LAtitude | Indigenous engagement and perspectives of plants

LATITUDE | INDIGENOUS ENGAGEMENT AND PERSPECTIVES OF PLANTS (RE-RUN)

Back by popular demand! Don't miss joining Barkandji researcher, writer and passionate plant enthusiast Zena Cumpston for an online workshop that explores Indigenous engagement and perspectives of plants.

Together we will consider the ongoing effects of colonisation and how this may manifest in the ways we interact with and connect to the Traditional Owner communities and cultural landscapes we live on and work within. This informal and interactive workshop will empower you to consider respectful relationships with Aboriginal communities and plant knowledge, working towards true allyship and decolonial practices.

Together we will examine our personal positionality and what it means for us to work towards decolonising practices and how we may move forward together to empower people and Country.

All are welcome. We especially encourage emerging/early career landscape architects to join in this dynamic conversation.

Delivery:
This latest LATITUDE workshop will be delivered on Thursday 24 July 2025 and run from 2:30PM-5:00PM AEST online on Zoom. (Places are limited so be sure to register your spot before we sell out)

Objectives of the Workshop:
- Provide participants with perspectives that will empower them to consider respectful collaboration and empowerment of Aboriginal communities
- Empowerment of decolonial practices and respectful engagement, opening pathways to see plants and Country more holistically and as part of cultural landscapes
- Examine widespread practices in relation to engagement with Indigenous knowledge of plants with a particular focus on recognising extractive practices and power imbalances
- Provide participants with many resources to enable them to come into a deeper relationship with plant kin and to better understand the depth and breadth of Indigenous knowledge of plants
- Provide participants with resources that empower long-term self-education in understanding and empowering Aboriginal communities and their aspirations on Country.

Learning Outcomes:
- Resources to assist long-term learning and engagement with Indigenous knowledge of plants
- Provide participants with insights into historical and contemporary problems that have led to a lack of reciprocal benefit in the application of Indigenous knowledge by non-Indigenous practitioners
- Encourage further and ongoing learning through providing tools to examine our individual responsibility
- A consideration of reciprocity as a foundation to respectful engagement; what true reciprocity looks like and how it may be achieved
- More culturally competent and respectful engagement with Indigenous communities and their knowledge systems.

Audience:
All are welcome – no prior learning is expected or required. This online two and half hour workshop will be equally beneficial for those who have worked extensively with Aboriginal communities and those who have not yet had an opportunity to engage at all, and anything in between. Whilst this exploration will touch upon some heavy histories and issues it aims to be generous, gentle, respectful and generative.

Please note, this will be an interactive workshop exploring multiple aspects of Indigenous engagement and will not delve into technical plant selection or design.

Presenter Bio:

ZENA CUMPSTON

Zena Cumpston is a Barkandji woman working as a writer, artist, curator and consultant. She was co-author of several chapters of the Federal Government’s 2021 State of the Environment report and is co-author of ‘Plants: past present future’ as part of the First Knowledges series. Zena's multidisciplinary practice is centred around protecting and celebrating Country and community. She was recently appointed to the Birrarung Council, working alongside a dedicated team that includes Wurundjeri and Bunurong Elders to protect and empower the Birrarung as a living entity.