Student handout 3.4 – The islanders and the settlers (role cards)

Group 1: The islanders

You are a group of islanders. Your people have lived on this island for thousands of years. Your ancestors are buried in sacred places in the mountains and you believe their spirits are still there.

You lead a very simple way of life. Women care for the children whilst the men wander across the whole island hunting animals and gathering food from the lush vegetation. Your people believe everyone has a responsibility to preserve nature and to leave it undamaged for the next generation. Your weapons are spears, bows and arrows and animal traps.

Your religion is based on the worship of nature and your culture is based on the importance of the community. When food is short, everyone shares and people work hard for each other. When food is plentiful, people gather together to sing, dance and tell stories. Your people have no need for writing.

You have very few laws. The tribal chief can make new laws if necessary. He can also arbitrate in disputes between members of your community.

Group 2: The settlers

You are with a group of people who have sailed from Europe in the hope of finding a new way of life for yourself and your family. You want to find one of the new lands which have been discovered on the other side of the world. You hope to settle there to build homes and farms and to become prosperous.

You are taking with you tools for tilling the soil and guns for hunting. Your culture is based on education and hard work. Everyone aims at becoming prosperous and comfortable. You have no single religion but you believe that people should have the right to follow their own faith.

You want to decide things democratically in your new community. You have left a society where only an elite group had power and where there were great inequalities of wealth. You want to establish a society in which all people are equal or where everyone has the same chance to succeed.