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Privileging First Nations Knowledge in Education: Looking Back to Move Forward

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Privileging First Nations Knowledge in Education: Looking Back to Move Forward Privileging First Nations Knowledge in Education: Looking Back to Move Forward Looking forward looking back I’ve come a long way down the track Got a long way left to go Making songs from what I know Making sense from what I’ve seen (Slim Dusty, ‘Looking forward looking back’) Kathryn Gilbey (Bachelor of Arts (hons), Grad.Dip. Ed., Grad. Dip. Creative Writing, Grad. Cert. Indigenous Knowledges) Division of Research, Teaching and Learning Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education A thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree Of Doctor of Philosophy February 2014 i Declaration of Authorship: I hereby declare that the work herein, now submitted as a thesis for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy of the Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education is the result of my own investigations, and all references to ideas and work of other researchers have been specifically acknowledged. I hereby certify that the work embodied in this thesis has not already been accepted in substance for any other degree and is not being currently submitted in candidature for any other degree. ................................................................................. Kathryn Gilbey February 2014 ii Acknowledgments It is an odd relationship the one between supervisor and candidate. I could never have described it before having gone through it. This thesis would not be possible or even probable without the guidance of Dr. John Henry. He was all I could have asked for in a supervisor and more. I have seen his loyalty and his tenacity, his ability to see things that are outside his realm of consciousness and endeavour to understand. Go figure that this old middle/upper class whitefella would be my light in the night but he was. Nothing is ever possible without my mother Susan Gilbey she is my greatest advocate deserved or not. She is brutally honest, annoyingly distracted and has been with me throughout this whole process without question or excuse. If I can be half as generous as her with my time, knowledge and patient ear in the future I will be happy. My friend Katie Maher you are generous to a fault, you gave perspective and insight. When the chips were down you were there, I won’t ever forget that. I have to thank Batchelor Institute for allowing me the time and space to write this thesis, the fellowship is an amazing opportunity and I know how privileged I am to receive it. This thesis was also made possible by family and friends, my sister Louise, who knows me best in the world, Paola who was always there for me, my nieces who both inspire me and keep me grounded and my nephews who continue to expand my world view. I thank you all. iii Table of Contents Declaration of Authorship: ........................................................................................... ii Acknowledgments ........................................................................................................ iii List of figures .............................................................................................................. vii List of Acronyms and Abbreviations: ........................................................................ viii Abstract ......................................................................................................................... ix Chapter One: Introduction to the Study ..................................................................... 1 Introduction to self ..................................................................................................... 1 Historical background of Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education ....... 4 Background to the research ........................................................................................ 7 The Research .............................................................................................................. 9 The Implosion .......................................................................................................... 10 My Research Focus .................................................................................................. 12 Thesis Breakdown .................................................................................................... 12 Conclusion ............................................................................................................... 14 Chapter 2: Understanding BIITE as a Creature of this country here. ....................... 15 Introduction .............................................................................................................. 15 The Broader Australian Policy Context ................................................................... 17 Official Government Policies of the colonial states of Australia prior to Federation in 1901 and of the subsequent Commonwealth of Australia ................................... 20 Northern Territory Aboriginal Policies and related events elsewhere in Australia . 25 A Commentary on Australia’s Colonial Policy Heritage ........................................ 36 Aboriginal Education in the Northern Territory ...................................................... 42 Tertiary Aboriginal Education and the Promise of Batchelor Institute ................... 51 Conclusion ............................................................................................................... 57 Chapter Three: Theories and Concepts: returning the coloniser’s gaze. ..................... 59 Aboriginal Education as a Partial Transformation in the Face of Whiteness .......... 60 Whiteness ................................................................................................................. 61 Ignorance .................................................................................................................. 68 Subjection, Subordination, Abjection and Subjugation ........................................... 73 Mimicry .................................................................................................................... 76 Interdiction ............................................................................................................... 81 Conclusion ............................................................................................................... 83 iv Chapter Four: Exploring the Right to Write ................................................................ 85 The context and rationale of this chapter ................................................................. 85 However I did learn a few things. ............................................................................ 87 My Methodology ..................................................................................................... 91 Disclaimer and Conclusion ...................................................................................... 97 Chapter 5: Race-based Fear, Power (lack of) and Privilege experienced up close and personal 101 Introduction ............................................................................................................ 101 Serendipity and the advantages of Aboriginal management .................................. 103 Welcome to the Institute ........................................................................................ 105 My name is the secret shame? ............................................................................... 112 Ideological differences or are you serious ............................................................. 114 Not if but when. ..................................................................................................... 117 Discipline and punishment ..................................................................................... 122 My punishment was not enough ............................................................................ 130 We can’t both be right. ........................................................................................... 132 Why? A first level explanation .............................................................................. 134 Chapter Six: The Arc and the Curve; the Rise and the Fall of Indigenous Knowledge Representation within BIITE: 2003-2005 .................................................................. 137 Introduction ............................................................................................................ 137 An All Staff Meeting – mid 2003 .......................................................................... 139 Follow-up Meetings ............................................................................................... 145 Meeting with the Deputy Director in Alice Springs .......................................... 145 All Staff Email from the Director .......................................................................... 149 The Second All Staff Meeting ............................................................................... 151 A Proposed Next Meeting at the Alice Springs Campus ....................................... 153 A Critical Staff Meeting at the Alice Springs Campus .......................................... 156 Institute-wide Meeting at the Darwin Casino ........................................................ 159 An Initial Analysis of the Indigenous Cultural Standards Narrative ..................... 160 Chapter Seven – The Common Units: the power of public performance .................. 167 Introduction ...........................................................................................................
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