Just So Stories

Welcome to Just So Stories, Alison and Paul, and thank you for sharing some time with my blog readers. Congratulations on the new book, Design and Building on Country! I know the series began with Songlines, which I have not yet seen personally, though it looks terrific and is on my list.

How did your collaboration come about for Design: Building on Country?

Alison: Paul Memmott has been a mentor of mine since the mid-nineties when I started studying design and wondering what Aboriginal architecture was traditionally and what it could be in the future. Conversations between him and I, drawing from his decades of knowledge and my contemporary practice, were really the basis of the book. I think our conversations will keep going for many years to come.

Can you tell us a little about your respective backgrounds and how these led to the point of creating a book specifically for younger readers?

Paul’s career story

Paul: I’m an architect and anthropologist who has been privileged to work with many Indigenous communities and leaders across Australia on all sorts of projects, for the last 50+ years. During this period I have developed the trust of many Elders to be taught sacred Aboriginal Law understandings, which I have used on their behalf on their land claims, native title claims, site protection authorities and with their permission and instruction, for teaching both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal students. One of my most important teaching venues is the Dugalunji Camp at Camooweal run by the Myuma Group (Indjilandji-Thithanu people). I have taught cultural workshops to all of their prevocational intakes of young Indigenous adults since Myuma started its courses for industry in 2007 (about 800 trainees). I have embedded some of these teachings in this book. I have also been honoured to have the inaugural role of Co-Chair of the First Nations Advisory Committee to the Australian Institute of Architects for last 4 years.

Alison’s career story

Alison: My love of design began when I won a Lego competition at my local shopping centre at the age of 12. My winning entry was a housing estate, which soon progressed to making ‘to scale’ cardboard models for my friend’s dad who was a local builder. In 1992, I went on to study Interior Architecture at UTS, which led me to working at the NSW Governments Architect’s Office where I joined Australia’s first Aboriginal Architecture Group Merrima, with Architects Dillon Kombumerri and Kevin O’Brien. Our practice in the late nineties was foundational to the Designing with Country movement as it involved integration of traditional knowledges, sustainability and storytelling with the built environment. I later launched my own practice designing exhibitions, interiors, jewellery and public art. In 2009 I founded the Saltwater Freshwater Arts Alliance, which brings together ten Aboriginal communities to foster art and cultural programs including the annual Saltwater Freshwater Festival. I then launched its commercial arm, the National Aboriginal Design Agency, which brokers partnerships between Aboriginal artists and manufacturers to make authentic design products. In 2015, I started bringing digital storytelling into my work making film installations, documentaries and drama and my work now is exploring the convergence of many different artforms to tell place-based stories on major urban developments.

How important is it to both of you for all young Australians to know about First Nations culture, practices and history?

Alison: I had a very poor upbringing and my career in design has changed my life in so many ways. I think storytelling, art and design are very powerful new ways to tell our ancient stories and a future Australia can be designed by first understanding the past. Australian design has its origins 70,000 years ago and its principles of sustainability, strong social structures, ingenuity and storytelling can build a strong and meaningful identity for Australia that is deeply connected to nature. This is why we need a whole new generation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Architects, Engineers, landscape Architects, fashion, graphic and interior designers, that can lead this important design movement and show the world who we really are.

Paul: Contemporary Aboriginal leaders have asked me to pass back the First Nations knowledge that I’ve been given by my old Aboriginal teachers over 40 or 50 years ago, who were all Elders at that time, but who have all long passed away. I do this in different ways so that the younger generations benefit, but one important way is through this book.

Australian society is ready to change in recognition that within our continent, we all live on Country, the old Country that has been under Aboriginal custodianship for 70,000 years. (I use the capital C to denote this.) All Australian young people are invited to learn about Country. So one of my motivations is to teach what being on Country can mean for them

What do you see as lacking still in our curriculum in this regard? The news of the past week that NSW DoE is planning to remove the teaching of Aboriginal history pre-contact [SW1] in the 7-10 syllabus has given many of us educators great concern. What would your response to this be?

Alison: It is extremely shocking to read this given the unprecedented engagement there has been between non-Aboriginal people wanting to learn about First Nations history pre-colonisation, which many consider to be the great cultural inheritance of all Australians. Our nation is going through a process of integrating First Nations knowledges into many industries so that our whole way of life in Australia can be more sustainable, be adaptive to climate change and have meaningful cultural practices that bring families and communities together in a way that Aboriginal culture has successfully done for millennia. It only stands to reason therefore that this transformational learning should start at a young age and be widely taught in schools. When you see how our people designed objects and solved problems, there is still so much we can learn from this type of decision making, which is why we wanted this book to talk about the great inventions and ingenuity of the past and how it can be applied today.

My family, friends and I have all made the observation that we feel there has been a spike in overt racism post the referendum. Is this something you have observed? How can we move forward to a future where we all walking the same path in the same way? What is our best strategy or strategies here?

Alison: It’s a year since the referendum and I think there has been a shift from a national political conversation to individual nations building their capacity on a local level to co-design their future with government. This was the foundation of the Voice, which was putting the power back in the hands of communities and their leaders to determine the solutions to their problems. It’s just now it will not be enshrined in the Constitution so unfortunately our people will still be used as a cheap political football. And yes, I agree that is now become part of pub politics and everyone is an expert and that ignorance is now something we have to continue to endure.   

What projects are each of you working on now? Will there be any future books for younger readers ahead?

Alison: I am working on urban developments around Sydney Harbour like Bays West Development, Circular Quay and Barangaroo where we are applying Designing with Country principles. I am also working on large scale public art projects with my community where we are applying storytelling to place. The coolest thing I am doing at the moment is starting an Indigenous Institute for Designing with Country at the University of Technology Sydney, which is a school of Design for our people.

I think we would all agree that Blak Douglas’ artwork is always memorable and striking. I’ve now reviewed several children’s titles illustrated by him. What do you both think of his illustrative interpretations for your book? For my part, I loved the fun aspects such as Bungaree’s Organic Hardware Store.

Alison: Me too! I absolutely loved working with Blak Douglas on this book. I love Bungaree’s Organic Hardware, the Gweagal Shields being welcomed home with a sign from the family and the (female) Aboriginal scientist who is pointing out the match between the boomerang and the wing of a plane. Such cool drawings that bring these concepts to life.

What message would each of you like to share with both First Nations readers and allies?

Alison: I want our people and allies to stay optimistic about our future. I’ll share the final lines of our book:

‘There is a new awakening fuelled by ecological necessity to redesign our future and the relationship that we as people have with nature and each other. We can design our built environments to be a part of the managed landscapes that formed the basis of First Nations ecology since time immemorial. Our objects, interiors and places can be an extension of the Songlines that crisscross this country in every direction and are a web of knowledge embedded in our everyday lives.

This New Australian Design will improve the wellbeing of people and create places that ultimately mean more to all of us. It will extend Country, not abrogate it, and it should be created with that in mind – because we are all connected to Country.’

In the traditional language of my kids and grandies – Mandaang Guwu – for your time and sharing your thoughts.