Eric Johnston Lecture 2019 with Linda Payi Ford

This year's lecture will be presented by Associate Professor Linda Payi Ford a proud Rak Mak Mak Marranunggu woman, local Territorian and a Principal Research Fellow at Charles Darwin University’s Northern Institute. 

What language is used to carry out the important work between Tyikma (Indigenous) and Padakoot (non-Indigenous) to support and improve the relationships and connections between us? Oral and non-verbal traditional cultural ways of nurturing and caring for each other to nourish our spiritual beings in the landscape must have language to identify what is important to sustain us. 

Speaking to her research and reflections on Aboriginal knowledge, languages and culture, the lecture titled: Aminila bit tjan kin-ning wurrkama gu? Are we all working together with a united voice for treaty & truth? will speak to the United Nations International Year of Indigenous Languages as well as the 2019 NAIDOC theme: Voice. Treaty. Truth.

Hosted by Library & Archives NT, the Eric Johnston Lecture is an annual lecture that addresses a theme relating to the Territory’s culture, history and development. It was first delivered in 1986 by then Administrator Commodore Eric Johnston. 

About the Speaker:
Associate Professor Linda Payi Ford is a published author of Aboriginal Knowledge Narratives & Country: Marri Kunkimba Putj Putj Marrideyan and Country of the Heart – An Indigenous Australian Homeland. Associate Professor Ford’s Mirrwanna and Wurrkama philosophy is transdisciplinary, and inclusive of Indigenous knowledge systems approaches in higher education. Her Indigenist Research Reform methodologies take seriously divergent knowledge practices that are critically important to her work with people, policy and place.

Associate Professor Ford brings extensive experience in collaborative work in diverse cultural settings, particularly in Indigenous and international contexts. Associate Professor Ford is a Principal Research Fellow at the Northern Institute in the Transdisciplinary Research and Indigenous Knowledge Systems team at Charles Darwin University. Associate Professor Ford is currently working on a number of Australian Research Council research projects including “Aboriginal Cosmology – What this means for women and gender policy” and the “National Indigenous Research and Knowledge Networks (NIRAKN)”.

The tours are held at the Library inside Parliament House, 4 Bennett St, Darwin. Seating from 5:15pm for a 5:30pm start.

Photo supplied by Associate Professor Linda Payi Ford