Reframing the Conversation

A series of James Cook University (JCU) seminars held by the Indigenous Education and Research Centre (IERC) will set the stage for scholars to rethink and reenergise conversations about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander self-determination.

JCU Indigenous Education and Strategy Deputy Vice-Chancellor Professor Martin Nakata said he hoped the Indigenous Research Support Network’s (IRSN) Seminar Series will inspire students, staff and the broader community to have courageous conversations.

‘‘Each year our IRSN hosts a series of thought-provoking seminars and 2024 felt like the right time to focus on self-determination for Indigenous Peoples,’’ Professor Nakata said.

‘‘The results of the 2023 Voice to Parliament referendum were disappointing for Indigenous Peoples but they taught us a few things and revealed where non-Indigenous people stand on this matter,’’ Professor Nakata said.

‘‘Importantly, the referendum results also showed Indigenous people in regional communities spoke loudly with their vote to say they are ready to enact change.”

‘‘As a higher education institution, JCU will play a key role in equipping the next generation of scholars with the skills they need to enact this change.”

‘‘In this series, we will reassert the sustained and ongoing claim that Indigenous Peoples have for thousands of years always determined their own futures.’’

Professor Nakata said over the past seven years JCU had continued its commitment to do things differently when it came to developing and fostering future Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander graduates.

‘‘This has been evidenced by the increase in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander graduates across 61 disciplines, from 68 graduates in 2017 to 120 graduates in 2023,’’ Professor Nakata said.

‘‘We must continue this momentum as we look forward, rather than look back, and firmly focus on advancing contributions towards self-determination agendas through developing the next generation of Indigenous graduates.’’

Professor Nakata said the impact of colonisation on Indigenous communities cannot be denied and an Indigenous standpoint in our scholarship must be adopted.

‘‘As a community we need to reframe colonisation as a recent interlude to our 65,000-year journey and, from this point, we need to rise above that interlude and clear space for an Indigenous self-determination agenda to return.

‘‘Because if we, as Indigenous peoples, want to make a contribution to do something better for our people, we must do something different now.’’

IERC Principal Research Fellow Associate Professor Sana Nakata said the seminars would bring local perspectives from experts across the northern Queensland region on this topic of self-determination.

‘‘Importantly, the seminars will assist students, staff and members of our wider community to better understand self-determination in the context of Aboriginal peoples and Torres Strait Islanders while focusing on how it will be applied practically and strengthened in a dynamic political environment,’’ she said.

Associate Professor Nakata said upcoming seminars include a presentation on Friday 26 July from JCU Adjunct Professor Yvonne Cadet-James and University of Queensland Research Fellow Dr Janine Gertz on Building Gugu Badhun Self-Determination and Self-Government.

‘‘This presentation will discuss Gugu Badhun Nation Building and the operational strategies that Gugu Badhun Nation are undertaking to purposefully construct programs of Gugu Badhun Self-Determination and Gugu Badhun Self-Government,” Associate Professor Nakata said.

In August, Professor Peter Yu of the ANU will present on Indigenous Economic Advancement and Self-Determination. To find out more about the series and future seminars visit: www.jcu.edu.au/ierc/indigenous-research-support-network/events