Asian Studies Program
La Trobe University
Victoria 3086
AUSTRALIA Tel: +61 3 9479 1315 Fax: +61 3 9479 1880 Email:cha@latrobe.edu.au
Asian Studies Program
Chinese Australia
History repeats: 'Boat people' on the Afghan
and the Tampa
Unit title:
History repeats - 'Boat people' on the Afghan and the
Tampa
Year level:
Middle secondary
Key learning areas:
Studies of society and environment,
Curriculum emphasis:
From: Studies in Asia: A Statement
for Australian Schools:
- Contemporary issues
- Likely implications of closer Asia-Australia relationships.
Duration:
Two - three 50 minute lessons
Description:
Students investigate the Afghan incident of 1888, where
a ship, the Afghan, with a load of Chinese passengers
from Hong Kong was refused permission to land the passengers
on Australian soil. This controversy is compared to the Tampa
crisis of August/September 2001.
Teacher background material
The following links provide an introduction and overview of
the topics covered in this unit:
- Brief
History of the Chinese in Australia on the Chinese Heritage
of Australian Federation website.
- 'Afghan
incident, 1888' a background article on the Chinese Heritage
of Australian Federation website about the political controversy
and protest that occurred when a ship, the Afghan,
was refused permission to land its passengers - Chinese immigrants
from Hong Kong - in Melbourne and Sydney.
- See the Discovering Democracy Kit - Middle Secondary Units
- 'Getting Things Done'. Note: Discovering Democracy Kit should
be in every school in Australia for further information see
the Discovering Democracy website. From the main menu, click
on the pavilion, then go to the 'Inside the Pavilion' section,
Keeping Australia White.
- Newspaper articles on the Tampa crisis of August/September
2001.
Student outcomes:
Students will:
- identify some of the legal and social issues related to
restricting the entry of certain people to Australia
- analyse the role of public opinion and of key individuals
in the Afghan and Tampa incidents.
Materials required:
- Computer/s with access to the internet. Alternatively could
use a cached version of the site, paste the database information
into a spreadsheet program such as Excel or print relevant
pages and copy onto overheads or handouts.
- Newspaper cuttings of the Tampa crisis.
- Poster paper.
- 'One Destiny' CD ROM.
Procedure:
Read the following articles to learn what happened in the
Afghan incident of 1888. Take note of the social and
legal issues, the people involved (groups and individuals,
such as Mei Quong Tart, Lo Pak, Duncan Gillies and Henry Parkes)
and the outcome of the incident.
- 'Afghan
incident, 1888' background information on the Chinese
Heritage of Australian Federation website.
- 'Federation
and discrimination' on the Harvest of Endurance Scroll
website
- 'One Destiny' CD ROM (part of the Discovering Democracy
project. Centenary Edition of this CD sent to all schools
in 2001). From the main menu, click on the pavilion, then
go to the 'Inside the Pavilion' section, Keeping Australia
White. See sections 'Federation and a White Australia' and
'Incidents in 1888'.
Prepare an investigative report on the Afghan incident.
Present this as either a newspaper feature on poster paper
(include headlines, article, comment, letter to the editor,
pictures) or a television current affairs program role-play,
although there was no television in 1888! - (include report,
interviews, cross 'live' to the scene, comments from experts).
Next, compare the Afghan incident to the Tampa
crisis of August/Setember 2001. In what ways were they similar?
In what ways were they different? Use newspaper cuttings from
your library file or use the link below.
- 'Tampa'
information in the 7:30 Report archives on the ABC website.
Present your findings in the form of a table.
Extension activities:
Investigate the policies the main political parties on the
issue of immigration and the treatment of refugees and asylum
seekers.
Acknowledgements:
'One Destiny' CD ROM
Author:
Karen Dowling
Summary of websites used in this lesson:
Chinese Heritage of Australian Federation website - http - Brief History of the Chinese in Australia
- education/history.htm
- Historical backgrounds - education/about.htm
