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Facilitating Sustainable Disaster Risk Reduction in Indigenous Communities: Reviving Indigenous Worldviews, Knowledge and Practices through Two-Way Partnering

Author

Listed:
  • Tahir Ali

    (College of Health and Human Sciences, Charles Darwin University, Darwin 0810, Australia)

  • Petra Topaz Buergelt

    (Faculty of Health, University of Canberra, Canberra 2617, Australia)

  • Douglas Paton

    (College of Health and Human Sciences, Charles Darwin University, Darwin 0810, Australia
    Adjunct Professor, Faculty of Health, University of Canberra, Canberra 2617, Australia)

  • James Arnold Smith

    (Wellbeing and Preventable Chronic Conditions, Menzies School of Health Research, Darwin 0810, Australia)

  • Elaine Lawurrpa Maypilama

    (College of Indigenous Futures, Arts & Society, Charles Darwin University, Darwin 0810, Australia)

  • Dorothy Yuŋgirrŋa

    (Yalu Marŋgithinyaraw, Galiwin’ku, East Arnhem Land, The Northern Territory 0822, Australia)

  • Stephen Dhamarrandji

    (Yalu Marŋgithinyaraw, Galiwin’ku, East Arnhem Land, The Northern Territory 0822, Australia)

  • Rosemary Gundjarranbuy

    (Yalu Marŋgithinyaraw, Galiwin’ku, East Arnhem Land, The Northern Territory 0822, Australia)

Abstract

The Sendai Framework of Action 2015–2030 calls for holistic Indigenous disaster risk reduction (DRR) research. Responding to this call, we synergized a holistic philosophical framework (comprising ecological systems theory, symbolic interactionism, and intersectionality) and social constructionist grounded theory and ethnography within a critical Indigenous research paradigm as a methodology for exploring how diverse individual and contextual factors influence DRR in a remote Indigenous community called Galiwinku, in the Northern Territory of Australia. Working together, Indigenous and non-Indigenous researchers collected stories in local languages using conversations and yarning circles with 20 community members, as well as participant observations. The stories were interpreted and analysed using social constructivist grounded theory analysis techniques. The findings were dialogued with over 50 community members. The findings deeply resonated with the community members, validating the trustworthiness and relevance of the findings. The grounded theory that emerged identified two themes. First, local Indigenous knowledge and practices strengthen Indigenous people and reduce the risks posed by natural hazards. More specifically, deep reciprocal relationships with country and ecological knowledge, strong kinship relations, Elder’s wisdom and authority, women and men sharing power, and faith in a supreme power/God and Indigenous-led community organizations enable DRR. Second, colonizing practices weaken Indigenous people and increase the risks from natural hazards. Therefore, colonization, the imposition of Western culture, the government application of top-down approaches, infiltration in Indigenous governance systems, the use of fly-in/fly-out workers, scarcity of employment, restrictions on technical and higher education opportunities, and overcrowded housing that is culturally and climatically unsuitable undermine the DRR capability. Based on the findings, we propose a Community-Based DRR theory which proposes that facilitating sustainable Indigenous DRR in Australian Indigenous communities requires Indigenous and non-Indigenous partners to genuinely work together in two-directional and complementary ways.

Suggested Citation

  • Tahir Ali & Petra Topaz Buergelt & Douglas Paton & James Arnold Smith & Elaine Lawurrpa Maypilama & Dorothy Yuŋgirrŋa & Stephen Dhamarrandji & Rosemary Gundjarranbuy, 2021. "Facilitating Sustainable Disaster Risk Reduction in Indigenous Communities: Reviving Indigenous Worldviews, Knowledge and Practices through Two-Way Partnering," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(3), pages 1-28, January.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:3:p:855-:d:483477
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Allan Dale & Karen Vella & Sarah Ryan & Kathleen Broderick & Rosemary Hill & Ruth Potts & Tom Brewer, 2020. "Governing Community-Based Natural Resource Management in Australia: International Implications," Land, MDPI, vol. 9(7), pages 1-17, July.
    2. Sangha, Kamaljit K. & Preece, Luke & Villarreal-Rosas, Jaramar & Kegamba, Juma J. & Paudyal, Kiran & Warmenhoven, Tui & RamaKrishnan, P.S., 2018. "An ecosystem services framework to evaluate indigenous and local peoples’ connections with nature," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 31(PA), pages 111-125.
    3. Kerstin Zander & Lisa Petheram & Stephen Garnett, 2013. "Stay or leave? Potential climate change adaptation strategies among Aboriginal people in coastal communities in northern Australia," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 67(2), pages 591-609, June.
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    Cited by:

    1. Lynne Keevers & Deborah Gough & Jacqui Cameron & Anthony McKnight & Saskia Ebejer & Susan Duchesne & Adam Gowen & Karen Fildes & Maria Mackay, 2024. "Practices Supporting Community Recovery and Healing from Climate-Related Disasters: A Systematic Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 21(6), pages 1-26, June.
    2. Simon Graham & Ilias Kamitsis & Michelle Kennedy & Christina Heris & Tess Bright & Shannon K. Bennetts & Kimberley A Jones & Renee Fiolet & Janine Mohamed & Caroline Atkinson & Catherine Chamberlain, 2022. "A Culturally Responsive Trauma-Informed Public Health Emergency Framework for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Communities in Australia, Developed during COVID-19," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(23), pages 1-16, November.
    3. Bih-Chuan Lin & Chun-Hung Lee, 2023. "Conducting an adaptive evaluation framework of importance and performance for community-based earthquake disaster management," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 115(2), pages 1255-1274, January.

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