Deep Time Diligence – An Interview with Tyson Yunkaporta
Feb 20, 2024
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Aboriginal scholar Tyson Yunkaporta discusses deep-time thinking and relational obligations, urging us to operate from a place of 'right relationship.' Topics include translating Aboriginal concepts of time, deep time diligence, intergenerational relationships, and the interconnectedness of memory, governance, and law. The conversation highlights the importance of preserving cultural laws for resilience and moving beyond superficial practices to confront fear and uncertainty.
Indigenous time concepts emphasize interconnectedness, challenging linear narratives.
Deep time diligence involves maintaining right relations with the Earth for long-term health.
Deep dives
Understanding Indigenous Notions of Time
Indigenous notions of time are different from Western concepts. Time and place are intertwined, and there is no discrete word for just time in Indigenous languages. This perspective emphasizes the interconnectedness of all things and challenges the linear narrative of time.
The Challenge of Deep Time Diligence
Deep time diligence is crucial for thinking and acting in alignment with the long-term health of the planet. Indigenous knowledge systems prioritize the maintenance and continuity of creation, considering the entangled relationships between humans, non-human beings, and the environment. This perspective calls for collective analysis, constant adaptation, and right relation with the evolving systems of the world.
Story as a Repository of Knowledge
Storytelling plays a vital role in Indigenous cultures as a means of storing and transmitting knowledge across generations. It serves as a long-term repository of data, ensuring the continuity of cultural and ecological wisdom. The permanence of stories and the relational accountability they embody challenges the ephemeral nature of data storage in modern technology.
Right Story vs. Wrong Story
Differentiating between right story and wrong story is essential for navigating the complexity of the world. Right story emerges from the convergence of diverse perspectives and collective analysis, leading to a better understanding of reality. Wrong story, on the other hand, is rigid, unilateral, and often used to manipulate and control narratives. It's important to discern between the two and embrace the transformative power of right stories.
What would it mean to operate from a place of deep time diligence? In this conversation, Tyson Yunkaporta, an Aboriginal scholar and author who belongs to the Apalech Clan in far north Queensland, speaks with Emmanuel Vaughan-Lee about deep-time thinking and the ways it can radically reshape our relationship to the cosmic order. Wondering how we can operate within our obligations to future generations, Tyson urges us, with the same candor and humor that tempers his books, to create story, data, and technology from a place of “right relationship.”