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Ntaria Design: A Western Arrarnta Imagining of Digital Drawing and Communication Design Nicola St John Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Swinburne University of Technology Faculty of Health, Arts and Design Melbourne, Australia April 2020 ! ! i Abstract This thesis is about culture, representation, perception, and visual communication. It is set in the community of Ntaria, amongst the ranges of Western Arrarnta Country in the Central Desert of Australia. The research sets out to explore and reveal a Western Arrarnta imagining of communication design through the digital drawings of young adults at Ntaria School. Central to this research are 16 participants from Ntaria School and their digital drawings. This dissertation has three interrelated aims. Firstly, to explore how the introduction of digital drawing can reveal Western Arrarnta imaginings of communication design in relation to design principles, processes, and meanings. Secondly, to evaluate the teaching of communication design through design workshops according to Western Arrarnta ways of learning. Thirdly, to understand the value of digital drawing and communication design education according to Ntaria students’ perspectives and priorities. Communication design develops visual language to convey ideas, information, stories, and messages. Foundational to this study is approaching, situating, and teaching communication design in a way that prioritises the voices, perspectives, and narratives of Ntaria participants. The theoretical framework and methodological approach interweaves youth based participatory action research processes (YPAR), the 8-ways pedagogical framework, and the capability approach. Digital drawing was introduced at Ntaria School through a series of collaborative design workshops. The iterative and adaptive approach to data collection involved interviews, card sorting tools, observations, and a self-reflection survey. Responsive to Ntaria cultural practices and on Country learning processes, it emphasised student participation in all phases of the research. Through ongoing dialogue, the methods, timelines, and educational materials were adapted to suit the realities and priorities of the participants. The participants’ digital drawings reveal a world from a Western Arrarnta youth perspective. The main finding of this study is that a Western Arrarnta communication design process and educational approach can be used to affirm the participants’ connections with family, culture, and community. This study found that the Ntaria participants imagine Western Arrarnta communication design principles and processes in relation to their own spiritual and cultural practices, knowledge systems, and responsibilities. The participants’ spoke about the value of communication design education from their own perspectives, particularly its ability to connect to cultural knowledge, stay on Country, and share stories across generations. They are proud of their design outcomes and positive in how they represent culture, community, and their contemporary identities. ! ii Acknowledgements To the Ntaria young adults whose digital drawings are at the heart of this research, this thesis belongs to you. Thank you for showing me your Country and sharing your stories with me. I hope that I have honoured them and you. To Bowen Abbott, Latoya Fly, Ashley Lankin, Daryl Malbunka, Gideon Malbunka, Naphtalie Malbunka, Mahalia Moketarinja, Larissa Pepperill, Carol Raggett, Ashley Swan, Rakesh Sweet, Taren White, Marques Young, Lofty Armstrong, Dwight Campbell, Edrick (Junior) Coultard, Kira Inkamala, Marley Kantawarra, Stanley Kenny, Aretha Namatjira, Latrelle Pareroultja, Nelson Pareroultja, Norman Raggett, Sheila Rubuntja, Tyrone Sena, and Zenith Yamma. You slowly and patiently taught me so many things that enabled me to do this research. Without your time, trust, and friendship, this thesis would not have been possible. The design on the thesis cover is by Ntaria senior student Taren White and depicts a honey ant story. This thesis was conducted on Western Arrarnta land. I pay my respects to the ancestors and Elders, past, present, and emerging. To the community of Ntaria, thank you for supporting this project. It has been such an honour to spend time on such beautiful Country. Thanks to Melanie Inkamala and Jeremy Moketarinja for helping me walk between two worlds within the classroom. To David Roennfeldt for all your invaluable advice and language help. This work would also not have happened without the staff and teachers at Ntaria School. Thank you for allowing me the time and freedom to learn together with the students. Particularly to Cath Greene, Cindy Bowyer, Pip Cox, Anthea Boyle, Georgie Sutton, Chris and Kerri Barr. Also