Indigenous knowledge explored at NAIDOC Week forum

Live streamed to Parliament’s Facebook page and website, the forum featured Associate Professor Michael-Shawn Fletcher from the Indigenous Knowledge Institute at the University of Melbourne and Kate Harriden from the Monash Sustainable Development Institute at Monash University.

They discussed the opportunities that Indigenous knowledge offers for urban and regional environmental management.

‘Indigenous sciences were built, created on these lands, for these waters,’ said Kate Harriden. She noted that Indigenous science is Country centred, involving all the relationships that make up Country.

Michael-Shawn Fletcher said environmental problems can be approached from different perspectives. In seeking solutions, that includes ‘having a conversation with Traditional Owners and Indigenous knowledge-holders and talking about the way they view Country, the way they view problems’.

The forum was part of the ‘Stem and society’ series being conducted in the lead-up to and during National Science Week, presented by the Parliament of Victoria in partnership with the Royal Society of Victoria and Victorian Parliamentarians for STEM.

The first in this year’s series was held on World Environment Day and explored biodiversity conservation and recovery in Victoria. The next will be the National Science Week Forum to be held on Sunday 21 August.

The NAIDOC Week presentation was conducted together with the Indigenous Knowledge Institute at the University of Melbourne.