PhD Project: Celebrating Indigenous Self-determination – The Journeys of Noongar University Students

Four Indigenous students tell their stories of succeeding at university while maintaining their cultural identity in westernised systems.

Three Noongar students and alumni share their experiences as self-determining Indigenous students. While being strongly grounded in their culture and communities, the participants speak about navigating their Indigeneity in the white spaces of a university. Told in their own words, this is a look into their journeys as they balance living in both realities.

Caption: Filming at CAS.

Caption: On location with the film crew.

The webseries is part of a Doctor of Philosophy – Social Sciences project, School of Media, Creative Arts and Social Inquiry (MCASI) and includes the learning experiences of PhD candidate, Sophie Karangaroa (Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāpuhi) as an Indigenous Māori student living on Wadjuk Noongar Boodja. The webseries highlights the students’ stories, celebrates and respects Indigenous cultural diversities and honours Indigenous worldviews in ways to further contribute to the aspirations of the students’ communities.

 

Bachelor of Education Student Kiahara

Filmed on location in Boorloo (Perth), Australia on the Traditional Country of the Wadjuk Noongar People. Four Indigenous students tell their stories of succeeding at university while maintaining their cultural identity in westernised systems.

In this webisode, Kiahara, a Noongar student studying to become a teacher, talks about how education has empowered her, her family and her community. She discusses how challenges she has faced have driven her as an Indigenous university student and inspired her goals for the future.

 

Indigenous Students – Being Visible and Celebrated

In this final webisode, all four participants come together for a group yarn. They share their thoughts on the challenges they’ve faced, the successes they’ve achieved, and their hopes for the future. It’s a meaningful discussion that wraps up the series by celebrating Indigenous self-determination and cultural relationality.

 

Acknowledgements:
Jason Haji-Ali, filmmaker
Professor Kim Scott, Supervisor
Professor Huia Jahnke, Co-supervisor
Dr Michelle Johnston, Co-supervisor
Professor Cheryl Kickett-Tucker, Advisory group
Ms. Shamone Eades, Advisory group
The Centre of Aboriginal Studies, Curtin University
School of Media, Creative Arts and Social Inquiry, Faculty of Humanities
Research Office and Graduate Research School, Curtin University
Australian Research Council (HDR)
Western Australia Institute for Educational Research
Kurongkurl Katitjin, Edith Cowan University

Intellectual Property for the PhD Project belongs to Sophie Karangaroa.

Contact: sophie.karangaroa@postgrad.curtin.edu.au

 

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