The Traditional Knowledge Revival Pathways (TKRP) project is
coordinated by the Balkanu Cape York Development Corporation based
in Cairns, north Queensland.
The project was initiated in 2001 by the aspirations of the Kuku
Thaypan Elders who wanted their knowledge, beliefs and practices
recorded and preserved for present and future use by their families
and youth.
Avenues for the preservation of Traditional Indigenous Knowledge
are fading and are at risk of being lost forever. Loss of
Traditional knowledge will result in a lessening of
Indigenous Identity and a severe reduction in the recognition and
understanding of an invaluable Sustainable Knowledge System. TKRP
is endeavouring to rescue this knowledge, for the benefit of
Community and Country, before it is too late.
The Kuku-Thaypan Elders, Drs George Musgrave Snr and Tommy
George Snr, are situated in the Cape York region of far north
Queensland, Australia. For many years these Elders have tried to
pass on their knowledge, have it secured, and have it put into
practice to sustain the future of country and community.
This project is based on
- ensuring the survival of cultural knowledge and
- the opportunity to demonstrate practices that have the ability
to ‘innovate’ contemporary management and community
outcomes for the benefit of all generations to come.
TKRP seeks to support Indigenous Elders to Mentor the process of
Indigenous Knowledge Research and recording throughout the
Cape York Peninsula region. The project has a demonstrated
record of success, with a focused methodology, that has been
built over time.
The Project is achieving the following:
- Transfer of traditional knowledge from the Elders to their
young people based on the traditional methods as determined by the
Elders.
- Digitally recording this Traditional Knowledge before it is
lost forever.
- Storing knowledge onto multi-versions of a digital knowledge
base.
- Incorporating traditional knowledge in cooperative land
management strategies and building this practice into “Best
practice principles” in all land management.
- Building and improving the profile of Indigenous Knowledge and
its appreciation with other land managers and users both nationally
and internationally (e.g. pastoralists, government and the general
public).
- Creating practical action, research-driven, projects as live
case studies to better collaborative land and community
management.
TKRP is continuing to develop by assisting the Elders to
conduct their own research on their own terms. The Elders
need vital assistance to pass on their knowledge and most
importantly, to practically implement their inherited cultural
responsibilities in a race against time to rehabilitate our
communities and environment.
