building resilience in indigenous communities through engagement
TRANSCRIPT
biosecurity built on science
CRC Plant Biosecurity Research Symposium28 March 2017 | Canberra
Project 4041-Building resilience in Indigenous communities through engagement
Alby Marsh - Plant and Food Research
Linda Ford – Charles Darwin University
Plant Biosecurity Cooperative Research Centre
biosecurity built on science
Banana freckle disease
Mimosa Pigra
Watermelon Green Mottle Mosaic Virus
Psa
Queensland Fruit Fly
Kauri dieback, Phytophthora infestants
Tomato Potato Psyllid
Myrtle rust
Why do we need engagement?
biosecurity built on science
To enhance the ability of indigenous communities
and relevant regulatory authorities and industries
to better manage social, cultural, environmental
and economic impacts of biosecurity threats, and
to participate in biosecurity strategies by describing
and evaluating bicultural engagement models that
build empowerment and ownership in indigenous
communities and their response to those threats
Project aim
biosecurity built on science
Australian Team:
Dr Linda Ford
Prof Ruth Wallace
Ms Kathy Guthadjaka
Ms Johanna Funk
Ms Pawinee Yuhun
New Zealand Team:
Mr Alby Marsh
Ms Jenny Green
Ms Johanna John
Our Team
biosecurity built on science
A support and reference networks to develop, enhance and grow familiarity and understanding of the indigenous engagement models.
Indigenous Reference Group (IRG)
An Indigenous Reference Group will monitor and advise the team of regional and local variations to the model.
Industry Advisory Network (IAN)
An Industry Advisory Network will provide feedback, guidance and support to the team on use of the models from an industry and stakeholder perspective.
Support and Reference Networks
biosecurity built on science
Indigenous Engagement Models
biosecurity built on science
Aboriginal Indigenous Engagement Model
biosecurity built on science
Aboriginal Indigenous Engagement Model
Finding the right palm, bearing the ripe fruit
depends on the season.The season may come early or
late, depending on the seasonal patterns.
Identify the right combination of people with the right knowledge, at the right time. Know that some relationships may not be ready when you expect, determine or think they will. The variables affecting this are different for each set of data you seek, and the site on which it is based. Identifying the kind of relationship required in this first critical step will determine the success rates of your fieldwork and data collection.
biosecurity built on science
Aboriginal Indigenous Engagement Model
Peel off the shells and wrap in a bark package. The shells need to be removed to allow the soaking
process to soften the kernels. The cracked kernels are then wrapped to contain them for
soaking and softening.
Examine the knowledge for its inner nature. Engagement with the community requires you to interact and nurture the connections you have made. The sourcing of the nuts, as well as the paperbark are in vastly different locations, representing the time and effort required to follow due processes and protocols. Dissect and examine your expectations of the relationship, and how the people and their knowledge appear in relation to that. This also enables building of relationships and evaluation of the process that all will follow. This step lets you know if the research should progress as planned, or if it needs more time to be refined, redirected or
discarded.
biosecurity built on science
Aboriginal Indigenous Engagement Model
Soak until the kernels are soft. The leaching process is required
for the kernel to soften and enable the
cyanide to be released.
Allow time for the Indigenous community to consider whether or not to support your project. These considerations demonstrate culturally appropriate behavior. As much as possible, immerse yourself in language, culture, and the settings of the research site to ensure your project and data collection can include a collaborative approach to the ways people live and manage the sites. This is when your communication capacity with Indigenous people could encounter a required shift in order to work with the range of paradigms that govern the data you are sourcing.
biosecurity built on science
Aboriginal Indigenous Engagement Model
Crush with the right stones. Two stones are used to crush the kernel into a pulp, to enable
more leaching to occur in order to detox the kernel.
