Eighteenth International Conference on New Directions in the Humanities

Abstract

Due to colonisation and past assimilation policies, Australia’s Indigenous peoples the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders suffer ongoing impacts on their identity, wellbeing, education, and employment outcomes, as reflected in their low socio- economic status within the nation. Australian Universities are generally white anglo institutions - as many students first connection is via the web, it is important to have a welcoming Indigenous presence if we are to attract First Australians to attend. This project created a way for speaking to prospective to students, to affirm their right to be in this place as their ancestors have used this land to live and learn for many generations. Our goal was to work with community members, Elders, cultural advisors, and students to create a welcoming and affirming space for future students. This involved many meetings and forums over two years to collaborate, research, and collate the information to be shared via the web. We called this project the Linking of Two Bays to show the ongoing connection between Emu Bay in Burnie and Sandy Bay in Hobart. This history reinforces palawa connection with these lands and enhances relevance of the University for palawa staff and students, by creating a more inclusive University environment. We anticipate that knowing the palawa history of the land UTAS is built on, will provide an important learning experience, for non-Aboriginal people and promote greater understanding. This paper explores the research process involved to engage with community to create a digital resource for teaching and learning.