Aboriginal Popular Music

This unit introduces you to the modern history and evolution of contemporary popular music in Australia, from the perspective of Indigenous artists and their songs, their communities and their audiences. Through a number of case studies – with a focus on Victorian Aboriginal artists and music – you will examine how popular song becomes a vehicle for identity, storytelling and truth-telling. You also explore the role of contemporary music in modern Indigenous communities as an agent for change, justice, and social cohesion. Through practical projects, you are encouraged to immerse yourself in current Aboriginal popular music, and work collaboratively with Indigenous artists to produce your own creative interpretations or presentations of selected repertoire. This unit pairs well with Music and Wellbeing, although both units can be taken independently without prerequisites.

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, students will be able to:

1. Investigate the history of Aboriginal contemporary popular music and its contribution to the Australian contemporary popular music lexicon;
2. Contextualise truth-telling, justice, political perspectives, personal narratives, and social commentary in the lyrics of Aboriginal popular songs;
3. Critically review case studies of prominent and important Aboriginal artists, their stories and their songs, with a focus on Victorian songwriters and performers;
4. Advocate for the role of music participation in Indigenous communities as an agent for positive change, social and emotional or community wellbeing and social cohesion;
5. Adapt and transform approved Indigenous musical works from a selected repertoire, into culturally sensitive creative works or performances.