Koorliny yeye– introductions

This chapter explores the topic of work with Indigenous Australians, particularly focusing on a range of ethical challenges. Rather than starting with a discussion of conventional English conceptions of ethics the authors introduce Noongar frames and discourse concerned with the business of karnya(a good disposition and sensibility).

We use the term Noongar to refer to people living and those who have passed away, who have long-standing cultural affiliations and connections to the south-west corner of Western Australia. Noongar boodjar(country) spreads from roughly north of Jurien Bay (about 250 kilometres north of Perth, the capital of Western Australia); moving inland to north of Moora and down the southern coast between Bremer Bay and east of Esperance (about 750 kilometres south-east of Perth by road). There is evidence that at the point of colonisation there were around 14 different areas with varied geography and spoken dialects. The approximate area of the Single Noongar Native Title Claim is 194,000 square kilometres. In comparison, Scotland is just over 80,000 square kilometres (National Native Title Tribunal, 2003).

Specifically, the chapter examines the place of the following practices: wangkiny kaya boordier (talking to the bosses); gnarl(sweat); birniny (digging and scratching); quop karnya (good and sensitive work); quop koondarn (respect); dabakarn dabakarn (going along steady); wabaliny quop weirn (singing out to the good spirits); boodjar wangkiny (talking to country); maar ni (listening to the wind); and korunkurl moort (becoming family and community).

The history of outsiders working with Indigenous Australian groups is long and often horrifying. To say that Indigenous communities have endured pain and trauma at the hand of governments, church organisations, universities, resource companies, and non-government groups is a dreadful understatement. Partly, this reflects a long and lasting history where the vested interests of outsiders (for example, governments, business, universities, even non-government organisations) usurp the goals and aspirations of Indigenous communities.

In a chapter contemplating ethical work with Indigenous Australians some would expect a discussion about the importance of non-Indigenous people understanding the history of colonial Australia and the systematic marginalisation of Indigenous communities (see Haebich, 1992; Kickett-Tucker et al, 2017).