There is growing recognition that the knowledge of Aboriginal people is critical to sustainable freshwater management in Australia. Government agencies at all levels are committed to centralising the role of traditional knowledge and Aboriginal people in the planning and management process. The commitment is real but the ‘how to do it’ is still being worked out. And this process requires time and consistent effort to evolve.
This paper will describe one step in a process being undertaken at Toorale, near Bourke, with Kurnu-Baakandji people and western scientists working on the Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder LTIM/Flow MER and Flow MER 2.0 projects. In June 2023 the two groups met to share time, food, tea and knowledge to continue a process of sharing and trust building designed to help recover the river and floodplain systems. The lead up to the on-country event involved several years of engagement, employment and sharing, designed to genuinely listen to and act on the range of perspectives from the Traditional Owners. The approaches and interaction of the day were documented via recordings, photography and note taking, with the key lessons co-developed through an iterative sharing, review and approval process. Key learnings from the event were: 1) the importance of welcome to and being on Country; 2) the holism associated with a Traditional Owner perspective; 3) the existential threats posed to the Baaka and the Warriku rivers and their peoples; and 4) future directions including optimism for the way forward.
In this talk I want to describe our process to date and in doing so illustrate one possible pathway for western scientists and public servants to continue their journey.