Unit of competency Outline
Date retreived
22/07/2026 1:59 PM AWST
22/07/2026 1:59 PM AWST
Whilst all efforts are made to provide accurate and timely information from the relevant source/documentation, please be aware that the information supplied may not be the most current version. The accuracy of the detail has not been confirmed by the Department and therefore should not be relied upon without first confirming the contents.
Relate Aboriginal culture to sites work
Relate Aboriginal culture to sites work
Unit of competency
National Code
AHCASW302A
AHCASW302A
State Code
WG070
WG070
TGA Status
Replaced
Replaced
DTWD Status
Replaced
Replaced
State Implementation and Classification
Approved Date
18/06/2014
Field of Education
090311 - Indigenous Studies
Original Release Date
18/06/2014
Nominal Hours
45
Description
This unit covers the cultural and ceremonial worldviews necessary to understand cultural landscapes from Aboriginal perspectives. The unit introduces overarching belief systems that operate where Aboriginal-Sites work takes place. This unit provides a conceptual foundation for understanding Aboriginal cultural protocols, cultural customs and cultural practices that the Aboriginal-Sites worker is likely to encounter in daily work routines.
Notes
Elements and Performance Criteria
1. Use an understanding of traditional cultural frameworks for Aboriginal peoples at work
- 1.1 Relationship to the land is integrated into daily work routines
- 1.2 Relationships of Aboriginal objects, featuresand cultural landscapes to Aboriginal beliefs are determined
- 1.3 The interrelationship of discrete Aboriginal-sites to cultural frameworks is determined
- 1.4 Traditional knowledge, customs and cultural practices in managing Country are acknowledged and respected
2. Recognise the traditional social frameworks for Aboriginal peoples
- 2.1 Language groups and general lore/laws and customs are shared
- 2.2 Extended family structures and clans in physical and geographical locations are identified
- 2.3 Totemic structures and associated stories that relate to ancestral beings from the Creation Period are related to landscape features and sites
- 2.4 Social structures that define the social positions, behaviours and obligations are classified in kinship names, sections and networks
- 2.5 The kinship system determining roles and responsibilities, marriage unions, ceremonial relationships, funeral roles and behaviour patterns with other kin are identified
- 2.6 Marriage relationships resulting from the union of two moieties and/or skin names are determined
- 2.7 Gender roles are recognised and respected
3. Relate Aboriginal spirituality to the landscape
- 3.1 Aboriginal beliefs that determine Aboriginal cultural protocols are acknowledged and recorded
- 3.2 The connection between spirituality and the land is defined in local and trans-local terms of identity, culture and food
- 3.3 The historical and present living environments are related to Dreaming stories and cultural knowledge
- 3.4 Cultural language and customs embedded in the relationship to the land and Aboriginal-sites are recounted
- 3.5 Creation stories, oral histories, kinship and totemic relationships to the cultural landscape are defined
- 3.6 The sense of belonging to the land and culture embedded in landscape are recounted in culturally appropriate ways
- 3.7 Elements of spirituality are expressed in ceremony, rituals, stories, dance, song, art and language
4. Relate the interactions between Dreaming, traditional beliefs and ceremonies to Aboriginal-sites work
- 4.1 Variable cultural disintegration in modern evolving cultural landscapes is identified
- 4.2 The effects of cultural disconnection with the land, spirituality and ceremonial expressions of culture are recorded
- 4.3 Impacts of disintegration and disconnection on Aboriginal-sites are recorded
- 4.4 The evolving nature of Dreaming is acknowledged and respected
- 4.5 Current trends in mainstream culture and heritage and opportunities and threats to the Aboriginal-sites work sector are identified and documented
The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. Essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) may also be included.
