This book explores the complexities of Indigenous and non-Indigenous relations in contemporary Australia.
It unpacks the continuation of a pervasive colonial consciousness within settler-colonial settings, but also provokes readers to confront their own habits of thought and action. Through presenting a reflexive narrative that draws on the author’s encounters with Indigenous artists and their artwork, knowledge, stories, and lived experiences, this provocative and insightful work encourages readers to consider what decolonising means to them.
It presents a compelling and relevant argument that calls for a reorientation of dominant discourses fixed within Eurocentric frameworks, whilst also addressing the deep complexities and challenges of living within intercultural settler-colonial settings where different views and perspectives clash and complement one another.
Author(s): Abraham Bradfield
Publisher: Routledge
Year: 2023
Language: English
Pages: 252
City: London
Cover
Half Title
Title Page
Copyright Page
Contents
Acknowledgements
Prologue
Introduction
A decolonising consciousness
Confronting coloniality
Locating the field: Broken Hill, Menindee, and Wilcannia
Situating the field: Reflexive impressions of place
Mediating dialogue through art
Cultivating a decolonising consciousness
References
1. Developing a decolonising consciousness
Colonisation and the 'colonial power matrix'
Colonising consciousness
Coloniality and decolonisation
Decolonising and epistemological privilege
References
2. Decolonising through listening, agonism, and border thinking
Decolonising and engaged listening
Agonism: Living with socio-cultural differences
Border thinking
Decolonising as a continual commitment to listen and engage
References
3. Decolonising methodology: Autonomy, accountability, and reflexivity
Approach to fieldwork
Reflexivity as method
References
4. Decolonising methodology: Art, agency, and reflexivity
Art and agency
Art and expressions of Aboriginality
Knowing one's self through others
References
5. Stylistic representations of identity: Art, autonomy, and authenticity
'We don't do dots': Barkindji artistic style
'I miss doing dots': Proclaiming an autonomous identity
Far from a hoax: Art in an intercultural setting
Notes
References
6. Stylistic representations of identity: 'Knowing your roots'
Painting your roots
Looking forward looking back
Art as an affirmation of positive life change
Stylistic representations and the fluidity of identity
Note
References
7. Country and kincentric ecology: Sentiency and Marnpi
The ethos of Australia: Mining or Marnpi?
Meeting the sentient
Kincentric ecology
A shared heritage
Notes
References
8. Country and kincentric ecology: Connecting with and re-encountering country
Encountering country
Country as praxis and ideology
Respect, responsibility, and competing axiologies
Shifting the ethos: Decolonising views of the environment
Note
References
9. The Barka: The sentience of water
Contextualising coloniality through water
Mapping the landscape: The Barka and the Ngatyi
References
10. The Barka: Resisting cultural eviction
Cottoning on to water mismanagement
A clean glass of water: Comfort as complicity
Bridging differences by disrupting the flow
Shifting ecological perspectives
Synergising competing interests
Notes
References
Conclusion
Decolonising the mind
Agonism as border thinking
A moral responsibility to listen
An ongoing commitment
Taking ownership of decolonising
Reconnecting with place
A decolonising consciousness in praxis
References
Index
