Scale, colonisation and adapting to climate change: Insights from the Arabana people, South Australia

Palmer

Chischilly

et al. 2022

Self Cite

In this chapter, the experience of Indigenous peoples in Australia is explored, and the ways in which they have responded to the challenge of climate change. A wide range of adaptation mechanisms have been implemented which are nonetheless, as in the United States, inextricably connected to an ongoing legacy of colonial invasion. Indigenous adaptation in Australia is more than responding to climate change, but an ever-continuing adaptation to colonial history. The essential role of communications is explored.

Section: Perspective 61 Identity In a Time Of Rising Tidesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Different Understandings Of Dominant Terminology Have Implic...mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Do Not Forget the Dreaming: Communicating Climate Change and Adaptation, Insights from Australia

Palmer

Chischilly

et al. 2022

Self Cite

“…Indigenous knowledge is not just the form and types of information that Western policy makers may find culturally palatable but embraces all forms of knowledge that is understood as knowledge and relevant by the respective Indigenous group. For example, in Australia, historical knowledge, gathered after/as a result of colonisation, is used by Indigenous groups to inform climate adaptation, and has become part of their cultural domain (Nursey-Bray et al, 2020). In so doing, cultural dynamism and knowledge maintenance and revival is exercised.…”

Section: Perspective 71 Indigenous Communities Managing Wildfire Doug...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Old Ways for New Days

Palmer

Chischilly

et al. 2022

Self Cite

Indigenous peoples, as innovators and leaders of climate adaptation in their territories, have applied “old ways to new days”, both as a process, as well as in practice. Western scientists and policy makers need to work together effectively with Indigenous peoples to not only respond to climate change both on their territories and places they live. Further, in order for Indigenous knowledge to more broadly contribute to adaptation per se, conventional characterisations of vulnerability and resilience must be thrown off in favour of Indigenous survival, agency and world views. Governance spaces need to be created, on equitable terms, for Indigenous peoples to participate in and contribute to adaptation policy and decision making.

“…Indeed, Indigenous knowledge making did not simply stop with colonisation or other stressors but continues to be gathered and layered. In the context of climate change, we argue that recent historical knowledge, often derived or gathered during periods of colonisation (as much as millennia old knowledge) adds to what is a significant corpus of knowledge about climate impacts, and could be helpful in determining how climate change is understood, communicated and responded to (Nursey-Bray et al, 2020). This sophisticated capacity to adapt knowledge rooted in millennia of experience and apply it to new challenges like climate change, has resulted in a diverse range of adaptation and initiatives which collectively provide insights into how the world may build climate futures.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Introducing Indigenous Peoples and Climate Change

Palmer²,

Chischilly³

et al. 2022

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This introduction sets the context for why climate change is a major issue for Indigenous peoples today. The key terms commonly used in the climate change and adaptation policy arena are identified and the fact there is a difference between Western and Indigenous constructions of them is highlighted. We argue this clash between ontological and epistemological understandings of climate change has had the effect of under-estimating or making less visible Indigenous agency and responses to climate change. We then introduce the central argument for this book, which is that climate adaptation for Indigenous peoples is not a new concept, nor is it only grounded in climate change contexts. Instead, climate adaptation for Indigenous peoples embodies all the old ways of seeing and doing but deployed in contemporary ways.