PRABU International School Middle Years Teacher: Mr Luke Patterson

Colonisation Activity
Studies of Society & the Environment (Human Rights Unit)

Phase 1

Introduction
1) Have students sit in a circle
2) Students are to present their islands and cultures from the perspective of its inhabitance
from their position in the circle
3) When students are finished they place their island map in the middle of the circle
This whole process will be recorded with both the digital camera and video camera by the TA.
Furthermore, it will be a way of recording the students work.

Phase 2

Colonisation

4) I as the coloniser walk through the middle of the circle making sure to stand on each piece
of work in a seemingly oblivious manner, and then turn and look at the students islands.
5) I then introduce myself to the local ‘savage inhabitance’:

“I am General Henry Von Smeelyburgthe Third. Due to the beauty, resources and of course
the fact that these islands are un-inhabited by God Fearing Christian people, I claim this
Island in the name of King Bubble Butt of the Un-United Kingdom. From this day forth this will
be a great colony, serving the wishes of King Bubble Butt!”

6) At this point the teacher proceeds to colonise the islands (by directing people and using a
black marker to make changes):

- Move the groups to different islands, split some people up

- Choose an island on which to be my home

- Have some build my house (on a sacred spot)

- Gather some of the women to be my house slaves

- Build prisons to house those who cause trouble.

PRABU International School Middle Years Teacher: Mr Luke Patterson
- If any of the people in the groups don’t follow directions or argue in anyway make them go to
jail, if they continue to argue tell them their punishment is death by hanging and that they are no
longer part of the activity and have to sit and watch from a desk.

- Build factories, agricultural areas and sea ports on some islands

- Build holiday resorts at different place on certain islands

- Build reserves, telling the people that we care about their culture we want to make places just
for you and have tourists come and visit you and see how savage people live

- Ask them to retell the creation story and about the sacred places of that island. Ask them why
don’t they know about them (obviously the people in that area are not from that place originally
as they were moved)?

Phase 3

Debrief

7) Explain to the students that they just experienced a form of colonization similar to what
happened to the Native Americans, Indigenous Australians, Maoris from New Zealand and
many other indigenous cultures.
8) Explain that their work has been recorded and printed out like their photography pieces
were.

9) Tell the students we will have a dialogue* and explain to them how it works.

*A dialogue is when everyone sits in a circle and one person at a time speaks in turn around the
circle. No one is to ask questions or interrupt the person who is speaking. People are only to
speak when it is their turn

10) Ask the students to talk about what they thought was happening during the
colonization and how it made them feel.

Phase 4

Synthesis
11) Homework

Have students write a two page journal entry on the activity, what they thought about it, how it
made them feel, and what they think they learnt.