Placing traditional Aboriginal ways of knowing, sharing knowledge, being and doing at the front and centre of all that we do in our educational spaces is what motivates one of UNE’s four new Indigenous Knowledges Lecturers.
Rhys Callaghan, a Worimi man from Karuah NSW, is working on his Master’s degree in Aboriginal knowledge and believes “Aboriginal ways have a vital place in the wellbeing of the world and its people”.
“It’s critical our ways of knowing, being and doing are recorded, shared and promoted among not only our people but all people, as we move forward as a society and learn how to better integrate this knowledge into the contemporary world,” he says.
Rhys had a challenging time as a young uni student. Although he often enjoyed the experience and the content, he struggled with the courses that didn’t match his passions and interests.
After taking a break at 21 and working in the community sector for a few years, he returned “a bit older and wiser” and completed his undergraduate degree in Social Science. The chance to do postgrad studies, which “offered something different and more closely aligned with my values and beliefs”, then tempted him back.
It’s critical our ways of knowing, being and doing are recorded, shared and promoted among not only our people but all people
Rhys says the key factors in achieving his goals have included “building relationships with the right people, practising my culture, finding my purpose and growing into who I am”..
And he hopes to offer some of this to UNE students.
“University is a place where people can come and begin to turn their dreams into a reality, and understand, create and promote new ways of being, doing, teaching and learning,” he says.
“Traditional, western ways of teaching and sharing knowledge don’t necessarily align with Aboriginal ways of teaching and sharing, and we need to understand that there are different ways to do things.
“In my opinion, embedding Aboriginal practices into all that we do in our daily activities is the way forward for our institutions, communities and nation. We must open the doors for different ways of viewing the world, and promote an environment that focuses on responsibility, unity, respect, humility, truth, sharing and wisdom, as we move forward together.”
For new uni students, he offers this: “I would advise students to connect and build relationships with other like-minded students, teachers and staff that align with you as a person, your values and your understandings, and to challenge historical western value systems regarding wealth, power, competition, status and traditional western views of success.”
Rhys stresses that knowledge is not imparted but shared.
We all have things to learn from each other. It is the beautiful thing about being human.
“We all have things to learn from each other. It is the beautiful thing about being human. We get to journey through life sharing, learning and lifting those up around us.
“I hope to be someone students can build a relationship with to help understand themselves, their purpose, their hopes and goals, and more easily navigate the often complex western world.
“We don’t have to walk these paths alone. When we come together underpinned by those important values of responsibility, unity, respect, humility, truth, sharing, we can do amazing things.”
Meet UNE’s other Indigenous Knowledges Lecturers:
