Australian Archaeological Association
Annual Conference 2024

‘The Deep Past and a Shared Future’:

Exploring Archaeology’s Role in Solving the World’s Most Urgent Challenges

This lecture will explore how archaeology can help us tackle some of the world’s most urgent and complex challenges, or ‘wicked problems’. Wicked problems are those that have many interdependent factors and seem impossible to solve. Examples include climate change, poverty, and social injustice. Archaeologists have a unique deep-time perspective on history and culture, which can be invaluable for addressing wicked problems. By studying how societies have responded to challenges such as climate change and environmental degradation in the past, valuable insights can be gained into how to address them and mitigate risk, today and in the future. Equally, by participating in archaeological and heritage activities, people can improve their health and wellbeing including through physical activity, learning, and through social cohesion. This lecture is based on the speaker’s new book on this topic. Like the book, the lecture suggests that, by working with communities and in creative ways across disciplines, archaeologists can play an important and distinct role in finding ‘small wins’ solutions to these wicked problems. I will conclude that such small wins can represent incremental successes that help to build momentum and drive progress towards problem solving.

Jacinta Koolmatrie

Jacinta Koolmatrie is an Adnyamathanha/Ngarrindjeri woman working in Indigenous heritage.

Dawn A. Lewis

Dawn is a woman of Woolwonga (Aboriginal) and British descent currently completing her doctoral research in Indigenous genomics at the University of Adelaide. She has previously gained a Masters of Science in Archaeological Science from the University of Oxford, England and a Bachelor of Science (Hons I) along with a double Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science in archaeology and genetics from the University of New England, Australia. Her current research is diverse; utlising genetic data to repatriate human remains and undertake metagenomic analysis of ancient sediments from archaeological sites. Dawn’s work is performed in consultation with appropriate Traditional Owners and co-designs research projects where possible. She firmly believes that co-design with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples improves the basic science outcomes of a project as well as ensuring benefit for community groups that the community wants. 

Ray Tobler

Ray Tobler is a population geneticist specialising in human genetic history in Sahul and Island Southeast Asia (ISEA), who has made key contributions to our understanding of the global radiation of humans beyond Africa and the peopling of Sahul. Active projects include working with Indigenous groups in ISEA, Australia, and New Guinea to build a detailed understanding of the original settlement and subsequent movements and interactions, as well as the historical interplay between genes, culture, and languages. As a CI in the ARC Centre of Excellence for Indigenous and Environmental Histories and Futures, Ray will increasingly focus on codesigned interdisciplinary studies that interweave genetic data from non-human organisms and sediments with Indigenous knowledges to build detailed temporal records of changing ecological systems, track anthropogenic impacts across time, and spur collaborative efforts to manage and restore country. 

Associate Professor
Kalinda Griffiths

Associate Professor Griffiths is a Yawuru woman of Broome, born and living in Darwin. Director at Poche SA+NT, Research and Education Lead at the Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre Alliance, a visiting fellow at the Centre for Big Data Research in Health at UNSW and is an honorary fellow at Menzies School of Health Research.

An epidemiologist with over 25 years’ experience, she is deeply engaged in policy development across bioethics, data sovereignty and data governance, including holding roles with the National Data Advisory Council for the ONDC, the Principal Committee Indigenous Caucus for NHMRC, and Chairs the DSS LSIC Study.

Greg Pratt

Descendant of the Quandamooka people of Moreton Bay, Greg grew up with the Ghughu Yalanghi people of Cape York. He has extensive experience as an Aboriginal mental health practitioner and has worked in policy, research and health services. Greg led extensive consultations across QLD in 2018 for “GenetiQs”; developing guidelines for genomic research involving Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples. In 2019, heled efforts to develop a suite of genomic health literacy resources for First Nations peoples of Queensland. In 2020-21 his team worked with community controlled, primary and public health services to identify workforce needs for a coordinated care model for precision medicine at the primary health intersect. He is also principal investigator on a suite of  research projects in the mental health and social and emotional wellbeing feild. Over the past 3 years, Greg has led more than 80 community engagements across Queensland. He is passionate about and committed to supporting the research sector to realise its responsibility to benefit and empower Aboriginal and Torres Strait sovereignty, equity and equitable access to health and health research. 

Professor John Schofield

Professor John Schofield is Director of Studies in Cultural Heritage Management in the Archaeology Department at the University of York (UK). He also holds adjunct positions at Griffith and Flinders universities (Australia), and is Docent in Contemporary Archaeology and Cultural Heritage at the University of Turku (Finland). John is a fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London, a Corresponding Fellow of the Australian Humanities Academy, a member of the Punk Scholars Network, and a Member of the Chartered Institute for Archaeologists. He has previously served as Executive Editor of the Taylor and Francis journal World Archaeology and is currently on the Editorial Advisory Board of Australian Archaeology.

Following a PhD in archaeology at Southampton University, John spent 21 years in policy, heritage protection and research leadership with English Heritage (now Historic England), one of the UK’s lead heritage agencies. During this time he developed an active research interest in contemporary archaeology as well as recognising the wider societal benefits to be achieved through cultural heritage and archaeology. John was then appointed to the University of York in 2010, going on to serve as Head of Archaeology from 2012-2018. Recent projects and publications represent collaboration across diverse disciplines including marine biology, music, health sciences and public policy. John has ten authored books and fifteen edited books, alongside over 150 peer-reviewed papers and chapters. His research has taken him to Australia, the American Midwest and the South Pacific, amongst many other places. John’s latest book, ‘Wicked Problems for Archaeologists’, forms the basis of his keynote lecture.

John Tweets as @JohnSchofYork, and DJs as Unofficial: Hippocampus when time allows.

David Johnston-Pitt

When David Johnston was a boy, he keenly explored the caves near his home, leading his mother to suggest he might become an archaeologist. Later, he became one of the first Indigenous Australians to gain a degree in archaeology, graduating from ANU with Honours and completing a Master degree in London.

Conserving the nation’s Aboriginal heritage is Dave’s passion. As a consultant archaeologist for 27 years, he has worked on more than 2,000 heritage projects across eastern Australia from Cape York to Point Nepean.

In 2014, he was awarded the Sharon Sullivan National Heritage award for his outstanding contribution to the Indigenous heritage environment and his continuing influence on practice.

Dave has had a remarkable career and is recognised as a world leader in the field of Australian Indigenous archaeology.

He has made important contributions to the field and its development at Australian universities as well as working to ensure an Indigenous perspective and voice in the study and teaching of Australian archaeology.

His contributions have been recognised internationally. He was involved in the development of a code of ethics for the World Archaeological Congress and also drove the adoption of a code of ethics by the Australian Archaeological Association.
He was instrumental in the development of the Australian Government’s guidelines for Indigenous heritage and was a member of the AIATSIS Research Ethics Committee that developed the Guidelines for Ethical Research in Australian Indigenous Studies.

Dr Galina Ellwood

(pronounced gula-na)

I am an Aborigine of the Nunukul/Ngugi tribes of the Quandamooka people of Moreton Bay and the Buchulla people of K’gari through my great Grandfather. I am also Guwa/ Innungai of Winton through my great Grandmother. I grew up in Cairns and have close familial and cultural connections with the Yirrganydji and Gugu Yalanji peoples.  I have worked in the cultural heritage field at both government and grass roots levels as an archaeologist, physical anthropologist and Indigenous historian since the late 1980s in NSW and Qld. I used to complain that “I can look after everyone else’s culture and heritage but never my own,” that changed once I retired from doing field and research archaeology. I sometimes wonder which is harder, looking after other people’s culture and heritage, or being an Elder. My time is now taken up with publishing, visiting the country and places of our stories, writing our family’s shared history and passing on our knowledge and culture to the younger and the not so younger generations.

Nathan Tikigeer Woolford

Nathan Tikigeer Woolford, a Gooreng Gooreng man, is disrupting the colony, one day at a time. With over twenty-five years of experience, he is one of Australia’s leading authorities on Aboriginal heritage, culture, and engagement. His journey has taken him through diverse realms including heritage and collection management, native title, archaeology, anthropology, education, mediation, negotiation, compliance, policy, and research.

Nathan’s expertise has seen him serve in various capacities – as principal, executive, manager, subject matter expert, and expert witness. His collaborations span a broad spectrum, with many Aboriginal groups and communities across Australia, to large and small corporations, and from local to federal government bodies. He holds a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Anthropology and Archaeology, and a Graduate Diploma in Philosophy from the University of Queensland.

In 2022, Nathan joined Flinders University, where he lectures in Indigenous Studies, Museology, and Archaeology. He is also undertaking a PhD, working on a thesis entitled “Culture versus Commodity.” He is a current recipient of the Professor Lowitja O’Donoghue Indigenous Student Postgraduate Research Scholarship, and a previous recipient of the Neville Bonner Memorial Scholarship and the Daryl West Prize.

