2022 Seminars
Presentation Title
First Law, Collaborative Performances and Sovereignty: "Speaking back" against resource-intensive industrialisation in the Kimberley Region of Western Australia
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Presentation Type
Presentation
Location
Audio recording now available
Start Date
11-5-2022 12:30 PM
End Date
11-5-2022 1:30 PM
Description
The Kimberley region of Western Australia is a contested space, home to many Aboriginal
nations for whom Country is at the very centre of their spirituality, their everyday interactions – a source of well-being, and resilience. The Kimberley is seen as a new frontier by the extractive resource industry. Traditional custodians often view this as a newer form of colonialism, in many ways as violent as the first wave of colonisers. In these times of friction, we seek to ‘unsettle environmental ethics’ through art as an avenue of individual expression. Art and stories of Indigenous and western science come together as cultural expression, with a vision for ‘just development on just terms’, for the greater good of humanity and Mother Earth. These artistic explorations have evolved into a unified, yet fluid, movement to protect Country, a symbol of reconciliation through collaborations between Indigenous and non-Indigenous artists, all working with a common vision, that of sustainable lifeways and sustainable development for future generations, or at least a respectful relationship with the environment which recognises Aboriginal sovereignty. This presentation examines these collaborations, and explores how artistic practices not only unsettle, but can unite people and inspire, nurture, and rekindle public engagement, through an ethics of care for environmental causes.
Recommended Citation
Poelina, Anne and McDuffie, Magali, "First Law, Collaborative Performances and Sovereignty: "Speaking back" against resource-intensive industrialisation in the Kimberley Region of Western Australia" (2022). Talking Heads Seminar Series. 3.
https://researchonline.nd.edu.au/nulungu_talkingheads/2022/schedule/3
First Law, Collaborative Performances and Sovereignty: "Speaking back" against resource-intensive industrialisation in the Kimberley Region of Western Australia
Audio recording now available
The Kimberley region of Western Australia is a contested space, home to many Aboriginal
nations for whom Country is at the very centre of their spirituality, their everyday interactions – a source of well-being, and resilience. The Kimberley is seen as a new frontier by the extractive resource industry. Traditional custodians often view this as a newer form of colonialism, in many ways as violent as the first wave of colonisers. In these times of friction, we seek to ‘unsettle environmental ethics’ through art as an avenue of individual expression. Art and stories of Indigenous and western science come together as cultural expression, with a vision for ‘just development on just terms’, for the greater good of humanity and Mother Earth. These artistic explorations have evolved into a unified, yet fluid, movement to protect Country, a symbol of reconciliation through collaborations between Indigenous and non-Indigenous artists, all working with a common vision, that of sustainable lifeways and sustainable development for future generations, or at least a respectful relationship with the environment which recognises Aboriginal sovereignty. This presentation examines these collaborations, and explores how artistic practices not only unsettle, but can unite people and inspire, nurture, and rekindle public engagement, through an ethics of care for environmental causes.
