Film to share recorded Indigenous environmental knowledge

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Film to share recorded Indigenous environmental knowledge


Taking the recording of traditional knowledge to its logical next step by sharing that knowledge has seen the creation of a documentary film, made collaboratively by University of Technology Sydney and Balkanu, Cape York Development Corporation's Traditional Knowledge Recording Project. The 30-minute film, The Water We Know, unites the views of Cape York Indigenous Elders from several language groups into one voice to address the growing environmental problems we now face. It will be launched at 6.30pm on Wednesday 29 November at DAB Lab in UTS Faculty of Design, Architecture and Building, 702-793 Harris Street, Ultimo, Sydney. "Our country is sick, and the water and land resources we share are developing major problems, as shown within the cultural indicators expressed by Indigenous Elders," said Victor Steffenson, project manager of the Traditional Knowledge Recording Project (TKRP). Through revealing the true characters and commitments of Indigenous knowledge, this must see presentation is produced to educate government, Land Holding Bodies, and all Australians in order to work together from the baseline of Indigenous knowledge and experiences. "This is an extremely urgent call to support Indigenous people in saving and re-applying the invaluable traditional knowledge that has sustained and balanced Australia for thousands of generations," Mr Steffenson said. According to Jacqueline Gothe, Senior Lecturer in Visual Communication at UTS, the ultimate aim of the collaboration between UTS and TKRP is to incorporate traditional knowledge into western approaches to land management. "In my previous work in water catchment design, I was acutely aware that there was no Indigenous input or representation. I believe it is extremely important to find ways for design to work with traditional communities, especially in areas where traditional knowledge is fundamental, like in land management," said Ms Gothe. With such an interest, a UTS connection with TKRP was a natural match. For its part, UTS supports TKRP through providing video recording techniques and skills development for the gathering of traditional knowledge in communities; exploring digital storage requirements with Cisco and the Cape York Digital Network to safeguard the knowledge of the elders; and the development of web capacity within communities and as traditional knowledge moves into the public domain. Tuesday 14 November 2006