Aboriginal Art and Australian Racial Hegemony: Decolonising Consciousness

Description

This book explores the complexities of Indigenous and non-Indigenous relations in contemporary Australia. It unpacks the continuation of a pervasive colonial consciousness within settler-colonial settings, but also provokes readers to confront their own habits of thought and action. Through presenting a reflexive narrative that draws on the author’s encounters with Indigenous artists and their artwork, knowledge, stories, and lived experiences, this provocative and insightful work encourages readers to consider what decolonising means to them. It presents a compelling and relevant argument that calls for a reorientation of dominant discourses fixed within Eurocentric frameworks, whilst also addressing the deep complexities and challenges of living within intercultural settler-colonial settings where different views and perspectives clash and complement one another. Cover Half Title Title Page Copyright Page Contents Acknowledgements Prologue Introduction A decolonising consciousness Confronting coloniality Locating the field: Broken Hill, Menindee, and Wilcannia Situating the field: Reflexive impressions of place Mediating dialogue through art Cultivating a decolonising consciousness References 1. Developing a decolonising consciousness Colonisation and the 'colonial power matrix' Colonising consciousness Coloniality and decolonisation Decolonising and epistemological privilege References 2. Decolonising through listening, agonism, and border thinking Decolonising and engaged listening Agonism: Living with socio-cultural differences Border thinking Decolonising as a continual commitment to listen and engage References 3. Decolonising methodology: Autonomy, accountability, and reflexivity Approach to fieldwork Reflexivity as method References 4. Decolonising methodology: Art, agency, and reflexivity Art and agency Art and expressions of Aboriginality Knowing one's self through others References 5. Stylistic representations of identity: Art, autonomy, and authenticity 'We don't do dots': Barkindji artistic style 'I miss doing dots': Proclaiming an autonomous identity Far from a hoax: Art in an intercultural setting Notes References 6. Stylistic representations of identity: 'Knowing your roots' Painting your roots Looking forward looking back Art as an affirmation of positive life change Stylistic representations and the fluidity of identity Note References 7. Country and kincentric ecology: Sentiency and Marnpi The ethos of Australia: Mining or Marnpi? Meeting the sentient Kincentric ecology A shared heritage Notes References 8. Country and kincentric ecology: Connecting with and re-encountering country Encountering country Country as praxis and ideology Respect, responsibility, and competing axiologies Shifting the ethos: Decolonising views of the environment Note References 9. The Barka: The sentience of water Contextualising coloniality through water Mapping the landscape: The Barka and the Ngatyi References 10. The Barka: Resisting cultural eviction Cottoning on to water mismanagement A clean glass of water: Comfort as complicity Bridging differences by disrupting the flow Shifting ecological perspectives Synergising competing interests Notes References Conclusion Decolonising the mind Agonism as border thinking A moral responsibility to listen An ongoing commitment Taking ownership of decolonising Reconnecting with place A decolonising consciousness in praxis References Index