Indigenous-led Sea Country management

About

For coastal First Nations Australians, Country is an integrated ecological, human and spiritual universe which spans land and sea. 

Today Sea Country is separated legally and administratively from terrestrial Country, and is intersected by a range of statutory arrangements. By giving voice to Marra Sea Country, this seminar will canvas in broad terms the laws which govern Sea Country in the Northern Territory. 

First, Marra governance and law as it applies to Sea Country is described. 

Next, an outline of the western statutory mechanisms which impact on Sea Country is presented. The challenges this creates for Marra and other First Nations Sea Country managers in the Northern Territory is then explored. 

Whilst working with both systems of law presents many challenges, opportunities for innovative and Indigenous-led approaches to Sea Country management do exist. Work being undertaken by Marra Traditional Owners and custodians is offered to illustrate one such pathway, and to highlight some of the structural elements prioritised by First Nations Territorians as they look to ensure their Sea Country remains healthy for future generations.

Presenter

Dr Jackie Gould has a background in anthropology complemented by eight years working in the Indigenous land and sea management space, with a focus on Sea Country. 

Her current projects centre on supporting Indigenous-led management of Marra Sea Country in the Gulf of Carpentaria. Recognising the important contributions Indigenous Sea Country managers make to protecting the cultural and ecological resources of Australia's coastal and marine estate, her research seeks to deliver tangible benefits to Indigenous communities whilst supporting the conservation and academic sectors to better understand how they can meaningfully partner with Indigenous Sea Country managers. 

This includes taking seriously Indigenous knowledge authorities and the ways in which they see, know, feel and understand Country and the people-place relations embedded in it. All projects in which I am involved respond to Indigenous research priorities and are fully co-designed and co-implemented with collaborating Indigenous partners.

Registration

In-person: Please RSVP to attend in person—limited seating (30ppl).

RSVP to attend in person

Online: Once you register, you will receive an individual link from Zoom no-reply@zoom.us. 
Each seminar is recorded and linked to our Seminars page.

Register for ZOOM link

Getting there

Savanna Room @ Northern Institute
CDU Casuarina Campus
Yellow Building 1, Level 2, Room 48

Google Maps location or How to get to Savanna Room.

^{Access: If you have any additional access or support requirements, please contact us. The Savanna Room is accessible using a lift or one flight of stairs through an automatic door. There is a wheelchair-accessible bathroom on Level 2 and a baby change room on Level 1 (ground floor).}