International Seaweed Symposium 2023 - First Nations perspectives with Brad
The International Seaweed Symposium (ISS) is a conference held every two years in a different country. This year we were lucky enough for the symposium to be local, at least in a global sense. Over 500 delegates from all over the world traveled to nipaluna (Hobart) for the 24th iteration of the ISS. Those attending were either currently researching seaweed, working in the seaweed industry, or just interested in learning more about seaweed.
PRE-SYMPOSIUM WORKSHOP
The day before the conference was scheduled to begin, a group of First Nations delegates met at piyura kitina (Risdon Cove) for a pre-symposium workshop. We all sat and paid respects to our ancestors for their custodianship of Land and Sea Country and acknowledged the sacrifices they made fighting for our culture and for our survival in the face of colonisation. Hosted by the Tasmanian Aboriginal Corporation (TAC), the workshop was intended to give First Nations delegates the opportunity to gather and share knowledge about our connections to Sea Country and our shared concerns with the current state of the marine environment.
In attendance were palawa people from around Tasmania, who shared observations on the declining health of their marine habitat and coastal ecosystems. They spoke about how palawa shell stringers have witnessed a decline in access to cultural materials such as the mariner shell used in traditional necklaces, baskets, etc., and how ocean acidification and warming is one of the causes for this loss, and how seaweed plays a role in the ecosystems in which the mariner snail depends on. Palawa community members also expressed deep concerns over the detrimental impacts of industrial salmon farming, another industry that has not meaningfully engaged with Traditional Owners and has sought to extract vast profits from one species without consideration to the broader ecosystem.
Wathaurong delegates from Victoria spoke about their connections to Sea Country and how they have worked with academics at Deakin University to bring their knowledge and culture to the forefront of seaweed research. Deakin have fostered good working relationships between Community and research scientists, taking time to build trust and mutual respect. Their work is focused around educating young kids from both cultural and environmental perspectives. They spoke about their local polluted waterways and how seaweed plays a role in cleaning the waters. Wathaurong elders are also concerned about nutrient deficiencies within the Wathaurong community, and how some of their local seaweed species are high in those nutrients. The Wathaurong traditional diet includes seaweed and the delegates are currently actively working to improve the health of their Community by promoting and educating Community on traditional foods such as native seaweed.
Also in attendance were Kāi Tahu delegates from Te Wāhipounamu (South Island) Aotearoa, representing their community as tangata tiaki (cultural guardians). Māori have had customary fishing rights since 1840 with Te Tiriti o Waitangi (the Treaty of Waitangi), and since 1992 these rights have been guaranteed by New Zealand law. Tangata tiaki are authorised by the Minister for Oceans and Fisheries to manage customary activities, enabling customary fishing and management traditions to continue in the rohe moana. Kāi Tahu delegates spoke about an invasive species of kelp called Undaria pinnatifida that is found in their waters and is replacing native kelp forests, harming the marine ecology. They talked about how this introduced species is also quite popular in the food industry. Otherwise known as 'wakame', Undaria pinnatifida is native to Korea and Japan and is a staple part of their diets. Wakame is also in global demand within the food industry, and the Kāi Tahu community have been working with the University of Otago to implement control programs, and also explore ways to commercialise the biomass they remove to help fund further control measures. They spoke about the commercial pressures their oceans face from large companies wanting to commercialise local fisheries, and how their protected areas are managed through implementation of customary fishing rights. These rights enshrined by law allow traditional custodians to determine what level of commercialisation can occur in their waters. This legal right is something that we don't have but need.
We had three delegates from South Australia representing Kaurna and Narungga nations, including myself, Uncle Jeffrey Newchurch and Garry Goldsmith, and similar concerns were shared in regards to the state of our waters, with high nutrient runoff, warming conditions and diminishing fisheries. Other concerns raised by our delegates echoed that of others present, including skepticism around large companies wanting to commercialise local fisheries and farm seaweed in enormous monoculture farms. We talked about the barriers we face to enter the seaweed industry, including access to our waters, lands and capital – again, issues shared by the other delegates. A common thread throughout the workshop was the need for stakeholders from both the private and public sectors to meaningfully engage with First Nations – which means stakeholders need to first spend money and time building relationships and trust prior to beginning discussions around how those communities can work with them or facilitate their vested interests.
The meeting gave us all the opportunity to talk about the current international hype around seaweed and the race for the next wave of corporatisation in our oceans, highlighting our shared concerns for the the health of our respective Sea Country. We all felt it was important to emphasise the need for Governments and private stakeholders to meaningfully engage with Traditional Owners and the lack of this type of engagement to date. We recognised the pressures on oceans from climate change, industrial practices and aquaculture, with specific concerns shared around large companies seeking to profit from our waters. Local communities are burdened with all the risk with any industry, especially new industry. The point was made that local communities shoulder all the risks with industry development, including environmental, social and cultural risks, and therefore all the benefits should stay with those local communities.
