The Past - Oodgeroo Noonuccal - worksheet

Oodgeroo Noonuccal’s poems are powerful representations of the collision between white and indigenous Australian culture. This worksheet helps students understand and interpret her poem ‘The Past’.

This poem is excellent for exploring indigenous perspectives as well as understanding the way historical policies like assimilation have had an impact on Aboriginal Australians. The worksheet focuses on analysing the poem in detail, beginning with comprehension, and moving into close analysis of textual features like juxtaposition, figurative language and tone. The final page of this three-page resource includes a short writing task, asking students to draw on examples studied earlier in the worksheet, integrating their understanding into a cohesive argument.

The worksheet is included in both Word and pdf format to ensure flexibility and compatibility.

While you’re here, why not check out these other resources on Noonuccal’s poetry?
No More Boomerang | Son of Mine | We Are Going