The Improving Indigenous Research Capabilities project workshop, Sustaining Relations Between Makassans and Yolŋu: living history in the present and future, brought together Yolŋu, Makassan and other experts from Indonesia and Australia in a cultural exchange of information and data between knowledge holders and institutions in Indonesia and Australia. Historical and contemporary data sharing relies on critical relationships that support such exchanges. Thus, discussions focused on future research and cultural collaborations exploring the centuries-long relationships between peoples from Makassar, South Sulawesi, and Indigenous peoples of Northern Australia.
Improving Indigenous Research Capabilities (IIRC) is a focus area of the ARDC’s HASS and Indigenous Research Data Commons. The activity is extending the Indigenous Data Catalogue, resources and extensions, and foundational Indigenous research data tools and infrastructure. Its overall goal is to enable Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and researchers at the interface of research data science and Indigenous knowledge systems to have access to effective research data tools.
Yolŋu, from North-East Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory, are among many coastal Aboriginal peoples with centuries-old connections with seafarers from Makassar in South Sulawesi, often collectively referred to as Makassans. There is a wealth of research on this subject; however, much of this body of knowledge has been extractive rather than collaborative research co-produced with Indigenous knowledge holders.
Sustaining Relations Between Makassans and Yolŋu: living history in the present and future, facilitated by the Indigenous Data Network, took place in Darwin on Larrakia Country and in Yirrkala and surrounds on Yolŋu Country in August 2024.
The purpose of the Workshop was to foster new and ongoing connections and collaborations between multiple Yolŋu clans and people from South Sulawesi, Australian and Indonesian universities, and arts and cultural institutions to progress and enable knowledge sharing. A long-term goal of this work is to develop shared data repositories supported by appropriate bilateral Indigenous Data Governance protocols that promote truth-telling of our shared pre-colonial histories.
The Workshop activities were attended by Elders, researchers, artists, arts workers, rangers, educators, and other community members and stakeholders. Attendees from Makassar included Professor Muhlis Hadrawi (Hasanuddin University), Nurabdiansyah (Makassar State University and Macassan Arts, Research and Global Encounters (MAREGE) Institute) and Abdi Karya (MAREGE Institute). Key Yolŋu contributors included Renelle Gondarra (Miwatj Health), Mervin Garawirrtja (Arnhem Land Progress Association) and Jacinta Burukumalawuy (Milingimbi Art and Culture), Timmy Djawa II Burarrwanga (Dhimurru Aboriginal Corporation), Djapirri Mununggirritj (Miwatj Health) and Arian Ganambarr-Pearson (Buku-Larrnggay Mulka Centre). Melbourne University-based Investigators from the IIRC Project included Professor Marcia Langton (Project Lead), A/Professor Kristen Smith, Professor Aaron Corn, Professor Lisa Palmer, Dr Anthea Skinner, Levi Murray and James Pilbrow. Other attendees included Jenny Fewster (Director, ARDC HASS and Indigenous Research Data Commons) and Ayesha Bux (Director, SalamFest).
The first day of the Workshop was held in Darwin and comprised of visits to the collections at the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory (MAGNT) and the exhibition Taripang / Dharripa / Trepang at the Northern Centre for Contemporary Art (NCCA).
The MAGNT staff provided an overview of the wealth of relevant artefacts and archival material in the museum’s collection. During this visit, Yolŋu and Makassan participants offered MAGNT staff with additional and more accurate information regarding relevant objects and data held by the institution.
The Taripang / Dharripa / Trepang exhibition, which was fortunately showing at the time of the Workshop, is a rare cross-border curation showcasing the living intercultural histories shared across Northern Australia and Eastern Indonesia. The exhibition included collaborative works from Workshop participant, Abdi Karya, and Buku-Larrngay Mulka Art Centre. The exhibition curator, Petrit Abazi, provided a guided tour for the Workshop participants. During this tour, workshop knowledge holders (Renelle Gondarra, Professor Muhlis, Nurabdiansyah, and Abdi Karya) provided additional detailed knowledge to the curator and the group.
The Workshop participants subsequently travelled to the Miwatj (Sunrise) region of Northeast Arnhem Land for a two-day program held at the Buku-Larrnggay Mulka Centre in Yirrkala. During these two days, presentations and discussions focused on various recent and ongoing collaborative research and arts and culture projects. Presentations and discussions were conducted across three languages (Yolŋu Matha, Bahasa and English), with formal and informal translations undertaken in real time. Many Yolŋu stakeholders from the area attended these days, including some who travelled from the remote outstations of Bawaka and Rorruwuy.
The Workshop also featured a special community screening of Will McCallum’s film, Waŋgany Mala, at Buku-Larrnggay Art Centre. The film, which was developed over the course of five years, tells the story of Nirmala Syarifuddin Baco, a young Muslim woman building a traditional Makassan sailing ship (pinisi/prau) and prominently features the connection between her journey and the historical ties between Makassar and Australia.
The two-day program in Yirrkala, facilitated by James Pilbrow, featured presentations from Professor Muhlis, Professor Langton, Abdi Karya, Ayesha Bux, Nurabdiansyah, Ayesha Bux, Jenny Fewster and A/Prof Smith.
Discussions focusing on Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property and Indigenous Data Sovereignty were key themes addressed at the Workshop. Mervin Garawirrtja spoke of the need for future discussions to include representatives from all seven Yolŋu groups who shared a legal system that governed Makassan trade and industry on Yolŋu land and sea Country. His clan are the Birrkili-Gupapuyŋu, one of those groups. Mulka Project Studio Manager Arian Pearson noted that ‘it’s important that Yolŋu and Makassan people own the property and narratives of their relationship and history’ and proposed the creation of a Yolŋu-Makassan Collaborative Working Committee to research, preserve and deepen these longstanding relationships. This proposed committee would comprise Yolŋu leaders, creatives, Makassan communities, Indonesian organisations, and academics from Australian universities, with a long-term vision of fostering international relationships and Indigenous-led data governance frameworks.
On 23 August 2024, 19 signatories signed a Letter of Support, agreeing to engage all the relevant Indigenous corporations, knowledge holders and other entities to seek their endorsement and collaboration and ensure that proper cultural protocols are followed, and permissions are granted on all future projects on this subject.
Learn more about Improving Indigenous Research Capabilities.
The Improving Indigenous Research Capabilities project received investment (doi.org/10.3565/pr3g-s109) from the ARDC. The ARDC is enabled by the Australian Government’s National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy (NCRIS).
