Silent Voices: Contemporary Issues in Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Management in NSW, Australia

Abstract

<p>This thesis is about making Aboriginal peoples’ voices known in the processes of Aboriginal cultural heritage management in New South Wales (NSW), Australia. It does this by drawing on qualitative research methods emphasising semi-structured interviews and narrative analysis, approaches that are rarely used in cultural heritage management or research, despite the deep insights they can bring on understanding complex socio-cultural phenomena. This novel application of qualitative research enables Aboriginal peoples’ experiences and views on the heritage sector in NSW to be explored and understood in depth. This study focuses on a regional portion of central, northern and north-western NSW, where I conducted extended in-depth interviews with 26 participants from different backgrounds and working environments. This included 22 Aboriginal and four non-Aboriginal people from northern New South Wales who were involved in Aboriginal cultural heritage industry in some capacity, including a number of highly respected Uncles and one Aunty. The research casts light on a neglected issue: what are Aboriginal people’s perspectives on, and first-hand experiences of, the cultural heritage sector in NSW. The study illustrates that the stereotyping of ‘Aboriginal culture’ is a problem in the industry, and that Aboriginal peoples’ calls for a change have to date been largely ignored. Furthermore, the research found that most of the participants hold a deep mistrust of existing Aboriginal cultural heritage management regimes in New South Wales. The thesis identifies key avenues for addressing these issues in future.</p>