Issue 126

Primary sources reflect a close friendship

Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand have a close relationship and shared history including Anzac traditions, food and sport.

Many primary sources reflect our close ties, such as photos of our Anzac troops serving together at Gallipoli, and our rivalry on the sporting field.

Both nations have a passion for pavlova, Anzac biscuits, and laying claim to Crowded House, Russell Crowe, flat whites and lamingtons.

New analysis tools to spark curiosity

The National Library of New Zealand (Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa), Services to Schools, has developed a suite of primary source analysis tools for students at all levels of schooling.

Our tools can help librarians and teachers support Aussie and Kiwi students to develop critical thinking and information literacy skills across humanities and social sciences. Primary source analysis has been identified as a key skill in the refreshed New Zealand social sciences curriculum.

A selection of our primary source analysis tools. All tools include accesible versions.

Tools for different skill levels

We have three levels of tools to support students with different skills in primary source analysis:

• Explore — a great first step into primary source analysis to spark curiosity
• Analyse — introduces key concepts such as authorship and purpose and identifying perspectives
• Critically analyse — supports critical engagement with primary sources at a deeper level.

The tools have been designed as a progression so students can work on the level appropriate for their skill level. When students are ready, they can progress to the next level of analysis.

Find the tools and read how to use them:

• Tools for primary source analysis
• Using our primary source analysis tools in the classroom

Now back to our shared history: let's analyse an ANZAC photo

Although the campaign at Gallipoli was ultimately a failure, our Anzacs' bravery and resilience in the face of adversity became legendary. The Anzac spirit, which emphasised qualities such as courage, loyalty and mateship, became a defining feature of Australian and Aotearoa New Zealand national identity.

Here's a photo of two Anzac soldiers in a dug-out, which you can analyse with your students.

At first glance, students may note that they can see two men standing outside a shelter. Using the three-step framework in our photo tools, students can take their observation and critical thinking skills to the next level.

Image credit: Two soldiers in a dug-out, Gallipoli, Turkey in 1915. Bryce Publishers: Photographs and sketches of the Gallipoli landing. Ref: PAColl-1661-1-1-1 Alexander Turnbull Library.

Observe

The first step is to observe. As students imagine themselves standing in the photo, they may smell smoke and hear soldiers talking, punctuated with the sounds of war.

Following the prompt to read the image’s title for clues, students can discover the photo was taken at Canterbury Slopes, Gallipoli, Turkey, and also the name of the soldiers, ‘Lance Corporals D M Watson and G Davison’.

Respond

Our tools support students to generate a personal response, such as how they feel about the photo or their impressions of it. Students are prompted to think about what happened just before or after the photo was taken, such as their involvement in combat.

Reflect

This step encourages students to ask critical questions about authorship and purpose, and identify perspectives. Students may suggest this photo was taken by a war photographer or another soldier and consider reasons why. Students may want to discuss perspectives of war, daily life on the battlefield, or whether they participate in Anzac remembrance events with their families.

There are also prompts to think about relationships depicted in the photo, such as whether the soldiers are friends and if they kept in touch after the war. Students may also be curious to find out about the Māori and Aboriginal contingents, and the discriminatory policies and practices that imperial and colonial governments implemented to prevent them from participating.

The Critically analyse tools have an additional step to support students to understand usage guidelines, cultural considerations and how to acknowledge the source.

Use our tools to explore further

The Anzac spirit has endured well past the conflicts, highlighting the importance of looking out for each other and working together to overcome obstacles. It has become an important part of the national identity of Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand.

You can encourage your students to look for more primary sources from the following collections:

• Gallipoli: The scale of our war exhibition at the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, Wellington
• Cenotaph stories: Auckland War Memorial Museum
• Students could also connect with their local war memorial

to explore more primary sources about Anzacs and Aussie–Kiwi camaraderie, to support engagement with your library’s digital collections.