Dr Jocelyn McKinnon

Listening: Indigenous Voices on the Central Coast aimed to contribute to knowledge about the little known Indigenous history of the Central Coast region of New South Wales, and to operate as a medium of reconciliation at the community level. Central to these objectives was the unique research process that centered on Indigenous epistemologies in the production and dissemination of new knowledge. Indigenous voices were centered at all stages of the research project, involving the sharing of research outcomes for and with the Indigenous community. Culturally appropriate mediums of storytelling and performance were selected over text based academic journals. With an all-Indigenous steering committee of elders and representatives from local Indigenous organizations established to guide the process, members of the local Darkinjung community shared their life stories as the basis for the performance script. The medium of verbatim performance was employed to ensure that the voices of the storytellers were not appropriated. A layering of community involvement including Indigenous and non-Indigenous performing artists, academics, and students evolved the process. The audience survey questionnaire, and a published newspaper article, suggested the performance informed, inspired and re-energized people. Two international conference papers and the presentation of the project as an exemplar of excellence and innovation in research at the CHASS (Council Humanities, Arts & Social Sciences) forum with politicians at parliament house resulted.

Listening: Indigenous Voices on the Central Coast aimed to contribute to knowledge about the little known Indigenous history of the Central Coast region of New South Wales, and to operate as a medium of reconciliation at the community level. Central to these objectives was the unique research process that centered on Indigenous epistemologies in the production and dissemination of new knowledge. Indigenous voices were centered at all stages of the research project, involving the sharing of research outcomes for and with the Indigenous community. Culturally appropriate mediums of storytelling and performance were selected over text based academic journals. With an all-Indigenous steering committee of elders and representatives from local Indigenous organizations established to guide the process, members of the local Darkinjung community shared their life stories as the basis for the performance script. The medium of verbatim performance was employed to ensure that the voices of the storytellers were not appropriated. A layering of community involvement including Indigenous and non-Indigenous performing artists, academics, and students evolved the process. The audience survey questionnaire, and a published newspaper article, suggested the performance informed, inspired and re-energized people. Two international conference papers and the presentation of the project as an exemplar of excellence and innovation in research at the CHASS (Council Humanities, Arts & Social Sciences) forum with politicians at parliament house resulted.