When the author read the Australian Association for the Teaching of English (AATE) "Statements of Belief", he was surprised to see that heading the list was "We respect the enduring values and traditions of Australia's cultural heritage." It struck him as odd, that here was a statement very much of these Kemp/Nelson/Bishop days. Cultural concern, when applied to English in Australia in 2007 is now no longer assumed, as it has been for many years. Rather it is something to again be firmly asserted. In this article, the author reflects on how Statement of Belief 1 might be read in the political context, while remembering that it is also to be read in the contexts of the everyday work of English teachers, the other five statements of belief, and "traditional" views of culture. He focuses on Australia's cultural heritage and the English curriculum in 2007. He presents a set of notes which suggest how Michael Hyde's short story "Dark Mass" might be developed into a unit of work in English at anywhere between Years 6 and 10, and probably beyond.