Decolonisation

Art and Sovereignty on 3cr

Paola Balla, Rosie Kilvert, Kamahi King, Miliwanga Wurrben and Léuli Eshraghi discuss their experiences of microaggressions and racism in the arts and culture spaces they operate in and how they resist institutionalised racism and assert their sovereignty in their professional practices.

Art, Whiteness, and Empire

Curator Dr. Kelli Morgan explores the themes of colonialism and whiteness in encyclopedic art museums. Morgan proposes a reinstallation framework that includes showcasing vital works that can anchor a reinstall about colonialism, highlighting portraits of actual colonizers, and using art to illustrate the history of global economy and colonialism.

Better Indigenous policies

This paper questions the idea of evaluation, arguing that conventional evaluation methodologies fail to comprehensively understand the full range of factors that contribute to the successful delivery of services to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clients. Consequently, there is a failure to understand how programs for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities can be delivered and evaluated in a framework of self-determination.

Black Lives Matter in Australia: A Conversation with Professor Marcia Langton

Professor Marcia Langton reflects on the relevance of the Black Lives Matter movement in Australia, discussing the function of racialisation in a settler-colonial context, the relationship of Aboriginal struggle in Australia (against police violence, carceral systems, and land theft) to the detention of asylum seekers, and the value of transferring esoteric knowledge into public information.

CALD: Why some say this label is failing Australians

Discussion of the CALD label (culturally and linguistically diverse) used in Australia (like BAME: Black, Asian, Minority Ethnic) which seek to to bundle disparate people together just because they are different to the majority identity. The Diversity Council of Australia is trialing a new acronym: CARM (culturally and racially marginalised) to reflect the experience of being raciliased.

"the CALD acronym is hopelessly inadequate to assist organisations because it doesn't mention race at all.'

Better Indigenous policies: an Aotearoa New Zealand perspective on the role of evaluation

This paper questions the idea of evaluation, arguing that conventional evaluation methodologies fail to comprehensively understand the full range of factors that contribute to the successful delivery of services to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clients. Consequently, there is a failure to understand how programs for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities can be delivered and evaluated in a framework of self-determination.

Change is trickling in, but our arc leans towards self-determination: Tony Briggs

Yorta Yorta/Wurundjeri creative Tony Briggs is the creator and writer of the Helpmann award-winning play, The Sapphires.

Tony reflects on the ubiquitous expectation that First Nations practitioners are ready to double as “First Nations consultants”, beyond the scope of their work, and self-determination’s role in distributing the economic benefits of First Nations content to communities.

'I don’t want to be the answer to every white producer’s cultural problem or the advisor for everything.'

Colombia’s Corporación Afrocolombiana Son Batá

Son Batá runs music and dance workshops of Afro-Colombian and urban origin, such as hip hop, rap and salsa to strengthen the cultural identity of the Afro population in Colombia (Medellín) where racism and systematic discriminations are rife.

Son Batá works in school to empower the youth of Comuna 13 to help them escape the violence and poverty around them, foster cultural pride and provide pathways into arts careers, including performance and cultural tour guiding opportunities.

Curator Walkthrough: WILAM BIIK

WILAM BIIK is the second exhibition to be presented as part of Yalingwa, a Victorian Government initiative, in partnership with Australian Centre for Contemporary Art and TarraWarra Museum of Art, designed to support the development of outstanding contemporary Indigenous art and curatorial practice.

Decolonising the written word

The ways in which the publishing industry is grappling with the project of decolonisation.

'As an editor, a relatively new part of my brief is to be on the alert for colonial exceptionalism. What has surprised me is the amount of material I would have waved through a few years ago.'

Decolonization Is for Everyone

Discussion of the brutal history of colonisation in Canada and the processes of historical amnesia that prevents its affects being addresses.

'Whether you have ancestors that were colonisers or colonised, we are all colonised people.'

Explainer: what is decolonisation?

Key terms related to colonisation and decolonisation, including self-determination, 'settler-colonial', and 'neocolonial'. Includes ways to support decolonisation.

'Non-Indigenous people in settler-colonial societies can start by asking:

whose Country do I live on - what nation?
if my land was stolen, my culture and sovereignty denied, what rights would I want, need and expect?
who on Country must I listen to and work with?'

From Clare Land’s Decolonising Solidarity page: What Can I do?

Settler activist Clare Land provides a comprehensive set of helpful tools, concepts, protocols and resources for non-Indigenous people in Australia hoping to support decolonial struggles.

Native Land Digital

Interactive mapping project covering the globe, showing Indigenous nations with a global address search that enables you to check the Indigenous country. Produced in Canada by Indigenous-led Native Land Digital.

The map includes a disclaimer 'This map does not represent or intend to represent official or legal boundaries of any Indigenous nations. To learn about definitive boundaries, contact the nations in question.'

Perth's Portside Review

Portside Review is an international literary journal publishing essays, short stories, and poetry for and from the regions bordering the Indian Ocean. Its principles include:
* Locating your own centre - to liberate from prize and market culture and emphasise community definitions of 'good' writing and art
* Foregrounding cultural and ethnic identity - beyond national borders
* Artist support & pay parity - no matter where an artist is located or how difficult the times

Self-determination in the creative arts: Ben Graetz

Darwin performing artist Ben Graetz has Iwaidja, Malak Malak and Badu Island heritage, was 2018 LGBTI Person of the Year and a member of Browns Mart Theatre First Nations Advisory Board.

'Sophia [Hall] understood that she had to do the work. We were there to give her advice on best practice and it was up to her to do the homework to make the changes and come back to us and go: Is this what you mean? ... she really understood that it was up to her to do the work, not the other way around.'

Strong Gains in Indigenous Governance

Michelle Deshong, CEO of the Indigenous Governance Network, is interviewed on the idea of Indigenous governance. She provides her own definition of Indigenous governance and gives some context for thinking about the problems with the western and corporatised models of governance.

Towards Equity: Response to the Australia Council for the Art's "Towards Equity" report

This conversation with Yorta Yorta curator and leading First Nations arts practitioner, Kimberley Moulton, explores colonialism and decolonisation in the arts sector, responding to the Australia Council’s “Towards Equity” report of 2021.

Watch now: Using First Nations Protocols for Cultural and Intellectual Property in the Arts

Lucy Byrne with Patricia Adjei, Dr Paula Abood, Travis De Vries and Jake Smithers as they discuss the First Nations Protocols. Together they highlight the importance of everyone understanding these Protocols to ensure care of First Nations Intellectual Property through appropriate permissions, acknowledgement and consent. This discussion illustrates how everyone can be an ally in holding these Protocols up to accomplish safe consultation and consent when using First Nation stories & knowledge.