‘Right‐way’ science: reflections on co‐developing Indigenous and Western cross‐cultural knowledge to support Indigenous cultural fire management

McKemey, Michelle; Rangers, Banbai; Rangers, Yugul Mangi; Costello, Oliver; Hunter, John T.; Ens, Emilie

doi:10.1111/emr.12532

Cited by 14 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 47 publications

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“…This may occur, for example, through the design of scientific research to support multiple goals including access to Country and intergenerational knowledge sharing (McKemey et al . 2022; Skroblin et al . 2022) and through the adoption of Indigenous methodologies that are embedded within kinship networks and practices of care essential for healthy Country (Ngurra et al .…”

Section: Discussion and Ways Forwardmentioning

confidence: 99%

Monitoring and evaluation of Indigenous Land and Sea Management: An Indigenous‐led approach in the Arafura Swamp, northern Australia

Campion,

Djarrbal,

Ramandjarri

et al. 2023

Eco Management Restoration

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SummaryAs Indigenous Land and Sea Management has grown in scope and scale, there has been increasing focus on monitoring and evaluation to foster learning, strengthen accountability and report on outcomes. A resurgence in Indigenous governance has led to recognition that Indigenous knowledge, law and governance systems are essential to successful conservation initiatives on Indigenous lands. Indigenous‐led monitoring and evaluation involves Indigenous peoples exercising control, direction and informed decisions about monitoring and evaluation practices and signals a greater role for Indigenous methodologies alongside participatory approaches and Western sciences. This paper describes the Intercultural Monitoring and Evaluation Project, led by the Arafura Swamp Rangers Aboriginal Corporation in partnership with Bi and Yolŋu Traditional Owners and clans and non‐Indigenous practitioners and researchers. The Intercultural Monitoring and Evaluation Project aimed to co‐produce an Indigenous‐led and Country‐based monitoring and evaluation system for Arafura Swamp Rangers Aboriginal Corporation's Healthy Country Plan. The Intercultural Monitoring and Evaluation Project recognised that the Rangers from the Arafura Swamp Rangers Aboriginal Corporation are accountable within Bi, Yolŋu and Western governance systems and that monitoring and evaluation at Arafura Swamp Rangers Aboriginal Corporation needed to strengthen relationships between all three. The Intercultural Monitoring and Evaluation Project involved: (i) developing understandings of monitoring and evaluation in Bi, Yolŋu and Western knowledge systems, (ii) generating organisational roadmaps, targets and indicators, (iii) developing Bi, Yolŋu and Western monitoring methods, (iv) building a data management system and seasonal monitoring calendar, (v) initiating a monitoring and evaluation committee to inform Arafura Swamp Rangers Aboriginal Corporation's strategic decision‐making and (vi) sharing the story of the project with others. This approach embedded monitoring and evaluation in Indigenous law and governance, oral knowledge traditions and the intergenerational kinship relationships that sustain people and Country, while also connecting to Western adaptive management frameworks. Indigenous‐led approaches can integrate monitoring and evaluation with Indigenous practices of caring for Country, contributing directly to the multiple ecological, cultural and socio‐economic goals of Indigenous Land and Sea Management.

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Section: Discussion and Ways Forwardmentioning

confidence: 99%

Monitoring and evaluation of Indigenous Land and Sea Management: An Indigenous‐led approach in the Arafura Swamp, northern Australia

Campion,

Djarrbal,

Ramandjarri

et al. 2023

Eco Management Restoration

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“…There has been research in Australia about incorporating localised knowledge into disaster management plans. However, a paucity of information remains concerning implementing practical actions to engage First Nations people (McKemey et al 2022, Williamson & Weir 2021 in the prevention, preparation, response and recovery approaches to risk management (Sangha, Edwards & Russell-Smith 2019).…”

