Embedding Culture at the Centre

10.29910/TJIS.201212.0004

Leanne Holt；Stephanie Gilbert

台灣原住民族研究季刊

5卷4期（2012 / 12 / 01）

83 - 111

英文

原住民與托雷斯海峽島民（Torres Strait）教育中心的核心工作就是支援學生。這些工作主要著重於協助他們完成學業，而安排以文化為基礎的經驗與教育則日漸重要，進入大學的年輕人往往是離鄉背景的，新堡大學（University of Newcastle）的Wollotuka研究所替超過600名原住民與托雷斯海峽島民提供服務。這其中絕大部分都是已經離開學校的學生，他們來到大學是為了學習更廣泛的學科領域。Wollotuka研究所展現了多數的原住民和托雷斯海峽島民學生在學術領域上的卓越，但文化認同、領導能力及個人和專業文化的相互教導仍然是這些學生的持續發展的重要關鍵。這些具有原住民文化背景而就讀於大學的學生，不同於近期才意識到自身文化認同的學生，這些學生在形式種族之下因為自身文化和認同而飽受長期的負面經驗；對學生而言，他們相當幸運能生存在一個強大的族群當中，這些族群中的長者和家人提供他們一生的人生經驗，在這些人生經驗當中對他們對文化和認同的關連充滿了驕傲。Wollotuka研究所通過計劃，並藉由與長者、族群、國家和國際原住民族的合作和參與，以及網際網路與雙向指導取得許多豐碩的成果。在本研究中，我們將探討如何植入傳統文化實踐，如在Wollotuka研究中心舉辦有關確保職員與學生的文化安全的活動時，耆老難得的蒞臨現場指導正在進行的對話和互動那樣。

At the core of the work of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander education centres is the support of students. Whilst often predominantly focused on supporting the students through their academic journey, what has become increasingly crucial is the management of access to cultural based experiences and education. Young people coming to the university often leave their communities and family home. The University of Newcastle's Wollotuka Institute services over 600 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students. The greater numbers of these are school-leaving students who come to the University to study a wide range of discipline areas.The Wollotuka Institute are witnessing a higher number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students excelling academically, however cultural affirmation, leadership and personal and professional cultural mentorship are still vital to the ongoing development of these students. The cultural backgrounds of Aboriginal students studying at the University is diverse from a recent awareness of identity only, to students with a long history of negative experiences in the form of racism related to their culture and identity, to students who are fortunate to have been embedded in a strong community with Elders and family that have provided lifelong lessons that instil a proud sense relating to their culture and identity. Groome and Hamilton (1995), reinforce this cultural diversity of students and discuss a link between an environment that affirms and promotes a strong sense of cultural identity with high academic achievement, pride and positive self-esteem.One of the issues encountered by students is the misperception of both non-Aboriginal and Aboriginal communities that students that achieve high academic results within a western educational system are forgoing their cultural identity and practices. This attitude results in students not actively connecting with the Wollotuka Institute, believing that they have to prove that they are able to take their higher education journey on their own. A message that ensures that Aboriginal individuals and communities are empowered through education in today's contemporary environment is given an international perspective by Taylor, Crago and McAlpine (1993:1) describing it as a 'delicate balance of maintaining heritage culture on the one hand, and pursuing mainstream values on the other'.The Wollotuka Institute achieves strong outcomes through programs that incorporate Elders, community, national and international Indigenous engagement, networking and mentorship. In this discussion we will examine how embedding cultural practices like the valued presence of Elders have assisted the ongoing dialogue we have in The Wollotuka Institute about ensuring the cultural safety of staff and students.

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2. New South Wales Aboriginal Education Consultative Group. 2006. Constitution. (http://www.aecg.nsw.edu.au/constitution.php) (2012/8/7).
3. Groome, H.,Hamilton, A.(1995).,Canberra:Australian Government Publishing Service.
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8. Williams, Robin(2008).Cultural safety; what does it mean for our work practice?.Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health,23(2),213-214.

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