1. Listening to Aboriginal voices of sport for development at conferences in Australia: a Black researcher’s account
- Author
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Sheppard, Lee
- Abstract
ABSTRACTAs a Dyirbal Gumbilbara Bamawoman and anthropologist in the sport for development (SfD) field, I have found that ‘honouring Indigenous knowledges in research and practice’ continues to be a form of ‘lip service’. This position has been reached through my presence at conferences in Australia, where most attendees are non-Indigenous. The focus has been on the applied disciplines of physical education, sport, and SfD. Drawing primarily on my observations of many non-Indigenous audience members’ responses to my research findings, it appears that Indigenous Ways of Knowing are either too unpalatable, shocking, or disturbing. Most concerningly, the reactions appeared most robust in instances where I have been presenting mob’s knowledge and concerns about SfD in Australia. This paper reflects my experiences as a Black researcher in a dominant White ‘sports’ conference setting. Through exploring these experiences, I ask practitioners and researchers in sport to embrace and listen to mob’s knowledge and concerns about SfD programs in Australia so that we might genuinely progress towards a time where Indigenous knowledges are honoured in research and practice.
- Published
- 2024
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