ReGeneration Rising S2E11: Making Embassy with Tyson Yunkaporta
Aug 15, 2024
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Tyson Yunkaporta, an Aboriginal scholar and author of "Sand Talk," dives deep into the significance of relatedness and community connection. He discusses Indigenous wisdom, emphasizing land stewardship as a means to combat environmental crises. The conversation touches on the resilience of refugee groups and their reliance on mutual aid, contrasting it with experiences in wealthier nations. With heartfelt stories linking love and the land, Tyson showcases how cultural narratives can inspire sustainable practices and strengthen communal bonds.
Understanding Aboriginal law emphasizes relationality to the land, providing a foundation for governance and identity within communities.
The concept of embassy highlights the importance of hospitality and kinship in maintaining relationships across tribal boundaries for harmonious coexistence.
Deep dives
The Concept of First Law and Its Interconnectedness
First law, relating to Aboriginal culture, emphasizes a foundational understanding of relationality that stems from the land. This law is not only foundational in moral and spiritual terms but also serves as the basis for governance and identity within Aboriginal communities. The land holds the stories and laws that govern relationships among individuals and kin, illustrating how personal identities are intricately tied to one's obligations to both human and non-human kin. The discussions highlight that Aboriginal law is dynamic and deeply rooted in the environment, contrasting with more rigid legal frameworks typically seen in modern societies.
Embassy and Relatedness Beyond Borders
The concept of embassy underscores the importance of maintaining relationships that traverse tribal boundaries, emphasizing hospitality and kinship over exclusion. Aboriginal frameworks for borders promote relatedness, suggesting that boundaries exist to facilitate positive relationships between tribes rather than to segregate. This expansive view of relationships is reflected in historical practices of mutual aid and knowledge exchange between different groups, demonstrating a longstanding cultural heritage that encourages cooperation. By fostering these connections, Indigenous communities showcase a model for harmonious coexistence that contrasts sharply with contemporary nationalistic approaches to borders.
The Role of Love and Reciprocity in Community
Love is underscored as a central component that facilitates community connection and ecological stewardship within Indigenous cultures. It is represented as a 'law' or foundational principle that encourages individuals to act with care and responsibility toward the land and one another. By embracing love as a guiding force, communities can navigate the challenges they face while striving to sustain their identities and practices in the modern world. This perspective implies that genuine connection, whether through love or mutual obligation, is essential for regeneration and resilience in the face of systemic challenges.
In this episode, Daniel and Philipa welcome Dr Tyson Yunkaporta back for an extended yarn on relatedness and making embassy through community.
Tyson Yunkaporta is an Aboriginal scholar, educator, maker, researcher, and poet. He is the founder of the Indigenous Knowledge Systems Lab at Deakin University in Melbourne, and the author of two books, the bestselling “Sand Talk: How Indigenous Thinking Can Save the World” and the recently published “Right Story, Wrong Story: Adventures in Indigenous Thinking”. Tyson’s work focuses on applying Indigenous methods of inquiry to resolve complex issues and explore global crises.
Reduced Fellowship offer:In celebration of the launch of Regeneration Rising, we're offering a special promotion for listeners to join our global community of RSA Fellows. Our Fellowship is a network of over 31,000 innovators, educators, and entrepreneurs committed to finding better ways of thinking, acting, and delivering change. To receive a 25% discount off your first year of membership and waived registration fee, visit thersa.org and use the discount code RSAPOD on your application form. Note, cannot be used in conjunction with other discount offers, such as Youth Fellowship. For more information email fellowship@rsa.org.uk.
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