Melaythenner Teeackanna Warrana Aboriginal Corporation (MTWAC) is an Aboriginal community-controlled organisation with strong governance through our board of directors and circle of Elders. In the past few years, we have grown from a fully voluntary organisation to employing eighteen people and establishing our Tebrakunna Country Rangers team. We are working towards self-determination and one pathway to achieve this through collaborative research partnerships.
This presentation will outline the importance of effective governance in developing strong collaborative partnerships and our ability to identify our own research priorities. Using an integrated, place-based approach through an Indigenous led project with the National Environmental Science Program and other collaborations between funding bodies has allowed MTWAC to enhance our capacity to do collaborative research on land and sea Country starting with our own priorities and cultural leadership. We outline the importance of co-design and Healthy Country Planning to identify research priorities and identify the roles of MTWAC Indigenous researchers, board of directors, community members, Elders and Tebrakunna Country Rangers who are working with research institutions.
Important mechanisms for intergenerational knowledge transfer will be described, including a Healthy Country Plan, wellbeing framework, cultural seasonal calendar, along with the processes used to build on cultural knowledge for healthy Country and healthy people.
We will also provide insights about how we are collaborating with researchers to improve our understanding and conservation outcomes for species of cultural significance, such as giant kelp.