Aboriginal objects may include:
physical objects such as stone tools, Aboriginal-built fences and stockyards, scarred trees, the remains of fringe camps
material deposited on the land, such as middens
the ancestral remains of Aboriginal people
art and artworks
shells
non-human bones and organic materials
cultural landscapes may include:
places and areas made up of living stories that have connections to the past and can include natural resources, objects, customs and traditions (and their contexts)
places of land, sea and air where cultural and natural elements are considered together
Aboriginal beliefs may refer to:
connection to Country
creation events
structure of Community such as lore/law men and women, elders and custodians
practicality and purpose
appropriate behaviour, protocols and restrictions
spiritual valueof knowledge and stories
communal ownership of some knowledge and material
intergenerational ownership of some knowledge and material
oral tradition of passing on knowledge and responsibilities
roles as custodians of specified knowledge, ceremony, designs, information
kinship and relationships
storytelling
Aboriginal-sites may include:
shelters with deposits
open camp site
midden
shelter with midden
shelter with art
isolated find
undefined sites
axe grinding grooves
bora/ceremonial ring
burial site
rock engraving
scarred tree
carved tree
natural mythological site
restricted site
quarry
ochre quarry
fish trap
stone arrangement
mound (oven)
mia mia
waterhole (well)
contact/mission
abraded grooves
Aboriginal Place (declared under NPW Act)
Aboriginal Area (declared under NPW Act)
protected archaeological site
conservation agreement
massacre
reserve
Dreaming and Creation Period may be described as:
This is a Western term. According to Aboriginal belief, all life as it is today - Human, Animal, Bird and Fish is part of one vast unchanging network of relationships which can be traced to the Great Spirit Ancestors of the Dreamtime. The Dreamtime is the Aboriginal understanding of the world, of its creation, and it's great stories. The Dreamtime is the beginning of knowledge, from which came the laws of existence. For survival these laws must be observed. The Dreaming world was the old time of the Ancestor Beings. They emerged from the earth at the time of the creation. Time began in the world the moment these supernatural beings were "born out of their own Eternity". The Dreamtime continues as the "Dreaming" in the spiritual lives of aboriginal people today. The events of the ancient era of creation are enacted in ceremonies and danced in mime form. Song lines and song chant relates the story of events of those early times and brings the power of the dreaming to bear of life today.
Aboriginal cultural protocols may include
gender roles in relation to knowledge and cultural practices
information sensitivity and access
appropriate information transfer
negotiations with local Aboriginal Community about information transfer
cultural diversity
natural resources and their importance for economy, religion, spirituality, art, environment, values, beliefs and lore/law
rights and responsibilities associated with cultural knowledge, story, song, Site, and ceremony
interpersonal ways of relating
the talking of Community politics
repatriation of objects and human remains
issues of ownership (clans/nations)
ownership of intellectual property
acknowledging participation and ownership
communicating about cultural material
displaying cultural material
handling cultural material
identifying appropriate people to be consulted
occasions when consultation is required
ways in which consultations should be conducted
Cultural knowledge may include:
aboriginal land, landscape features, rivers, lakes and sea resources and their uses, and the relationships between plants, animals and individuals, clans and Community
aboriginal beliefs, values, spirituality, language, lore/law, customs, gender roles, kinship networks, factions, moieties, and speaking rights
ceremonies, rituals, stories, song, dance and art
traditional and current land management practices
aboriginal-sites, places, objects, material and landscapes
names, locations and meanings
aboriginal cultural protocols
aboriginal cultural heritage
the cultural significance of Aboriginal knowledge
Cultural disintegration may include:
total loss of languages and/or cultural stories and ceremony for a specific area
non-existence of Aboriginal people groups who formerly lived and/or accessed specific lands
Cultural disconnection may include:
aboriginal people who have little or no cultural and/or language knowledge
aboriginal people who may experience varying levels of a lack of knowing of their cultural, language and skin group and associated cultural practices
Impacts of disintegration and disconnection may include:
social, cultural, religious, economic, spiritual, language factors and outcomes
aboriginal perspectives
Mainstream culture and heritage trends may be governed by:
all States and Territories
a range of industry sectors including non-specific sites sectors such as museums.