Section: Disaster Management and First Nations Peoplesmentioning

confidence: 99%

April 2023

2023

AJEM

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“…Throughout the ESA symposia, crosscultural ecology and management of IPAs were showcased including papers in this special issue detailing work in the six IPAs: Walalkarra (Robin et al 2022), Bardi Jawi (Lindsay et al 2022), Yawuru (Lindsay et al 2022Wysong et al 2022), Karajari (Blackwood et al 2022), South East Arnhem Land (Daniels et al 2022, McKemey et al 2022 and Wattleridge (McKemey et al 2022). IPAs are managed by Indigenous Rangers and communities who hold customary responsibility for Country and widely deploy their knowledge to manage threats and maintain ecological and cultural assets (for example see Preuss & Dixon 2012;Robin et al 2022).…”

Section: The Multiple Benefits Of Cross-cultural Ecological Research and Managementmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…IPAs are managed by Indigenous Rangers and communities who hold customary responsibility for Country and widely deploy their knowledge to manage threats and maintain ecological and cultural assets (for example see Preuss & Dixon 2012;Robin et al 2022). Featured throughout the symposia was Indigenous knowledge of Country, fire, seasons, long-term change, weather, species interactions and habitats, that was drawn on by Rangers to manage the ecological and cultural values of Protected Areas (for example, see Bangalang et al 2022;Robin et al 2022;McKemey et al 2022). Western scientific and management techniques are also often deployed, such as modern burning tools, pesticides, computers, mapping, modelling and other technologies (Ansell & Koenig 2011;Hoffmann et al 2012;Preuss & Dixon 2012;Blackwood et al 2022;Wysong et al 2022;Daniels et al 2022;Lindsay et al 2022;Skroblin et al 2022).…”

Section: The Multiple Benefits Of Cross-cultural Ecological Research and Managementmentioning

confidence: 99%

Synthesis of Australian cross‐cultural ecology featuring a decade of annual Indigenous ecological knowledge symposia at the Ecological Society of Australia conferences

Ens¹,

Turpin²

2022

Eco Management Restoration

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Indigenous Australians are Australia's first ecologists and stewards of land, sea and freshwater Country. Indigenous biocultural knowledge, as coded in story, song, art, dance and other cultural practices, has accumulated and been refined through thousands of generations of Indigenous tribal groups who have distinct cultural responsibilities for their ancestral estates. European colonisation of Australia had and is still having severe impacts on Indigenous cultural practice, knowledge, people and Country. In contemporary ecology and environmental management, re-recognition of the unique values of Indigenous biocultural knowledge and practice is occurring and increasingly being deployed alongside Western approaches in what has been described as cross-cultural, two-way or right-way work. This article describes the development of cross-cultural ecology and environmental approaches in Australia. We then provide an overview of 10 years of conference presentations associated with the annual Indigenous Ecological Knowledge symposiums of the Ecological Society of Australia (ESA). From 2010 to 2020, 173 people participated in the symposia from around Australia and Aotearoa (New Zealand), of which 62% were Indigenous Australians and 3% Maori. Most participants were from Indigenous Ranger groups followed by University staff, with a roughly even split of men and women. A total of 100 presentations were given and a word frequency analysis of the presentation titles revealed the dominant words (themes) were: Indigenous, management, Country, fire, working, knowledge and cultural. The increasing Indigenous participation in the ESA conferences was coincident with increasing Indigenous-led projects across Australia, although we recognise that much more work needs to be done to increase Indigenous participation and control in Australian ecology and environmental management to move from cross-cultural to Indigenousled approaches.

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‘Right‐way’ science: reflections on co‐developing Indigenous and Western cross‐cultural knowledge to support Indigenous cultural fire management

Cited by 14 publications

References 47 publications

Monitoring and evaluation of Indigenous Land and Sea Management: An Indigenous‐led approach in the Arafura Swamp, northern Australia

Monitoring and evaluation of Indigenous Land and Sea Management: An Indigenous‐led approach in the Arafura Swamp, northern Australia

April 2023

Synthesis of Australian cross‐cultural ecology featuring a decade of annual Indigenous ecological knowledge symposia at the Ecological Society of Australia conferences

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