The TNQ Drought Hub was very pleased to partner with Tropical Indigenous Ethnobotany Centre, the Australian Tropical Herbarium and the CSIRO to hold an event celebrating Reconciliation through Research.
The Reconciliation event featured short, informal talks from Indigenous and non-Indigenous researchers and scholars, who showcased projects that bridge Traditional and Western knowledge systems through mutually beneficial and respectful partnerships to deliver great science. Speakers included.
Many of the speakers touched on the importance of engaging with deeply First Nations people around research and including Indigenous researchers. They also discussed the deep levels of knowledge and understand that First Nations people have with country.
Torres Webb was the MC and also kept the crowd entertained musically also featuring Senior Indigenous Ethnobotanist Gerry Turpin and special guest Indigenous writer, filmmaker, musician and consultant applying traditional knowledge in a contemporary context, Victor Steffensen.
Food was provided by an Indigenous catering service who served bush tucker including kangaroo kebabs and damper Davidson plum jam, spiced bush tomato wild relish and roasted wattleseed capsicum and chilli relish.
Around 40 people attended the event.
We acknowledge the Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the first inhabitants of this country and pay our respects to the Traditional Owners and Elders, past and present, of the land on which we stand today, the Djabugay (pronounced Jap-ur-kai), Yirrganydji (pronounced Irri-kan-dji) and the Gimuy Yidinji (pronounced Goom-eye Yidinji) people (and all other country/people joining us today).
In the spirit of reconciliation, we also acknowledge the valuable contribution that Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples continue to make to James Cook University and the broader community.