Dedicating 25 years to researching and teaching about Indigenous rights and environmental management, Associate Professor Sandie Suchet-Pearson’s passion to help heal our world is inspiring. Here we find out where that passion comes from and why her research is so important to our collective future.
How did you originally become interested in your area of research?
Leaving high school, I was shocked and appalled to realise the disgraceful lack of education I had received throughout my schooling regarding Indigenous cultures and histories in Australia. I loved coming to university (yes, it was Macquarie) and having the flexibility to choose a range of really great units which started to fill the gaps from diverse disciplines. In particular, I had an inspiring third year unit lecturer whose unit (Resource Management) literally turned my world upside down as I started to realise the intensive inequalities and injustices which underlie environmental management. I even remember walking back with Richie Howitt to his office after one particular tutorial and sheepishly asking him what he advises someone like me do if I wanted to do the sort of work he did. Well, Richie mentioned Honours, which I’d never heard of, and from there on I’ve been fortunate enough to have Richie supervise and mentor me through Honours, a PhD and academic appointments. What keeps me interested in my research are the amazing and inspiring people and places I am able to spend time with and the burning urgency of needing to do something that helps to heal our deeply damaged world.
Why is your research important?
My current research supports Indigenous rights and knowledges in the context of ecological and social justice. I work as part of two long-term collaborative teams – the Bawaka Collective from North East Arnhem Land with Bawaka Country including Yolngu co-researchers and academics, and the Yanama Budyari Gumada Collective with Darug Ngurra, Darug Country in western Sydney, including Darug custodians and academics. Our work together seeks to value and enable Yolngu and Darug knowledges through facilitating inter-generational and inter-cultural sharing. In particular, we work to honour and centre the active agencies of Country in everything we do. At Yellomundee Regional Park in western Sydney we are working on a project supporting a whole of community approach to environmental management. In North East Arnhem Land our current project is supporting women’s role in crying the songlines and sharing women’s knowledge between generations and cultures. The Bawaka Collective’s most recent book Songspirals, was published last year.
What is your proudest achievement?
My proudest achievement is the formation of long-term relationships with inspiring Countries and the incredible people who are part of them, and enabling these connectivities to be recognised and valued by academia. I couldn’t have done any of the work I do with Bawaka and Darug Countries and without the leadership of Laklak Burarrwanga, Ritjilili Ganambarr, Merrkiyawuy Ganambarr-Stubbs, Banbapuy Ganambarr, Djawundil Maymuru, Uncle Lex Dadd and Aunty Corina Norman-Dadd. In the same vein, my colleagues Kate Lloyd, Sarah Wright, Marnie Graham and Paul Hodge nurture everything I do as does my amazing partner and kids who contribute so much to my research journeys.
Outside your own work, what area of work or research in the Faculty of Arts inspires or intrigues you?
I am inspired by those who work in the area of social justice, especially those who work with refugees, who dedicate so much of their lives to revealing the horrific injustices at the heart of Australian society and politics, and whose work enables pathways of care and compassion.
What is on your agenda for the remainder of 2020?
2020 has been such a challenging year for everyone. We’ve managed to shift many of our research approaches to make the most of it and look forward to 2021. For the rest of 2020 I am looking forward to finishing my teaching commitments and trying to not feel too depressed by the Government and University responses to COVID and the devastation of the tertiary education sector. I will be doing what I can to support my students and wonderful, passionate, dedicated colleagues in continuing the fight for quality education in Australia.