Once the expectations have been softened, they require more ‘crushing’ to remove their rigid cultural preconceptions. The testing of this rigidity is done by a set of special ‘stones’ or methods with complementary characteristics; negotiation and debate of meaning and representation, value of information and knowledge that is being shared. This enables more refining in the following step.
biosecurity built on science
Aboriginal Indigenous Engagement Model
Another rigorous detoxification process is required in order to
fully remove toxins from the crushed kernels. Soak again to further soften and let more of
the poison out, then grind into meal.
More time is required to continue to let out the toxicity of possible conflict in paradigms. Now that the rigidity of the expectations have been adapted by the start of this process, this ensures rigour and depth of interrogation of approaches to data collection.
biosecurity built on science
Aboriginal Indigenous Engagement Model
Form into a cake for eating. The cake needs to be the right size
and shape in order to cook properly.
Now the consolidated and re-constituted knowledge, or findings, can be developed into dissemination-ready formats, so that others can access the data and learn from it.
biosecurity built on science
Aboriginal Indigenous Engagement Model
Know when to leave in the coals, when it needs more heat on
certain parts, and then when it is fully cooked.
This requires more time and care, so that the access to discussion of the knowledge and findings is digestible; not under-prepared, or over analysed. Over-cooking, burning or under-cooking can make you ill if consumed. The likelihood of findings in these states is that they will be discarded and not accepted.
biosecurity built on science
Aboriginal Indigenous Engagement Model
After this rigorous preparation, the loaf is shared. Some is for
sacred, private ceremonial practices and some for public
consumption.
The cultural protocols involved in Traditional Ecological Knowledge is that it exists within a wider cosmological context; one that involves significant and sacred stories as scientific practice and theories. Some of this knowledge is meant for private use, due to complex roles and responsibilities within each community and clan group. Therefore, open access to all knowledge associated with data collections should never be assumed or expected.
biosecurity built on science
Aboriginal Indigenous Engagement Model
biosecurity built on science
Yolŋu Explanation To work together, have faith in each other
that we are being honest, and working withintegrity. You need to put your faith in people. We are
connected through our relationships with each other, as well as the land and clans we are born or adopted into. Each individual inherits a role and responsibility to their gurrut-u, and through these relationships, there is order.
What it Means for EngagementWhereas western science can rely only on proven findings, this
principle calls on those involved to have faith that people you work with will do the right thing and act in honesty. Following cues for
relationship terms and ways of communicating and learning can help you understand how people relate to one another. A lot of
introductions take time and detail covering how people are related to each other, to gain an understanding of one’s role within society.
Children grow up learning this, and are more often referred to as their gurrut-u or skin name
(the group they belong to) rather than their individual name. This is the significance
of gurrut-u and Märri-yulkthirr.
biosecurity built on science
Korero mai mā – need to activate now!
Connect to other research and researchers
Industry Advisory Network (IAN) & Indigenous Reference Group (IRG)
Series of workshops – build familiarity
Champions
Customisable model – adaptable
Consistency in method for engagement
Action can be initiated by government, industry or community
What next?
biosecurity built on science
End user advocate response
“I am very impressed to see the research work on plant biosecurity in Australia as we harvest native species to produce jams and other products to sell on the Australian domestic and international market. It is about time that indigenous researchers took the lead to develop a culturally appropriate engagement model to help protect our native plants from incursions.”» Pat Torres, Mayi Harvests & Mamanyjun Cultural Services, Australia“MPI is investigating ways to improve how we engage with Māori to better understand the potential impact of new pests and diseases on Māori values. MPI supports the work that PFR is leading to develop new tools to ensure that our engagement with Māori is effective, which will lead to better biosecurity outcomes.”» Mike Taylor, Manager Biosecurity Response, Ministry for Primary
Industries, New Zealand
biosecurity built on science
Mā te whakaatu, Ka mōhioMā te mōhio, ka māramaMā te mārama, ka mātauMa te mātau, ka ora
biosecurity built on science
Thank-you and Kia ora,
For more information, please email