 1985a). Torres Strait Creole: Some non-linguistic constraints on dictionary making. Australian Review of Applied Linguistics, S-2 154– 167.

Shnukal A. ( 1985b). Multilingualism in the eastern Torres Strait Islands. In Clyne M. (Ed.), Australia - Meeting place of languages(pp. 265– 279). Canberra: Australian National University.

Shnukal A. ( 1988). Multilingualism in the eastern Torres Strait Islands. In Clyne M. Broken: An introduction to the Creole language of Torres Strait Canberra: Australian National University.

Shnukal A. ( 1993). Torres Strait Islander languages past and present. In Loos N. & Osanai T. (Eds.), Indigenous minorities and education: Australian and Japanese perspectives of their indigenous peoples, the Ainu, Aborigines and Tbrres Strait Islanders(pp. 152– 164. Tokyo: Sanyusha.

Shnukal A. ( 1996). Language in learning at Thursday Island High School. The Australian Journal of Indigenous Education 24( 2), 42– 52.

Shnukal A. ( 2002). Twentieth century Torres Strait voices: Books, articles and theses written by Torres Strait Islanders. The Australian Journal of Indigenous Education 30( 1), 53– 54.

Shopen G. & Hickey R. ( 2003). Meeting teachers’ needs: Reaching literacy through grammar in Indigenous schools. The Australian Journal of Indigenous Education 31, 25– 33.

Singe J. ( 1979). The Torres Strait: People and history St Lucia: University of Queensland Press.

St Augustine’s College. ( 1994). Torres Strait studies: Work units for schools Cairns, QLD: St Augustine's College and the Department of Education, Employment and Training.

Taylor P. ( 2002). Doing it differently: The work of the Indigenous Education and Training Alliance. The Australian Journal of Indigenous Education 30( 1), 43– 52.

Thaiday W. ( 1981). Under the act Townsville: North Queensland Black Publishing Co.

Torres Strait Islander Regional Education Committee. ( 1985). Policy statement on education in Tbrres Strait. Thursday Island: Torres Strait Regional Education Committee.

Torres Strait Islander Regional Education Committee. ( 1992). Ngampula Yawadhan ziawali: Education policy for Torres Strait, 1992. Thursday Island: Torres Strait Islander Regional Committee.

Turner C. ( 1997). The Injinoo home language program: A positive community response to marginalisation and institutional racism. The Australian Journal of Indigenous Education 25( 1), 1– 19.

Weiler K. . ( 1988). Women teaching for change: Gender, class and power South Hadley, MA: Bergin & Garvey.

Williamson A. ( 1974). Torres Strait pupils. New Guinea 8( 4), 50– 61.

Williamson A. ( 1975). The case for a trained teaching service in the Torres Strait islands. The South Pacific Journal of Teacher Education 3( 1), 26– 32.

Williamson A. . ( 1987, August). White and Islander teachers in the outer islands’ schools of Torres Strait,1892-1941Paper presented at the 57th ANZAAS Congress, James Cook University, Townsville.

Williamson A. . ( 1994). Schooling the Torres Strait Islanders 1873-1941: Context, custom and colonialism Underdale, SA: Aboriginal Research Institute Publications, University of South Australia.

Wilson L. . ( 1988). Thathilgaw emeretlu:A handbook of traditional Torres Strait Islands material culture Brisbane: Department of Education.

Wilson L. . ( 1993). Kerkau lu: Contemporary artefacts of Torres Strait Islanders Brisbane: Department of Education.

York F.A. . ( 1990a). Three folk songs from the Tbrres Strait Islands Hindmarsh, SA: Kelly Sebastian.

York F.A. . ( 1990b). Children’s songs of the Torres Strait Islands Bateman’s Bay: Owen Martin.

York F.A. . ( 1998). Ngai lag iama: Music and musical practices of Yam Island, Torres StraitUnpublished PhD thesis, James Cook University, Townsyille.