<
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/aug/12/long-journey-indigenous-inclusion-university-of-melbourne>
"It took more than 100 years after universities were established in Australia
for an Indigenous student to graduate.
Margaret Williams-Weir, a Gumbaynggirr and Malera Bundjalung woman, completed a
diploma in physical education at the University of Melbourne in 1959.
Since Williams-Weir, more than 1,400 Indigenous students have graduated from
the sandstone university, and a record 536 were enrolled in 2023. But that is
still only 1.27% of students, compared with 3.8% of the general population who
are Indigenous. The university has also failed to reach its targets for
Indigenous staff.
Amid efforts to improve Indigenous representation, the university has released
the second volume of
Dhoombak Goobgoowana – translated as “truth-telling” in
the Woi Wurrung language of the traditional owners of the land on which the
university was built.
The first volume, published last year, laid bare the dark side of the
university’s history, revealing how Nazi apologists, massacre perpetrators,
grave robbers, racists and eugenicists had been celebrated as hugely
influential heroes of academia.
The second volume,
Voice, does not shy away from the the university’s
troubled historical relationship with Indigenous people, but shifts its focus
to stories of resilience, resistance and reform, which its editors hope will
contribute to reconciliation.
The deputy vice-chancellor (Indigenous) , Prof Barry Judd, says
Voice is
about “who gets to speak, who gets heard, and what it takes to create space for
Indigenous leadership in systems not built for us”.
“This volume documents progress, but also calls us to go further,” he says. “It
is both a record of progress and a foundation for ongoing cultural
transformation.”
The work was commissioned as part of the university’s commitment to truth
telling. Both volumes were submitted to the Yoorrook Justice Commission, the
first formal truth-telling process into injustices experienced by Indigenous
people in Victoria.
Prof Marcia Langton, who co-wrote and edited the book, says the works of
Indigenous staff and students to turn the university towards respect for
Indigenous knowledge “echo across history and continue to inspire”."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
