ICS Seminar - Gawaian Bodkin-Andrews

Storytelling and Indigenous Data Sovereignty

Abstract: There is increasing evidence for advances in Indigenous Data Sovereignty and Indigenous Data Governance movements around the world, where the rights of Indigenous peoples to govern the nature, collection, ownership, and use of ‘Indigenous data’ have been increasingly advocated for across many government, business, and research contexts. Many of these advances though have often been framed solely within the realm of quantitative data (e.g., census, big data, data linkage, open data), and sought to address and correct the risks of such colonially forged data stories ‘about’ Indigenous peoples and communities. The focus of this seminar though will be to examine not only the broader applications of Indigenous Data Sovereignty and Indigenous Data Governance frameworks, but also how these principles can be applied to more localised community projects (in this case, centring D’harawal Storytelling and Circle Yarns run by the D’harawal Traditional Descendants and Knowledge Holders Circle). From these diverse ‘quantitative’ and ‘qualitative’ Indigenous datas, and its translation and weaving into stories ‘with’ and ‘by’ Indigenous peoples and communities, it is argued that Indigenous Data Sovereignty and Governance principles and practices provide one of the most powerful methodologies to weaponise Indigenous data and strengthen Indigenous and First Nations communities around the world.

Biography: Professor Gawaian Bodkin-Andrews is a D’harawal man raised on Bidigal (bitter water) and Nattaimattagal (sweet water) Country. As a scholar, Prof Bodkin-Andrews’ research encapsulates and promotes Aboriginal Australian standpoints and perspectives across a diversity of disciplines (most notably education and psychology). He has been a chief investigator for numerous research grants examining a diversity of topics including, mental health, mentoring, identity, Traditional Knowledges and Storytelling, Indigenous-centered statistics, education, racism, and bullying. Prof Bodkin-Andrews is currently Director of Indigenous Research at Western Sydney University.

Event Details:

Date and Time: Thursday, 17 November, 11:30am - 1:00pm

Location: Hybrid: Room EA.G..26, Parramatta South Campus, Western Sydney University