Thread by @IndigenousX

When we have non-Indigenous people as gate keepers to our knowledge, our language, our culture - for me, I see a continuation of past policies/practices that continue control of how our knowledge, language, culture is used & in what context. There is a difference between Ally

& someone (non-Indigenous) who takes up a position running an institution that holds invaluable Aboriginal culture, has final say over how it’s run & controlling this knowledge. Despite previous engagement w community, it is important we fight for self-determination

Fight for the right to make decisions that impact mob in every area of our lives. Within HWI, within the CJS, within education, health, housing, social justice - & especially from the outside. Many mob are silenced when working in these spaces - unable to speak.

There is a substantial amount of fear amongst ECR #Blacademics with only a few established #Blacademics there to support us. There is an unwritten & unspoken fear about speaking up when something isn’t right. There has been much conversation about how we navigate around this.

I really resonated with @BillBash72 tweet on crabs in a bucket. I was pulled out of a bucket but not by anyone from my previous institution but my current one. This is happening more & more with ECRs being silenced for speaking out.

I know Universities are not isolated in this colonised practice, but this is my experience & conversations I’ve had with many ERCs in academia. But we are grateful & admire those that came before us & help us out of the bucket!

Its hard enough to be a Blak face in white space, we occupy (& absolutely MUST) these spaces where we fight for rights to have knowledge, Indigenous research methodologies, experiences to be centred - we dont need to be advocating for something so simple as Aboriginal lead places