Land, Language, Culture: Belonging
Queensland Teachers' Journal, Vol 129 No 8, 1 November 2024, page no. 11
The QTU’s First Nations Conference was held in Gurrumbilbarra (Townsville) on Monday 16 and Tuesday 17 September. Being held regionally for the first time in nearly a decade, the conference was well attended by delegates, with an increase in the number of First Nations delegates attending.
This year we were Welcomed to Country by Brenton Creed in an emotionally moving welcome. This year’s conference was centred on the theme of Belonging, with a focus on achieving this through placed-based methodologies of Country as Teacher, where schools, teachers, students and communities learn with, and from, Country.
In line with previous First Nations Conferences, delegates were led through moving sessions from a number of motivational speakers, such as Jagera man Ben Wilson, an Associate Professor from the University of Canberra, who delivered a powerful keynote highlighting the importance of the intersection between place and Dreamings/narratives for creating deeper and more relevant pedagogical approaches to enhance learning opportunities for all students.
Further sessions included Bidjara man Phillip Brooks (Deputy Director-General, First Nations Strategy and Partnerships), Wulli Wulli and Gangulu man Travis Fuller (ART), Kuarana woman Rachel Bos (ACTU), Ganggalida and Waanya woman Aunty Joan McKay, Yuru woman Bernadette Russell and Christina Papadimitriou (North Queensland Region), Gunggari and Kunja woman Tennille Bainbridge (Gandu Jarum Committee), and Bidjara woman Belinda Coulahan, Wergaia man Uncle Barry Watson and allies Lisa Catterson & Skye Clarkson (Harris Field State School).
Day two of conference, “Don’t think outside the box; think of what you can do with the box”, was a full day workshop led by mixed media artist Bernadette Russell. First Nations delegates were challenged with the notion of how they can make the education system fit them (and their communities), rather than always sacrificing their identity and culture to fit the whims of the system. Delegates were able to connect with each other and reflect on the listenings and learning of the conference as they were challenged to incorporate ancient practices and ways of working with contemporary mixed media processes.
Thank you to all speakers for delivering powerful and insightful sessions and to the QTU members who attended across the two days, sacrificing school holiday time away from their families and communities.