Annie Ross

Annie Ross is a retired archaeologist—which means she continues to work full time! She worked at the University of Queensland teaching cultural heritage management for almost 25 years, having come to UQ from the industry sector. Annie worked for the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service and the (then) Queensland Department of Environment and Heritage as a cultural heritage manager for over ten years prior to joining UQ. She holds a PhD in Archaeology from Macquarie University and has almost 50 years experience working in Aboriginal heritage management. Her most recent projects are: the collaborative mapping of the Gummingurru stone arrangement site and associated cultural landscapes; the development of a cultural heritage management plan for Calga—a significant women’s site on the Central Coast of New South Wales—working with Darkinjung and Guringai women; and working with Dandrubin-Gorenpul Traditional Owners of Terrangerri (North Stradbroke Island) on the significance of both tangible and intangible heritage and cultural landscapes. Annie also works with the Butchulla Aboriginal Corporation on issues relating to management of K’gari World Heritage Area. Annie is Editor-in-Chief of the Association’s journal, Australian Archaeology.

Babani Robyne Bancroft

Gumbaingerri born of Bundjalung/Thungutti descent, Robyne Bancroft’s people come from the northeast coast of New South Wales. For many generations since colonisation, her family (matrilineally) have passed on their genealogies and oral traditions.

Robyne Bancroft is a Goori Australian woman who has done much to bolster and broaden the identity of Aborigines, Archaeology and women in the ACT area and beyond. Gumbaingerri born of Bundjalung/Thungutti descent, Bancroft’s people come from the northeast coast of New South Wales.

Proudly stemming from a strong matrilineal line, she is part of her family’s many generations of women on the matrilineal side since colonisation who continue their genealogies and oral traditions. While early white male anthropologists sought to learn about the lives of Aborigines by consulting solely with men, a whole female tradition was neglected. In the 1960s Bancroft’s grandmother, born in 1905 and fluent in three dialects, encouraged her to tell the tales to keep their traditions alive:
‘Now, they come to ask us our stories – now, when most of us have forgotten so much. We have been so caught up in living day to day, and now there are very few of us left. Look who’s here – only three or four of us left. It’s time for you to come home my girl, keep our stories going, and take over doing what I do – talking to everyone about Goori people and our heritage.’

Perhaps tackling the field of archaeology and anthropology was a further way Bancroft could follow her grandmother’s wishes and spread the ways of her people. Even if this meant undertaking studies at the Australian National University as a mature age, single mother with a family, she was not to be deterred.

Through her academic pursuits and as an Indigenous heritage consultant, Robyne Bancroft has striven to improve the understanding of Indigenous Australians by facilitating communication and consultation. Becoming a founding member of the Indigenous Archaeological Association (IAA), an independent archaeological body that represents the interests of indigenous archaeologists and provides a voice for Aboriginal people on archaeological issues is one such example. Her role as an Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Officer with Forests NSW is another. Creating active consultation between State Forests and Aboriginal communities has aimed to develop systems that better consider the landscape context of sites, thereby offering more efficient protection with the concurrent benefit of Aboriginal communities becoming more fundamentally involved in decision making.

Bancroft strongly believes including Aboriginal people in consultative processes is the most effective way to develop policy which is most beneficial to Aboriginal Australians. Her positions on several cultural heritage committees, as the Aboriginal Representative on the International Council of Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) and her involvement in repatriation of ancestral human remains are some of the ways Bancroft contributes to a more holistic approach to Aboriginal Indigenous cultural heritage. As a founding member of the ACT Heritage Council and of the Multifunctional Aboriginal Children’s Services (MACS), Australians for Reconciliation Coordinator for the ACT and region and as an adviser on indigenous issues to the ACT Chief Minister, Robyne Bancroft has contributed greatly to dialogue within the Canberra region and beyond.

SING Panel: Indigenous Genomics

SING Australia hosts an annual Indigenous Genomics workshop for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander / Zenadth Kes peoples. Presentations are offered by highly esteemed academics in a variety of fields related to genomics including data sovereignty, cultural safety, ancient human DNA, modern medicine genomics and environmental DNA. Discussions are facilitated between professionals, researchers, academics, community members and undergraduate  attendees to address arising concerns in the use of Indigenous genomics data. The overarching philosophy of SING is to empower Indigenous communities to make their own decisions about their data. 

AIAA Panel: Celebrating Shared Knowledge: Looking Back to Looking Forward

Over the past 30 (more like 50) years, archaeologists and heritage managers on the one hand, and Indigenous Australian communities on the other, have been working together in increasingly collaborative ways. ‘Shared knowledge’ has been coined to describe the modern collaborations between archaeologists and Indigenous Australians, emphasising that research/heritage management projects should not only be shared between Indigenous Australian and Western practitioners, but should also be lead Indigenous Australian communities. Western and Indigenous Australian share together so that research and management is primarily with, by and for Indigenous Australians. In this AIAA Panel, we celebrate achievements in shared knowledge in research and heritage management. We look back at past successes and how these have underscored the evolution in working together that we see today. We also look forward to where shared knowledge might take us in the future.