Conference presentation
An Indigenous women's project to create community through sharing of knowledge during the creation of a fishing net
2023 Scholarship of Learning and Teaching Symposium (07/11/2023 - 08/11/2023)
08/11/2023
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Abstract
Our research team is made up of Indigenous and non-Indigenous women living on Bundjalung Land, we feel a strong responsibility to learn about this Country's history and the effects of continuing colonialism on First Nations' Knowledge and culture. Through our research and teaching practices we are becoming increasingly aware of the living intelligence of the world around us, and we are continuously inspired by the intricate and patterned Knowledge it holds. Kimmerer's assertion to "know the ones who take care of you so that you may take care of them", resonates deeply with us and with this year's NAIDOC theme 'For our Elders' (Kimmerer, 2016, p.194; National NAIDOC, 2023).
Aim: To work with local elders who have the knowledge of material processing, which includes making string to create a fish net.
Purpose: The purpose is to show that stories, materials and processing are relational to Place and Country. Sharing of durable string fibres is a process that happens in community; as we sit with the aunties, we are learning these processes to embed as cultural strengths to make our SCU teaching active, emergent, local and engaging. As we work with the Elders on string making, we are learning and strengthening the connection to STEM as the stories of how and why we use and process specific materials to create different types of nets is uncovered. This is then translated to strengthening STEM in the wider education community as we work with a variety of stakeholders across Australia.
Output: This project is Community-engaged research that is already making an impact locally. The wider mob is very interested in this project in many ways, such as a gesture of unity and as a display of Aboriginal Cultural strengths. Jagun Alliance, Northern Rivers Arts, Serpentine Gallery and Healing Hub are all part of the local wider mob offering hands-on support. Some of the aunties we are working with have also been involved with making a fishing trap at Ballina distance education and people living in the flood pod.
We also have the SCU Living Lab involved that is willing to help in making it a wider teaching project for local students and community members.
Outside the local area, there is also interest from the University of Adelaide and ATSIMA, who have a program for making the 3D form of traps. The possibilities in ICT are endless with this project as a starting basis for us.
This research will generate knowledge co-production about practices that build the interpersonal and institutional recognition necessary for positive identity formation, safety, wellbeing and stronger social capital for Aboriginal women. Such benefits are critical in making a generational shift from the colonising histories featuring abuse, neglect and trauma. Indigenous women in Australia can make up 90% of the incarcerated population (Tubex & Cox, 2020). This project works with community leaders to work against the deficit so commonly heard and modelled with our mob. This discourse for change could potentially build a framework to reach the mob in a positive space.
Details
- Title
- An Indigenous women's project to create community through sharing of knowledge during the creation of a fishing net
- Creators
- Kylie Day - Southern Cross UniversityJenelle Benson - Southern Cross UniversityAimee Andersen - Southern Cross University
- Conference
- 2023 Scholarship of Learning and Teaching Symposium (07/11/2023 - 08/11/2023)
- Identifiers
- 991013154712902368
- Academic Unit
- Centre for Children and Young People; Gnibi College of Indigenous Australian Peoples; Centre for Teaching and Learning
- Resource Type
- Conference presentation