Co-producing a fire and seasons calendar to support renewed Indigenous cultural fire management

Title
Co-producing a fire and seasons calendar to support renewed Indigenous cultural fire management
Publication Date
2021-11
Author(s)
McKemey, Michelle B
( author )
OrcID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3808-0267
Email: mmckeme2@une.edu.au
UNE Id une-id:mmckeme2
Ens, Emilie J
Hunter, John T
( author )
OrcID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5112-0465
Email: jhunte20@une.edu.au
UNE Id une-id:jhunte20
Ridges, Malcolm
( author )
OrcID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8075-2779
Email: mridges2@une.edu.au
UNE Id une-id:mridges2
Costello, Oliver
Reid, Nick C H
( author )
OrcID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4377-9734
Email: nrei3@une.edu.au
UNE Id une-id:nrei3
Type of document
Journal Article
Language
en
Entity Type
Publication
Publisher
John Wiley & Sons, Inc
Place of publication
Australia
DOI
10.1111/aec.13034
UNE publication id
une:1959.11/53121
Abstract

Indigenous knowledge emphasises the importance of cultural connections between humans and the biophysical world. In the face of threats to the maintenance and transfer of Indigenous knowledge, novel approaches such as seasonal calendars are emerging as tools to share knowledge and guide management of natural and cultural resources. The renewal of Indigenous cultural fire management in southeast Australia provided an opportunity to explore whether the co-production of a fire and seasons calendar, using Western and Indigenous knowledges, can support cultural fire management. We present a case study of cross-cultural collaboration between scientists and the Banbai Aboriginal rangers at Wattleridge Indigenous Protected Area, New South Wales. We reviewed literature from various disciplines (archaeological, ethnohistorical, Indigenous and ecological) and undertook participatory action research and interviews to collate relevant information. This was synthesised in Winba = Fire, the Banbai Fire and Seasons Calendar, which is used by the Banbai rangers to guide cultural burning, share cross-cultural knowledge and increase awareness of Indigenous cultural fire management. The process of co-producing knowledge, revitalising culture, caring for Country, working together and supporting self-determination is relevant for many Indigenous communities around the world.

Link
Citation
Austral Ecology, 46(7), p. 1011-1029
ISSN
1442-9993
1442-9985
Start page
1011
End page
1029
Rights
Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International

Files:

NameSizeformatDescriptionLink