Elements and Performance Criteria

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.
Cultural authorities may include
Cultural authority refers to the most appropriate senior person/s that is able to speak for particular Country, cultural objects, ceremony and/or materials in a specific place. A cultural authority could be a Traditional Owner, a Native Title Claimant, Aboriginal Culture and Heritage Body, Elder, Aboriginal Land Council, etc.
A ceremonial/cultural manager in terms of Aboriginal customary law means someone who does the work either under the direct supervision of the Aboriginal Owner or does the work that is authorised by the Owner. In a ceremony for example, the ceremonial manager(s) may provide the food and do the performance (work). Traditional roles and responsibilities swap over depending on a person’s status in any given situation - ie - whose land / estate one is on for business.
Cultural significance may include:
aesthetic, historic, scientific, social or spiritual value for past, present or future generations
significance embodied in the place itself, its fabric, setting, use, associations, meanings, records, related places and related objects
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 artefacts
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
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
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
stones and stone tools
art and artworks
shells
non-human bones and organic materials
Key stakeholders may include:
Aboriginal Land Councils
Indigenous Ranger groups
Traditional Owners and Cultural managers
Aboriginal communities and Clans
museums
Culture and Heritage government departments and representatives
National Parks personnel
sites workers
archaeologists
anthropologists
Burra Charter process includes:
the cultural significance of a place and other issues affecting its future are best understood by a sequence of collecting and analysing information before making decisions. Understanding cultural significance comes first, then development of policy and finally management of the place in accordance with the policy
the policy for managing a place must be based on an understanding of its cultural significance
policy development should also include consideration of other factors affecting the future of a place such as the owner’s needs, resources, external constraints and its physical condition
Existing industry guidelines may include:
the Draft Guidelines for the Protection, Management and Use of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultural Heritage Places
Site context may include:
landform
landform unit
vegetation
land use
proximity to water
open
closed
Site information data may include:
general information
datum
zone
date recorded
site context
Aboriginal features
site dimensions
site plan
story
ceremony
site Aboriginal Community interpretation
site Aboriginal Community recommendations
site assessment
cultural analysis
scientific analysis
management recommendations
endorsement by cultural authority
Features data may include:
type
material
description
dimensions
context
condition
site name
environment
plan
importance
recommended action
Field research may include:
field observations and manual recording
identification of features
assessing condition
taking, preserving and examining samples
taking photographic records
obtaining geographic/longitudinal data
mapping of cycles of seasons and species
planning information collection to cover specific seasonal impacts
recording species, populations, densities and health of the species
establishing databases and loading records
Techniques and tools may include:
traditional Aboriginal knowledge and processes
hand tools and power tools
excavation and construction equipment
surveying and sampling tools
recording and reporting technological equipment
location and geographic equipment
archaeological techniques and equipment
Archaeological practices may include:
review of existing knowledge
survey
landscape context
Aboriginal land use
site definition
site recording
location information
geographic reporting
survey analysis
test excavation
artifact/object recording
attribute recording
archaeological reporting
Relevant expertise may include
archaeologists
Traditional Owners and/or Elders
surveyors
anthropologists
environmental scientists
historians
researchers
Culturally significant places may include
areas of non-Aboriginal activity
Aboriginal sites
landscapes
buildings and other structures
natural areas of Aboriginal cultural significance
historical events and monuments
areas of Aboriginal activity such as:
burial
occupation and contact sites
engravings
grinding grooves
rock pictures
fish traps
middens
mounds

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 in 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.
Candidates must demonstrate evidence of the ability to:
identify appropriate Aboriginal cultural authorities for a Community, place or Site
identify key stakeholders to be consulted in relation to owners/custodians of cultural and Community knowledge, information and/or material and cultural significance
survey and assess Aboriginal cultural sites
use appropriate techniques, tools and relevant archaeological practices
incorporate the cultural significance, heritage values and conservation issues of an Aboriginal cultural site into report documentation
identify threats and develop controls to mitigate and manage the risk of deterioration, damaging incidents or loss of cultural integrity
develop a risk management report on Aboriginal cultural sites that incorporates an impact analysis
document a Site survey report on Aboriginal cultural sites including submissions to be completed
observe Aboriginal cultural protocols in dealing with stakeholders and land managers
describe natural resources and how they relate to cultural protocol, spirituality, art, environment, values, beliefs and lore/law
describe the cultural rights and responsibilities when using Community knowledge, information and material
Context of and specific resources for assessment
Assessment events must be contextualised to meet the needs of the particular group, including:
on Country, a Community, educational or workplace setting including Aboriginal cultural keeping places
involvement of people approved by cultural authorities and/or Traditional Owners of the relevant local Community
candidates who have gained relevant knowledge and skills through their life experience
Resources which may be useful in assessment for this unit include:
Burra Charter
Draft Guidelines for the Protection, Management and Use of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultural Heritage Places
Method of assessment
A range of assessment methods should be used to assess competency in the surveying and reporting of Aboriginal sites. The following examples are appropriate for this unit:
observation of the candidate on Country and/or in Aboriginal cultural keeping places protecting cultural sites and/or cultural material and objects
direct questioning combined with 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, remote library users, etc.).
Guidance information for assessment
Holistic assessment with other units relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role is recommended.
AHCASW312A Maintain an Aboriginal cultural site
AHCASW302A Relate Aboriginal culture to sites work
AHCILM306A Follow Aboriginal cultural protocols
AHCASW303A Identify and record Aboriginal sites, objects and cultural landscapes
AHCASW305A Work with Aboriginal ceremonial secret sacred materials
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.