An account of traditional socialisation and Indigenous forms of learning in Australia and Melanesia. It draws from rich ethnographic, historical and educational material. It describes the mismatch between traditional ways, realities of life in Indigenous communities, villages and enclaves, and the forms of education provided in schools. Nichol surveys the links, too often disparities, between ethnographic detail of life 'on the ground' and the schooling provided by nation states in this vast region. He explores and suggests ways community developers and educators, Indigenous and non-Indigenous, may work to bridge the gaps in social rights, educational and economic development. Discusses race, ethnicity, identity, discrimination, self-determination, development, and relevant, effective pedagogical, learning and schooling strategies.