Register      Login
Wildlife Research Wildlife Research Society
Ecology, management and conservation in natural and modified habitats
RESEARCH ARTICLE (Open Access)

Yarning up with Doc Reynolds: an interview about Country from an Indigenous perspective

Doc Reynolds A and Liz Cameron https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4455-0288 B *
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Senior Cultural Advisor for the Esperance Tjaltjraak Native Title Aboriginal Corporation, Esperance, WA, Australia. Email: doc@kepakurl.com.au

B School of Architecture and the Built Environment, The University of Newcastle Australia, Callaghan, NSW, Australia.

* Correspondence to: liz.cameron@newcastle.edu.au

Handling Editor: Emilie Ens

Wildlife Research 52, WR24104 https://doi.org/10.1071/WR24104
Submitted: 26 July 2024  Accepted: 17 December 2024  Published: 13 January 2025

© 2025 The Author(s) (or their employer(s)). Published by CSIRO Publishing. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC-ND)

Abstract

This article uses Yarning with Country as a methodological approach where Country plays a pivotal role as an active participant. Our focus is on examining how we learn from and establish respectful, reciprocal, and accountable relationships with Country, as told through the eyes and experiences of knowledge holders, in this case, Doc Reynolds. The knowledge shared about the importance and meaning of Country contributes to advancing ecological-research methodologies to better acknowledge and learn from Indigenous knowledge systems, offering insights into sustainable practices and community engagement within landscapes. This body of knowledge serves as an invitation for Australians to reconceptualise Country, envisioning it both as a noun and a verb. As a noun, Country represents the physical landscape and environment, imbued with cultural significance and history. As a verb, it highlights the dynamic and interactive relationships that exist between people and their environment. This dual understanding encourages a deeper engagement with Country, that it is not merely a backdrop for human activity but a living entity that requires care, respect, and ongoing dialogue.

Keywords: biodiversity, Caring for Country, culture, Indigenous, Yarning.

References

Bowman DMJS, Balch JK, Artaxo P, Bond WJ, Cochrane MA, D’Antonio CM, DeFries R, Johnston FH, et al. (2011) The human dimension of fire regimes on earth. Journal of Biogeography 38(12), 2223-2236.
| Crossref | Google Scholar | PubMed |

Cameron L (2020) ‘Healthy Country, Healthy People’: Aboriginal Embodied Knowledge Systems in Human/Nature Interrelationships. The International Journal of Ecopsychology 1(1), 3.
| Google Scholar |

Cooke P, Fahey M, Ens EJ, Raven M, Clarke PA, Rossetto M, Turpin G (2022) Applying biocultural research protocols in ecology: insider and outsider experiences from Australia. Ecological Management & Restoration 23(S1), 64-74.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |

Eades D (2013) ‘Aboriginal ways of using English.’ (Aboriginal Studies Press: Canberra, ACT, Australia)

Gammage B (2011) ‘The biggest estate on earth: how Aborigines made Australia.’ (Allen & Unwin)

Geia LK, Hayes B, Usher K (2013) Yarning/Aboriginal storytelling: towards an understanding of an Indigenous perspective and its implications for research practice. Contemporary Nurse 46(1), 13-17.
| Crossref | Google Scholar | PubMed |

Hughes M, Barlo S (2021) Yarning with country: an indigenist research methodology. Qualitative Inquiry 27(3–4), 353-363.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |

Macdonald DW, Johnson K (Eds) (2019) ‘Human–wildlife conflict: complexity in the life sciences.’ (Wiley-Blackwell)

Nelson MK, Shilling D (Eds) (2018) ‘Traditional ecological knowledge: learning from indigenous practices for sustainability.’ (Springer)

NSW Government (2024) NSW biodiversity outlook report 2024. Environment and Heritage, Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, Parramatta, NSW, Australia.

Yunkaporta T (2019) ‘Sand talk: How Indigenous thinking can save the world.’ (Text Publishing)