Key points
- Traditional Owner knowledge and insights could better inform local and national drought strategies.
- We’ve partnered with the Narran Lake Nature Reserve Joint Management Committee on co-led drought resilience research.
- It aims to bring Indigenous voices to drought decision-making and planning.
Burrul bilal means big dry in the Yuwaalaraay language.
It is one of the terms the Yuwaalaraay People (also known as ‘Euahlayi’) may use to describe Dharriwaa, the Narran Lake Nature Reserve in north-west New South Wales, during dry periods.
Drought impacts are well-known on Country here. Dharriwaa endured a severe seven-year drought until flooding rains arrived in 2020. Thankfully rain in recent years has replenished Dharriwaa and seen an abundance of native waterbirds return to this critical nesting habitat.
Dharriwaa has major cultural and ecological significance. As Traditional Owners, the Yuwaalaraay People have gathered here for thousands of years and are deeply connected to their Country. It is not only a source of water and food, but a key feature in their Dreaming stories and pathways, which reveal much about its animals, plants, lands, water and seasons.
This knowledge, carried by the Yuwaalaraay People for millennia, provides valuable insights into Australia's drought resilience, highlighting how the land and its people have adapted to and recovered from prolonged dry periods.
That's why, we’re working with Yuwaalaraay Traditional Owners from the Narran Lake Nature Reserve Aboriginal Joint Management Committee (Narran JMC) on new co-led research to connect Indigenous cultural indicators and understandings to Western-based science on drought resilience.
Recognising the need for water and drought solutions
Aunty Brenda McBride is a Yuwaalaraay Elder and Narran JMC member. She said her Country has suffered from long debilitating drought conditions.
“Water is a finite commodity, and it’s so important to us because if you don’t have water, you don’t have life.”
One of Narran JMC’s desired research outcomes is a pathway for better drought and water management strategies for Dharriwaa that takes into account the impacts of water extraction upstream.
Jason Wilson is Narran JMC’s chairperson.
“It’s been a long time coming, and we’re really pleased to be working with CSIRO on drought research,” he said.
“This really supports the work we’re undertaking with the state government around building resilience in our planning on Country.”
Recognising changes on Country
The research team is led by our Indigenous research officer and Jabirr Jabirr man, Max Fabila, alongside University of Technology Sydney Professor and Kamilaroi man, Brad Moggridge.
The team took a field trip together to Dharriwaa. Over a couple of days they visited culturally and ecologically significant sites to discuss observations and knowledge of the water and landscape.
It was the beginning of their exploration into the Yuwaalaraay Traditional Owners' rich understanding of Dharriwaa.
“We’re exploring changes to the health of Country, including landscape and culturally-significant species behaviour, to build a picture of drought from an Indigenous perspective,” Max said.
“For example, we observed the impacts of a recent wildfire, discussed its connection to the drought cycle and its impact on important cultural species.
“Thankfully lots of Yuwaalaraay objects along the riverbanks remain intact, which may hold knowledge and stories of past Indigenous drought resilience strategies.”
Designing a tailored research approach
Traditional Owner Knowledge may tell us about potential drought indicators and what we can do to improve resilience in the future.
This Knowledge is held within Dreaming stories, cultural objects, art and Traditional Ecological Knowledge and observations. Its why alternative research approaches are needed to explore this information and protect Indigenous data and Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property (ICIP) at the same time. Approaches must be adaptable and will likely differ from one community to another.
“The research outputs will be joint products that help to preserve this knowledge for the local community and future generations,” Max said.
“With the Narran JMC, outputs may include a timeline and map highlighting how the Country has been impacted by drought, educational resources that build local capability and potentially a ‘Dharriwaa calendar’.”
Our research methodology outlines seven dynamic and adaptable steps to Indigenous co-design and engagement that can be applied to different communities, as well as other challenges.
These steps include establishing an agreement defined by Traditional Owners and on-Country learning, through to the development of resources and knowledge sharing. It’s an ethical approach that aims to protect ICIP and promote Traditional Owners governance of data.
Two-way learning and exchange
“Our research aims to support the Narran JMC’s voice in drought decision-making and planning and bring Indigenous perspectives to our national understanding of drought impacts,” Max said.
“It’s been designed together to ensure the Narran JMC’s community benefits from the work as much as we do.”
This two-way learning experience will see Narran JMC benefit from new tools and research we’re developing through the collaboration. Brad said we’re flipping traditional research on its head because it’s Indigenous led.
“Indigenous people are leading the research and are the decision-makers throughout the whole process. With that comes capacity building for Indigenous communities, such as Narran JMC.
“This style of research hasn’t been done before, so we’re breaking new ground in that regard.”
So perhaps now, our joint research will provide better tools to be able to respond to burral bilal – the big dry – in future.