In September 2025, the annual Indigenous Knowledge Educational Workshop centred on the theme of crisis, responding to the growing challenges facing the humanities—from climate change and environmental disasters to war and social anxiety. This year’s program explored how Indigenous communities draw on deep traditions of resilience, care, and place-based knowledge to navigate both natural and social transformations.

The workshop began with a powerful seminar by Professor Valerie Cooms, a Quandamooka woman, who shared insights into the relationship between Country, tourism, and cultural sustainability. Her talk sparked rich reflections on how Indigenous approaches to land and knowledge offer vital lessons for responding to today’s crises.

Students also took part in a walking seminar at theRed Earth Garden at the Australian National Botanic Gardens. Led by researchers, this outdoor session invited participants to reflect on the connections between nature and culture, and how Indigenous knowledge systems adapt to climate change, fire, water, and land management.

The workshop concluded with a guided tour of the Great Southern Land gallery at the National Museum of Australia, led by curator Stephen Munro. This visit highlighted the interwoven histories of people, environments, and colonisation, prompting critical conversations about the legacies of environmental and social change.

Through immersive experiences, dialogue, and reflection, the workshop deepened students’ understanding of Indigenous knowledge systems and their relevance in confronting global crises—past, present, and future.

This is a series of educational programs offered by the ANU Centre for Heritage and Museum Studies.