YarnPod - Dr Susan C-audio

Introduction to Yarnpod

• Definition: Yarnpod is a platform for weaving indigenous knowledges into learning through storytelling.

• Purpose: To embrace the voices and stories of indigenous guests, focusing on their cultural knowledge and connections to the land (country).

• Objective: To create a sacred space for listening and understanding cultural heritage through shared narratives.

Conversation with Dr. Susan Cowder and Dr. Jo Ray

Acknowledgement of Country

• Dr. Susan Cowder: Introduces Dr. Jo Ray to discuss indigenous knowledges related to sustainability.

• Dr. Jo Ray: Acknowledges the Wollamadagal people and pays respects to elders past, present, and emerging, recognizing their ongoing stewardship of the land.

Concept of Sustainability

• Connection to Country: Dr. Jo Ray emphasizes that the Aboriginal culture embodies the definition of sustainability, having sustained biodiversity for over 65,000 years.

• Impact of Colonization: Post-colonial times have led to increased extinction rates in Australia, highlighting unsustainable living practices.

Dr. Jo Ray’s Background

• Dharug Community Member: Shares her personal connection to Darug country (Sydney Basin) and its significance in her academic and community work.

• Childhood Memories: Describes formative experiences related to the local environment, fostering a deep connection to the river and land.

Caring for Country

Research and Community Engagement

• Darig Walking App: Developed to provide a different conceptualization of the campus as Wollamata, recognizing indigenous stories and places.

• Cultural Significance: The app begins at the Janowi Pavilion, a symbol of indigenous presence with unique architectural features.

Sustainability Garden

• Local Plant Importance: The garden features local plants and highlights their cultural significance (e.g. lomandra for weaving, medicinal plants).

• Cultural Burns: Details a recent cultural burn at Browns Waterhole to manage the ecosystem, indicating the role of fire in maintaining biodiversity.

Indigenous Knowledge of Ecosystem Management

Cultural Fire Practices

• Cool Fire Innovations: Describes cultural fires as low-temperature burns that enrich soil and support plant and animal life.

• Dependency Hierarchies: Challenges the human-centric view of nature, emphasizing the importance of soil microbes and their role in sustaining life.

Relationship with Place

• Narratives of Presence: The importance of recognizing relationships with land, water, and other-than-human beings for sustainable living.

• Cultural Heritage: Highlights the significance of waterholes and meeting places historically used for community gatherings.

Educational Approaches to Indigenous Knowledges

Connecting Students to Country

• Experiential Learning: Discusses incorporating sensory experiences in teaching about country; involving seeing, hearing, and feeling nature.

• Student Projects: Encourages innovative projects responding to local environments, such as musical compositions inspired by walks.

Challenges in Teaching

• Understanding and Engaging with Diversity: Acknowledges that diverse worldviews need to be integrated into education systems.

• Connection to Place: Stresses the necessity for future educators to foster connections to local environments for sustainability education.

Building a Future with Indigenous Knowledges

Importance of Local Participation

• Role of Local Communities: Argues that local knowledge and participation are vital to effectively address ecological issues.

• Future Generations: Outlines the potential for creating a 'land army' as a framework for teaching young people about caring for country.

Lasting Impact and Responsibility

• Encouraging Action: Promotes the question of whether one wants to be part of the problem or part of the solution regarding ecological relationships.

• Call to Action: Emphasizes that individuals can start caring for their local environments, fostering deeper connections to country.

Conclusion

Conversations for Change

• Final Reflections: Calls on listeners and aspiring teachers to recognize and question their roles within these systems of knowledge and care for the environment.

• Gratitude and Acknowledgement: Concludes with gratitude for the shared knowledge and the importance of walking in good spirit within the community.

One of the challenges discussed throughout the podcast is understanding and engaging with the diversity of worldviews. It emphasizes the need to integrate these diverse perspectives into education systems. Additionally, there is a focus on the necessity for future educators to foster connections to local environments to enhance sustainability education.

Throughout the podcast, key takeaways include the importance of integrating indigenous knowledges into education and recognizing the deep connections that Aboriginal cultures have with the land. The discussions reinforced the idea that sustainable practices and cultural heritage are interconnected. Additionally, the emphasis on fostering relationships with country and understanding diverse perspectives has strengthened the belief that education should include experiential learning and local community engagement.

Incorporating both Western and Indigenous knowledges into educational practice can be achieved through the following methods:

1. Experiential Learning: Create learning experiences that allow students to engage directly with their local environment, observing and respecting both Western scientific insights and Indigenous perspectives on nature.

   • Example: Field trips to local ecosystems where students can learn about biodiversity from both ecological and Indigenous cultural viewpoints.

2. Interdisciplinary Projects: Develop projects that merge different knowledge systems, encouraging students to explore topics such as sustainability, ecology, and cultural history from varied perspectives.

   • Example: A project on local flora, where students research both biological classifications and Indigenous uses of plants in the community.

3. Culturally Relevant Resources: Utilize a diverse range of educational materials, including Indigenous stories, oral histories, and Western scientific texts, to provide a holistic understanding of subjects.

   • Include stories about creation and the land from Indigenous sources alongside traditional Western texts on ecology and conservation.

4. Community Partnerships: Collaborate with local Indigenous communities for workshops, guest speakers, and cultural events that can enhance students’ understanding of Indigenous knowledges.

   • Build relationships with Indigenous elders and community members who can contribute to the curriculum with their unique insights and traditions.

5. Critical Reflection: Encourage students to critically reflect on their learning, considering the strengths and limitations of both knowledge systems and the significance of cultural context in understanding the world.

   • Invite discussions about how different perspectives on topics like land stewardship can shape actions and beliefs for the future.

6. Respect and Acknowledgment: Always acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land and incorporate this respect into the classroom culture, emphasizing the importance of oral histories and Indigenous wisdom as fundamental components of the curriculum.