This day of gathering and knowledge sharing was a very important part of my time at the conference and informed my overall experience of the symposium. There was another First Nations gathering on the second last day that allowed us to consolidate our thoughts and recommendations for the 25th iteration of the ISS, and this session was hugely beneficial for everyone present. I thank the ISS organisers for giving us the time and space to come together.
SYMPOSIUM DAY 2
Day 2 of the symposium began for me with an exceptional presentation by marine biogeochemistry and kanaka ʻōiwi (Native Hawaiian, lit. person of the bone) PhD candidate Andrew Kalani Carlson. The title of his lecture was “Blue Carbon Science for Indigenous Sovereignty: A Diasporic Kanaka" ʻŌiwi” and was centred around how his research methodology is informed by his Native Hawaiian heritage and worldview. Kalani Carlson's research is being conducted on the traditional lands and waters of the Ainu people, at Hokkaido University in Japan. Although his research is focused on analysing how seasonal variations influence the amount of dissolved organic carbon from the kelp species Saccharina japonica, his presentation was not explicitly about blue carbon potential. The ISS would have been an appropriate forum for this research to be presented, and the many delegates from around the world that filled the room would have been keen to hear about his findings on blue carbon. Kalani Carlson decided to use the platform he was given at the symposium to address the elephant in the scientific room. How can he, as a kanaka ʻōiwi researcher living on Ainu land, conduct his research in a way that does not perpetuate colonisation. He highlights that Ainu do not have sovereignty over their lands and waters. Kalani Carlson argues that researchers all have a standpoint or position in relation to colonisation, and that their research methodologies either disrupt or perpetuate colonisation. There is no middle ground.
Using ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian language), traditional concepts and values Kalani Carlson explains that his kūlana (standpoint or position) is derived from his kuleana (rights, obligations, responsibilities to place) and a holistic approach to ʻāina (land and waters, lit. that which sustains) is essential to ensure that his findings are not framed within what he describes as “the transactional nature of carbon offsets and ecosystem services accounting”. For him, the main goal for his research is to not just conserve the environment but to create systems that thrive – he considers people and the environment as inseparable – and he states that his “kuleana is to ensure knowledge produced by [his] research on macroalgal Blue Carbon sequestration potential advances decolonization and Indigenous sovereignty, particularly for kānaka ʻōiwi and Ainu people. ” He believes his research must be disruptive.
Ultimately, Kalani Carlson accepts that conducting disruptive research within academic institutions is complex and flawed, however in highlighting that in order to disrupt colonisation within academia one must first acknowledge the settler-colonial states that sit above the research being conducted he encourages scientists to use their own kūlana and kuleana when considering how their research can lead to better outcomes for people.
While other presenters chose the traditional conference lecture format, the next presentation I attended on day 2 was a conversation between Wathaurong elder Aunty Judy Dalton-Walsh and Deakin University collaborator Zoë Brittain. This informal way of presenting their work was a kind of circuit breaker for many people in the room. The speed and intensity of the ISS – 500+ delegates racing between 6 different rooms trying to absorb large amounts of information in 10-15minute intervals across five full days – could often feel a bit overwhelming. Aunty Judy and Zoë re-centred people through the art of having a yarn.
Their conversation was titled “In discussion: outcomes and experiences of a collaborative Aboriginal seaweed workshop in south-eastern Victoria” and wove numerous threads on important issues such as the historical and ongoing impacts that colonisation has on traditional seaweed knowledge holders – land removal, child removal, the illegality of language and culture, to name a few. They showed images of the work they're doing with local Community at the Deakin Seaweed Lab and discussed their experiences of running collaborative workshops with school kids to bring that knowledge back to the next generation of Wathaurong people. In amongst the discussion, at the heart of what they were saying was that Universities and institutions have a responsibility to local First Nations to assist in the transfer of knowledge back to Community. But it's not just an obligation to Community. These sorts of institutions have the opportunity to meaningfully collaborate with First Nations, and to engage in “two-way knowledge sharing”. Traditional owners still hold a wealth of information on Land and Sea Country, and our culture is growing stronger with every generation. Aunty Judy highlighted the importance of having young people in these workshops and discussions – a common thread and issue that was raised by multiple other First Nations at the ISS.
The conference proved to be a very worthwhile experience, and for me in particular the opportunity to meet with other First Nations both from here and abroad to share our knowledge and aspirations was the absolute highlight. I look forward to continuing dialogue with these amazing culture warriors, and to following their journeys of ocean custodianship. Make sure to check out Chloe's summary for insight into her experience at the symposium, along with a brief summary of some of the other sessions I sat in on.
Yours in froth.
Brad
