Abstract:
Australian academic discourse on Aboriginal knowing and learning has moved beyond knowledge and understanding to a focus on the importance of Aboriginal pedagogies and processes (Moreton-Robinson, 2012). However, this shift from discourse to enhanced practice in tertiary institutions and schools appears to be considerably more challenging; it requires an extended engagement with Aboriginal systems and processes to obtain relevant pedagogical skills, and understandings of the interactive protocols (Lowe and Yunkaporta 2011). If respect for Aboriginal ways of knowing and learning is to permeate teacher education and teaching in schools, the pedagogy of respectful reciprocal relationships with Country needs to be a priority (McKnight 2013).
The key focus of this paper is an examination of the possibilities afforded by a program conducted with non-Aboriginal academics, which presents Yuin knowledge as Country in partnership with Western social justice principles. As a starting point the paper examines the positive and negative aspects of social justice to identify points of connectivity with the academics and Yuin Country. It continues by reporting on research that explored the academics’ journey with Country and the role of social justice thinking in unveiling or concealing Aboriginal perspectives as Country. The paper reports on the ideas and feelings in relation to Aboriginal people and culture shared by the academics before, during and after the cultural experience, Mingadhuga Mingayung (McKnight 2013), of two significant Yuin Mountains on the far south coast of NSW. This paper will demonstrate how Yuin Country via Mingadhuga Mingayung (McKnight 2013) can connect with academics’ known world of theory (worldview) to prompt them to reflect on their epistemological understandings in ways that provide opportunities for disrupting colonial thinking.
The key focus of this paper is an examination of the possibilities afforded by a program conducted with non-Aboriginal academics, which presents Yuin knowledge as Country in partnership with Western social justice principles. As a starting point the paper examines the positive and negative aspects of social justice to identify points of connectivity with the academics and Yuin Country. It continues by reporting on research that explored the academics’ journey with Country and the role of social justice thinking in unveiling or concealing Aboriginal perspectives as Country. The paper reports on the ideas and feelings in relation to Aboriginal people and culture shared by the academics before, during and after the cultural experience, Mingadhuga Mingayung (McKnight 2013), of two significant Yuin Mountains on the far south coast of NSW. This paper will demonstrate how Yuin Country via Mingadhuga Mingayung (McKnight 2013) can connect with academics’ known world of theory (worldview) to prompt them to reflect on their epistemological understandings in ways that provide opportunities for disrupting colonial thinking.