National Parks and Wildlife jurisdictions - state and federal
Catchment Management and Authority contexts
Office of Environment and Heritage contexts
Aboriginal objects may include:
physical objects such as stone tools, Aboriginal-built fences and stockyards, scarred trees, the remains of fringe camps
material deposited on the land, such as middens
the ancestral remains of Aboriginal people
art and artworks
shells
non-human bones and organic materials
cultural landscapes may include:
places and areas made up of living stories that have connections to the past and can include natural resources, objects, customs and traditions (and their contexts)
places of land, sea and air where cultural and natural elements are considered together
Aboriginal beliefs may refer to:
connection to Country
creation events
structure of Community such as lore/law men and women, elders and custodians
practicality and purpose
appropriate behaviour, protocols and restrictions
spiritual valueof knowledge and stories
communal ownership of some knowledge and material
intergenerational ownership of some knowledge and material
oral tradition of passing on knowledge and responsibilities
roles as custodians of specified knowledge, ceremony, designs, information
kinship and relationships
storytelling
Aboriginal-sites may include:
shelters with deposits
open camp site
midden
shelter with midden
shelter with art
isolated find
undefined sites
axe grinding grooves
bora/ceremonial ring
burial site
rock engraving
scarred tree
carved tree
natural mythological site
restricted site
quarry
ochre quarry
fish trap
stone arrangement
mound (oven)
mia mia
waterhole (well)
contact/mission
abraded grooves
Aboriginal Place (declared under NPW Act)
Aboriginal Area (declared under NPW Act)
protected archaeological site
conservation agreement
massacre
reserve
Dreaming and Creation Period may be described as:
This is a Western term. According to Aboriginal belief, all life as it is today - Human, Animal, Bird and Fish is part of one vast unchanging network of relationships which can be traced to the Great Spirit Ancestors of the Dreamtime. The Dreamtime is the Aboriginal understanding of the world, of its creation, and it's great stories. The Dreamtime is the beginning of knowledge, from which came the laws of existence. For survival these laws must be observed. The Dreaming world was the old time of the Ancestor Beings. They emerged from the earth at the time of the creation. Time began in the world the moment these supernatural beings were "born out of their own Eternity". The Dreamtime continues as the "Dreaming" in the spiritual lives of aboriginal people today. The events of the ancient era of creation are enacted in ceremonies and danced in mime form. Song lines and song chant relates the story of events of those early times and brings the power of the dreaming to bear of life today.
Aboriginal cultural protocols may include
gender roles in relation to knowledge and cultural practices
information sensitivity and access
appropriate information transfer
negotiations with local Aboriginal Community about information transfer
cultural diversity
natural resources and their importance for economy, religion, spirituality, art, environment, values, beliefs and lore/law
rights and responsibilities associated with cultural knowledge, story, song, Site, and ceremony
interpersonal ways of relating
the talking of Community politics
repatriation of objects and human remains
issues of ownership (clans/nations)
ownership of intellectual property
acknowledging participation and ownership
communicating about cultural material
displaying cultural material
handling cultural material
identifying appropriate people to be consulted
occasions when consultation is required
ways in which consultations should be conducted
Cultural knowledge may include:
aboriginal land, landscape features, rivers, lakes and sea resources and their uses, and the relationships between plants, animals and individuals, clans and Community
aboriginal beliefs, values, spirituality, language, lore/law, customs, gender roles, kinship networks, factions, moieties, and speaking rights
ceremonies, rituals, stories, song, dance and art
traditional and current land management practices
aboriginal-sites, places, objects, material and landscapes
names, locations and meanings
aboriginal cultural protocols
aboriginal cultural heritage
the cultural significance of Aboriginal knowledge
Cultural disintegration may include:
total loss of languages and/or cultural stories and ceremony for a specific area
non-existence of Aboriginal people groups who formerly lived and/or accessed specific lands
Cultural disconnection may include:
aboriginal people who have little or no cultural and/or language knowledge
aboriginal people who may experience varying levels of a lack of knowing of their cultural, language and skin group and associated cultural practices
Impacts of disintegration and disconnection may include:
social, cultural, religious, economic, spiritual, language factors and outcomes
aboriginal perspectives
Mainstream culture and heritage trends may be governed by:
all States and Territories
a range of industry sectors including non-specific sites sectors such as museums.
National Parks and Wildlife jurisdictions - state and federal
Catchment Management and Authority contexts
Office of Environment and Heritage contexts
The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package.
Overview of assessment
Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit
The delivery and assessment of this unit must comply with Community protocols and be carried out in consultation with and participation with Traditional Owners and/or Elders and custodians of that specific Country.
In accordance with Aboriginal cultural protocols, cultural knowledge copyright considerations and Aboriginal lore/law restrictions, it is essential that this requirement be respected and implemented in the delivery and assessment of Cultural Units to guarantee cultural authenticity and quality control around the delivery of training and assessment for Aboriginal-sites workers.
The evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit must be relevant to workplace operations and satisfy holistically all of the requirements of the performance criteria and required skills and knowledge. Candidates must demonstrate evidence of the ability to:
explain traditional Aboriginal belief systems
identify examples and impacts of disintegration and disconnection with Aboriginal culture
describe the relationship between the land and environment and Aboriginal peoples in culturally relevant ways
explain the relationship between Dreaming, Traditional beliefs, Ceremony and Sites
demonstrate application of conceptual Aboriginal worldview knowledge to practical Sites work under observation
Context of and specific resources for assessment
Competency requires the application of conceptual knowledge of traditional beliefs in work practices under work conditions. Selection and use of resources for some worksites may differ due to the regional or enterprise circumstances.
Assessment must ensure access to and observation by recognised cultural lore/law men and/or women who hold the Certificate III in Aboriginal-sites Work
Method of assessment
A range of assessment methods should be used to assess comprehension and the application of Aboriginal worldviews and beliefs to practical skills.
The following examples are appropriate for this unit:
assessment of written reports
direct questioning combined with review of portfolios of evidence and third-party workplace reports of on-the-job performance
verbal or written questioning
Observation of participation in Ceremony and/or Sites work related to the knowledge and skills outlined in this unit
Assessment methods should closely reflect workplace demands and the needs of particular client groups (consider the requirements of different age groups, clients with English as a second language, clients with disabilities, etc.).
Guidance information for assessment
Holistic assessment with other units relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role is recommended, for example:
AHCILM306A Follow Aboriginal cultural protocols
AHCASW308A Apply cultural significance to Aboriginal-sites and landscapes
Assessment for this unit should comprise a combination of theory and practical application. Both aspects of assessment are best conducted on Country for this unit.
Overview of assessment
Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit
The delivery and assessment of this unit must comply with Community protocols and be carried out in consultation with and participation with Traditional Owners and/or Elders and custodians of that specific Country.
In accordance with Aboriginal cultural protocols, cultural knowledge copyright considerations and Aboriginal lore/law restrictions, it is essential that this requirement be respected and implemented in the delivery and assessment of Cultural Units to guarantee cultural authenticity and quality control around the delivery of training and assessment for Aboriginal-sites workers.
The evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit must be relevant to workplace operations and satisfy holistically all of the requirements of the performance criteria and required skills and knowledge. Candidates must demonstrate evidence of the ability to:
explain traditional Aboriginal belief systems
identify examples and impacts of disintegration and disconnection with Aboriginal culture
describe the relationship between the land and environment and Aboriginal peoples in culturally relevant ways
explain the relationship between Dreaming, Traditional beliefs, Ceremony and Sites
demonstrate application of conceptual Aboriginal worldview knowledge to practical Sites work under observation
Context of and specific resources for assessment
Competency requires the application of conceptual knowledge of traditional beliefs in work practices under work conditions. Selection and use of resources for some worksites may differ due to the regional or enterprise circumstances.
Assessment must ensure access to and observation by recognised cultural lore/law men and/or women who hold the Certificate III in Aboriginal-sites Work
Method of assessment
A range of assessment methods should be used to assess comprehension and the application of Aboriginal worldviews and beliefs to practical skills.
The following examples are appropriate for this unit:
assessment of written reports
direct questioning combined with review of portfolios of evidence and third-party workplace reports of on-the-job performance
verbal or written questioning
Observation of participation in Ceremony and/or Sites work related to the knowledge and skills outlined in this unit
Assessment methods should closely reflect workplace demands and the needs of particular client groups (consider the requirements of different age groups, clients with English as a second language, clients with disabilities, etc.).
Guidance information for assessment
Holistic assessment with other units relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role is recommended, for example:
AHCILM306A Follow Aboriginal cultural protocols
AHCASW308A Apply cultural significance to Aboriginal-sites and landscapes
Assessment for this unit should comprise a combination of theory and practical application. Both aspects of assessment are best conducted on Country for this unit.
Replaced By
| State Code | National Code | Title | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| BAL67 | AHCASW302 | Relate Aboriginal culture to sites work | Unit of competency |
| State Code | National Code | Title | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| J516 | AHC32513 | Certificate III in Aboriginal-sites Work | Qualification |