special thanks to Annie Kennedy for helping me navigate the often bumpy research terrain. I am also indebted to all those who offered me a place to stay. To Trish Van Dyke, Jo Foster, Cecilia Alfonso, and Michael Watts, thank you for your hospitality, and for connecting me with the Alice Springs community. To my supervisors, thank you for your ongoing patience, guidance, and support. To Kurt Seeman for your early contributions. To Karel van der Waarde, thank you for being there when I needed it, for your generosity, curiosity, and critical eye. Thanks for giving me confidence in my work, and its importance. To Samantha Edwards-Vandenhoek, thank you for being a driving force throughout, for your contribution, care, and consideration. For forcing me to slow down and to see things differently, and for always pushing me in the right directions—I couldn’t have ! iii done it without you! This research was supported by Swinburne University’s Chancellors Research Scholarship. Many thanks also to my supervisory panel, particularly Deirdre Barron and Andrew Peters for your insightful comments and feedback at key milestones. My thanks to Dr Diane Brown for copyediting the thesis in accordance with the current ACGR/IPED national guidelines for editing research theses in Australia. I have tremendously valued the collegiality and friendship of my PhD peers with whom I have shared this journey. You have all made this road a lot less lonely. To my friends, thanks for hanging in there and allowing me to focus on this at the expense of other things. Particular thanks to those who visited Ntaria, drove part of the way alongside me, and came to my rescue when my Suzuki broke down. Very special thanks go to Emrhan Tjapanangka Sultan who trusted me with an introduction to the Ntaria mob. Above all, this project has taught me the importance of ramarama—family. The endless support of my family made this project possible. Thank you to Thomas for driving from Darwin to Alice Springs to take me to Ntaria before I had my license, for teaching me to drive, fixing my car, for the thousands of kilometres we have driven around the Central Desert, navigating dirt tracks, and fixing busted tyres. To my parents, Sandy and Colin, thank you for always believing that I could do this, and supporting me throughout. Thanks to my Dad for always reminding me I have the ‘teaching’ genes. Thanks to my Mum for sending me daily inspiration quotes in my final few months. If it were not for the both of you, I would not be where I am. ! iv Declaration of Authorship I, Nicola St John, declare that this thesis, completed in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy from the School of Design, Faculty of Health, Arts and Design, at Swinburne University of Technology, contains no material which has been accepted for the award of any other qualification at any other academic institution, and to the best of my knowledge, contains no material previously published or written by another person except where due reference is made in the text of this thesis. Nicola St John ! v Table of Contents Abstract ii Acknowledgements iii Declaration of Authorship v Table of Contents vi Notes for the reader xi Prologue: The Red Carpet Welcome ................................................................................................ 1 Chapter 1: Setting the Scene ............................................................................................................ 3 1.1 Introduction 3 1.2 Research question 6 1.3 Research aims and scope 6 1.3.1 Aims 6 1.3.2 Scope 7 1.4 Researcher positioning and motivation 8 1.5 Research beginnings 10 1.6 Research timeline 11 1.7 Originality, significance, and impact 13 1.8 Ntaria life-worlds 16 1.8.1 Aboriginal youth 16 1.8.2 Western Arrarnta people, language, and Country 19 1.9 Thesis structure 20 Interlude: Desert Olympics ............................................................................................................ 22 Chapter 2: The Research Landscape ............................................................................................. 24 2.1 Scope 24 2.2 Knowledges of design 24 2.2.1 Indigenous design perspectives 25 2.2.2 Eurocentric design perspectives 28 2.2.3 Communication design knowledge 30 Communication design research 32 Drawing in communication design 33 2.3 Approaches to communication design education 35 2.3.1 Indigenous education 35 Background to Indigenous education 37 Culturally responsive approaches 37 Two-way education 39 The 8-ways framework 40 Integration of 8-ways within communication design education 42 Putting it into practice 43 2.3.2 Communication design education: The Australian high school context 45 Communication design education 45 Communication design education
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