Using Ancient Knowledge for Environmental Sustainability, Healthcare and Cultural Revitalisation

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples of Australia have built an intimate understanding of both the land and the sea and their resources over more than 60,000 years. In this webinar, you will hear from the fully Indigenous owned organisations Native Secrets and South Coast Seaweed and how they are working to revitalise customary knowledge on natural resources and extend on this knowledge in innovative ways leading to positive impacts for our environment and for healthcare. They will share examples of the customary uses of natural resources including plants and seaweeds and their entrepreneurship in creating new products, including working alongside industry and academic scientists.

This webinar is FREE but tickets are limited - registrations are essential.

This Indigenous Science Experience event as part of National Science Week is organised by the National Indigenous Science Education Program (NISEP), Macquarie University. It is made possible through the support of Inspiring Australia and grant funding from the Australian Government.

Presenters:

Sarah and James Thomas, are co-founders of South Coast Seaweed. James is from Yuin Nation and his people are the salt water people of the South Coast New South Wales. Sarah was born in Quirindi and raised in Murrurundi (which means Valley in the Mountains) and grew up along the songlines of the great dividing range, Kamilaroi country NSW. Sarah and James started South Coast Seaweed to reconnect with their culture and create an industry on the South Coast that is sustainable for the future of our marine life and the next generation. https://southcoastseaweed.com.au/

Phil and Cherie Thompson, are co-founders of Native Secrets. Based near Dubbo, central New South Wales, Australia, on Wiradjuri land, they have worked with Elder Peter Peckham to harness knowledge about bush medicines to create healthcare products using wild-harvested native plants. https://nativesecrets.com.au/. The CSIRO, through its Botanical Extracts Laboratory and Cell Biology Team, is assisting Indigenous businesses to develop products through a synergy between First Nations’ traditional knowledge and modern scientific practices. The work with Native Secrets has been supported by the CSIRO’s Kick Start Program (https://www.csiro.au/en/work-with-us/funding-programs/sme/csiro-kick-start/about) which provides innovative Australian start-ups and small businesses with funding support and access to CSIRO’s research expertise and capabilities in order to assist them to grow and develop their businesses.