Traditional indigenous wisdom intertwines with modern scientific approaches.

Traditional indigenous wisdom intertwines with modern scientific approaches.

A Look Back: Indigenous Knowledge and Western Science in Action

Fast forward to June 2024, and we're diving into some fascinating tales from our platform, printed in the press. In this instance, Cat Williams shines a light on the postgraduate science students working hand-in-hand with Indigenous families to map and preserve Noongar knowledge.

"We're failing our planet's biodiversity," declares renowned ecologist and biodiversity professor, Stephen Hopper, bluntly. Hopper, a scholar at the University of Western Australia (UWA), believes that the key to Western Australia's landscape revival lies in Indigenous land management practices.

Hopper spends his days working alongside Traditional Owners to merge Indigenous knowledge with scientific research. His ongoing fieldwork takes place on Merningar/Menang and Goreng Country near Kinjarling/Albany, WA, a rugged landscape characterized by tall marri forests and large granite outcrops.

"Every time I engage in conversation or go out bush, I learn something new," he explains, expressing his admiration for the generosity shared by the Noongar Elders he collaborates with. Over the years, he has formed deep bonds with Elders like Lynette Knapp, who considers UWA her family.

Together, Hopper, Knapp, and another UWA academic, Alison Lullfitz, oversee a team of postgraduate students in projects documenting Noongar innovation and knowledge. These collaborations strive to fuse Noongar wisdom with Western science, yielding groundbreaking Australian research and an intriguing model of blending different knowledge systems.

** FIRE **

Fire holds a central role in Noongar life, with renowned researcher Ursula Rodrigues focusing her PhD on prescribed burning practices and storytelling in science. The enthusiasm from Merningar and Goreng Elders like Eliza Woods for Rodrigues' work is palpable. Woods explains, "We haven't had access to our land for many years, but with UWA's help, we can do this now."

A key challenge in this research lies in understanding current fire regimes and adaptations among contemporary Noongar communities, something that's been overlooked in past ecological studies. Lynette Knapp expresses her frustration with Western burning strategies: "There's no way you can just toss fire sticks from the air." Instead, she emphasizes the importance of seasonal burns to benefit both plants and the human and animal residents of the region – a concept commonly referred to as their "supermarket."

Rodrigues' research assesses "cultural resource species," such as bush foods, investigating how smaller burns could increase the abundance of specific species, helping to restore the food supply for Noongar communities.

** WATER **

Indigenous ingenuity extends beyond fire management, as demonstrated in Anna Ischenko's past master's project on gnaama boorna, the historian boorna (pronounced narma borna), meaning "waterhole in a tree."

Ischenko's research detailed how Noongar families would cultivate these trees through removing the middle shoot and expanding the central depression. The aged trees become water storage virtually for centuries. Funnels were also carved into side branches to catch rainwater.

Ischenko worked with Knapp to confirm the cultural and historical significance of these trees, a testament to the knowledge passed down through generations. With over 3,000 years of guidance from Elders like Knapp, Ischenko established the criteria to identify gnaama boorna trees, creating a baseline of knowledge.

By analyzing over 93 unique gnaama boorna trees along travel routes, Ischenko discovered that the factors traditionally considered as important for travel – distance to water, avoiding dense vegetation, and avoiding sacred sites – largely aligned with the most efficient paths.

** FOOD **

Noongar culinary traditions are showcased in Susie Cramp's work, which explores methods for capturing food like the perfect granite lizard traps. These traps, in place for thousands of years, attract reptiles by imitating natural rock formations, offering an accessible meal for Noongar communities.

Cramp's approach to her research is unique, setting up camp with Elders, sharing stories, and often enjoying tea and biscuits before embarking on their research. Cramp finds success in these collaborative efforts: "Without Elders, I wouldn't know where to begin."

By measuring over 750 lizard traps across 100 granite outcrops, Cramp has established a baseline for further research into the impact of these traps on local ecosystems. In an stunning discovery, she found that lizard traps have developed into natural habitats for a variety of reptile species. Furthermore, Cramp discovered that rock crawling and stacking have caused damage to the lizard traps, with 70% of them showing signs of vehicle damage.

** THE FUTURE **

These collaborative projects have brought together scientists, Elders, and community members to restore natural landscapes in a culturally sensitive way. By combining traditional ecological knowledge with scientific research, the founding team hopes to create a model for sustainable restoration efforts. As Hopper explains, "We're consistently astounded by the depth of insight and the range of conservation measures inherent in traditional Noongar life in this biodiversity hotspot."

While not specified, Hopper, Knapp, and Lullfitz are believed to continue mentoring postgraduate students in meaningful projects that promote collaboration between science, Indigenous knowledge, and environmental restoration.

[1] https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s41207-022-00315-y[2] https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10530-021-19996-z[3] https://www.monash.edu/education/award-winning-stories/ecologist-blazing-a-trail[4] https://www.acci.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Claw_Bazarra_Case_Study_IndigenousBurning_Development.pdf[5] https://www.ska.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/STC-Report-Noongar-Elders-Bush-Fire-Council-Final-2017.pdf

1. "The fusion of Indigenous knowledge with environmental science and education is evidenced in the collaborative projects between scientists like Stephen Hopper, Linda Knapp, and Alison Lullfitz, who are teaching postgraduate students about Noongar innovation and knowledge to preserve and revitalize the planet's biodiversity."
2. "Furthermore, the intersection of science, education, and self-development can be seen in research areas such as the study of gnaama boorna water trees by Anna Ischenko, demonstrating the innovative water management techniques learned from Indigenous elders."

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