Mitchell Gibbs — Raising the bar

Managing our coasts with Indigenous knowledges

How deep Indigenous knowledge is crucial to sustaining our coasts.

Western science is not enough to understand our coastal systems. Indigenous (First Nations) knowledge of this continent is needed if we are to restore habitants and create sustainable management practices.

Mitchell will show us how aspects of culture can determine the best place for restoration and the continued care of coastal habitats. He will discuss aspects of this type of knowledge from Australia and overseas.

Bio

Mitchell Gibbs is a Dunghutti man through kinship from Kempsey on the NSW mid-north coast. He works with Indigenous communities around Sydney and in the Worimi nation, as well as in Canada. His focus is to highlight the in-depth ecological knowledge present within culture. Mitchell looks at food sources such as shellfish and how the cultivation of these resources is a form of coastal management.

Mitchell’s work is governed by the Elders he works with and all knowledge stays the knowledge of the Elders and the nation. Having completed a PhD at the University of Sydney, he is using his position to incorporate and gain respect for Indigenous knowledge in the academic world.