BTW 45: Sand Talk with Tyson Yunkaporta

Strange Magic Podcast - A podcast by Amanda Yates Garcia, Carolyn Pennypacker Riggs

On today’s episode we’re talking with Tyson Yunkaporta, author of “Sand Talk: How Indigenous Thinking Can Save the World.” Tyson is a senior lecturer in Indigenous Knowledges at Deakin University in Melbourne and is a member of the Apalech clan in Queensland, Australia. "Sand Talk" explains how the teachings of aboriginal culture can help us imagine a way to a sustainable future by emphasizing community and connection over individualism and fragmentation, and by cultivating respect for the land. In this episode, we talk about how even when Western cultures seek out indigenous knowledges, they lack a framework to be able to understand what they're being offered. Indigenous thinking, according to Tyson, is relational. It requires long term connection and commitment to the community and the land. It’s not just about using didgeridoos, or smudge sticks, (or wands and cauldrons as the case may be), it's about engaging with a larger matrix of connectivity that is the TRUE essence of indigenous thinking and way of life.. We're really excited to share this episode with you! Thanks for tuning in!