First Nations women, cultural fire knowledge, wellbeing and memory

This project will focus on the Indigenous Women’s Training Exchange Far North Queensland (FNQ) Australia event to be held in May 2025. 

The project seeks to capture the emotional, social, physical and spiritual wellbeing of participants according to age demographics and role (i.e., direct participant and support roles) before, during and after burning sessions and pre- and post-event. 

Stakeholders request the researcher/research team to attend several event working group meetings to support the identification of key activities during the event that would support the research. 

The researcher/research team will be expected to attend the 12-day program in Far North Queensland to be held in May 2025 across Ewamain Country, Tableland Yidinji Country, Gimuy Country and Gunggandji Mandingalbay Yidinji Country. 

There are several anticipated outcomes with national relevance: 

• How cultural burning, gathering and knowledge exchange can be a protective factor in building disaster resilience with First Nations partners, First Nations staff and First Nations communities more broadly, especially with engagement of women. 

• Evidence on how to reframe relationships with fire from fear-based narratives to working with fire for wellbeing. 

• A better understanding of the impacts of sharing and exchanging cultural knowledge between First Nations peoples locally and internationally.