This unit applies particularly to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and focuses on the specific cultural and consultative requirements for sourcing, handling, interpreting and exhibiting Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander cultural material.
The cultural knowledge necessary to achieve competency in this unit may only be accessible to Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander people. This unit also reflects that there is no single Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander culture.
The unit deals with complex and interrelated elements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, which are the cultural and intellectual properties of specific communities across the continent and islands of Australia. These may only be interpreted by appropriate persons, for example those recognised by the local Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander community as an Elder or custodian of local cultural knowledge.
Not applicable.
1. Source Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander cultural material | 1.1 Identify and locate cultural material that may be appropriate for exhibition or display in museum collections 1.2 Confirm traditional ownership of cultural material and consult with appropriate communities 1.3 Consult with traditional custodians to determine suitable keeping place for materials not authorised for general exhibition 1.4 Negotiate permission and advice for the use of cultural material according to cultural protocols 1.5 Complete records according to cultural protocols 1.6 Research issues and protocols in relation to the return of cultural material to local Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander communities |
2. Handle Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander cultural material | 2.1 Describe, move, store, maintain and return cultural material according to cultural requirements 2.2 Note aspects of objects that need repair or attention and take action within scope of own job role or refer to relevant personnel as required 2.3 Communicate specific cultural requirements to colleagues |
3. Prepare Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander cultural material for exhibition | 3.1 Consult with custodians to determine culturally appropriate approaches to promote, exhibit and display material, and limitations to mode of exhibit 3.2 Develop culturally appropriate interpretive approaches 3.3 Develop exhibition support materials that take account of cultural protocols in consultation with custodians 3.4 Communicate requirements for exhibition of cultural material to colleagues |
Required skills
communication and teamwork skills to:
liaise and consult with community members and custodians in a culturally sensitive manner
share information with colleagues
cultural sensitivity skills to be:
sensitive to cultural issues
respectful of different cultural practices
initiative and enterprise skills to develop:
culturally appropriate ways of displaying materials
interpretive approaches that showcase objects in a culturally respectful way
literacy skills to:
describe cultural material
develop agreements
complete organisational records
planning and organising skills to undertake activities in preparation for exhibitions in a logical and efficient manner
problem-solving skills to determine traditional ownership
research skills to source material for the collection
technical skills to move, store and maintain cultural material.
Required knowledge
scope of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander cultural material appropriate for exhibition or display
appropriate keeping places for cultural material not suitable/forbidden for exhibition or display
issues and protocols relating to the return of cultural material to Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander communities
copyright, moral rights and intellectual property issues and legislation with particular reference to Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander cultural material
sources of support for the development of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander collections
current conventions of collection management, including appropriate consultations and respect for traditional custodianship when working with Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander cultural material, including non-western concepts of collecting
cultural protocols and appropriate consultations for the identification, movement, storage, maintenance and exhibition of cultural material in the relevant community context
current industry policy on the acquisition and management of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural material.
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 | Evidence of the ability to: apply knowledge of cultural protocols and practices when working with Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander cultural material consult with Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander people about the display of cultural material observe cultural protocols when moving, storing, displaying, maintaining and returning cultural material. |
Context of and specific resources for assessment | Assessment must ensure: involvement in the assessment process of persons approved of by Elders, appropriate persons or custodians of the relevant Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander community access to: Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander cultural material or information on material when access is not available information about cultural protocols. |
Method of assessment | A range of assessment methods should be used to assess practical skills and knowledge. The following examples are appropriate for this unit: direct questioning combined with review of portfolios of evidence and third-party workplace reports of on-the-job performance evaluation of a project undertaken by the candidate to develop and exhibit a collection within an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander community evaluation of a project undertaken by the candidate to research and document the cultural significance of particular cultural materials verbal or written questioning to assess knowledge of appropriate protocols and consultation processes. 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 | Any organisation or individual planning to train or assess this unit would be expected to work in a culturally appropriate manner with the appropriate Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander community, for example through the establishment of a local Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander reference group. In particular, it is vital to ensure respectful integration of local cultural knowledge or protocols that will inform the implementation of the unit. Holistic assessment with other units relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role is recommended, for example: CULEVP402A Design and develop interpretive displays. |
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 material is defined as objects, collections, artworks, specimens, structures or sites, and includes: | archaeological material books and manuscripts cultural sites and buildings ethnographic material film and audiovisual material flora and fauna furniture photographs technological and industry items textiles works on paper and canvas. |
Museum collections may relate to: | art aspects of the natural environment ceremony, such as: dance music cultural heritage heritage resources history living styles materials with a cultural or spiritual significance plants and animals science. |
Cultural protocols | acknowledging participation and ownership awareness of occasions when consultation is required communicating about cultural material displaying cultural material handling cultural material identifying appropriate people to be consulted storing cultural material ways in which consultations should be conducted. |
Issues and protocols may relate to: | how and where to return cultural material identification and representation of recipients and custodians local consultations and agreements on return of material negotiation with current holders of material return of human skeletal remains where a specific set of cultural consultations and requirements must be observed. |
Cultural requirements may relate to: | access to material and associated research storage of material process for transporting the material use of equipment or tools who can describe or handle material who can view material. |
Limitations may relate to: | access issues, such as: men’s business sacred material secret material women’s business consultation with and involvement of appropriate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community members descriptive or explanatory writing fragility of material identification process interpretation method. |
Interpretive approaches may relate to: | Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander community wishes for the way material should be interpreted consultation with and involvement of appropriate Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander community members knowledge of existing collections. |
Exhibition support materials may include: | advertising materials approvals and permissions interpretive documents merchandising online information photographs publications. |
Requirements for exhibition may relate to: | access restrictions environmental requirements placement of items within collections restrictions on those able to interpret material for visitors special handling requirements and restrictions. |
Cultural services - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural heritage
This unit contains employability skills.
No licensing, legislative, regulatory or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of endorsement.