Indigenous relational understandings of the house-as-home: embodied co-becoming with Jerrinja Country

Abstract

The paper considers what housing studies can learn from Indigenous understandings of the house-as-home. Explored through Indigenous ontologies and epistemologies of the house-as-home, the objective of the paper is to offer nuanced understandings of the social and material work of the house itself in the making and unmaking of home. We draw on an Indigenous/non-Indigenous collaborative research, led by Jerrinja elders. The research design included veranda yarning sessions and Indigenous talking circles. Three dimensions emerged strongly from Jerrinja people’s understandings of the making and unmaking of house-as-home: home as an objective capacity, an aesthetic sensibility, and an affective experience of Country. These dimensions are discussed through a relational framework that combines Panelli’s discussion of ‘Country-as-home’, Prout’s idea of ‘kinship-as-home’ and Bissell’s thinking around materiality in achieving comfort. The paper concludes by reflecting on the importance of including Indigenous knowledge if housing studies as a field is to go beyond a Western cultural politics of the house-as-home.

Keywords:

• Indigenous
• Jerrinja
• Country
• kinship
• more-than-human
• storytelling-as-method

Acknowledgements

This research collaboration was made possible by several people beyond the named authors and co-researchers. Notable thanks go to the Jerrinja community and Local Aboriginal Land Council (JLALC), the non-for-profit organization ALL Sustainable Futures (ASF) and academic staff from the School of Geography and Sustainable Communities (SGSC). With special thanks to Rebecca Woods (JLALC), Lisa Miller (ASF), Alex McNeilly (ASF), Associate Professor Michael Adams (SGSC) and Professor Andrew Gorman-Murray (Geography and Urban Studies, Western Sydney University), additional thanks are due to the editors and three referees whose constructive engagement have much enriched the argument and strengthened the paper.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

1 In using the term ‘tenancy’ we do not imply inferiority or passivity of Indigenous peoples to the imposition of social housing regulations.

2 The UOW research team involved one Australian-born researcher of Australian-Indian descent, one Scottish-born and one Irish-born migrant, both of whom have lived long-term in Australia.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Hilton Penfold

Hilton Penfold is a PhD candidate with the Australian Centre of Culture, Environment, Society and Space (ACCESS) at the University of Wollongong (UOW). His research interests and publications cover Indigenous geographies, household sustainability and tiny houses. His PhD research focuses on everyday life in tiny houses drawing on a political ecology of the body theoretical approach.

Gordon Waitt

Gordon Waitt is a Senior Professor and Head of the School of Geography and Sustainable Communities, University of Wollongong, Australia. Gordon currently teaches qualitative research methods. His current research interest focus on vulnerable bodies including cyclists, senior drivers and low-income households.

Pauline McGuirk

Pauline McGuirk is a Senior Professor and Director of UOW’s Australian Centre for Culture, Environment, Society and Space. Pauline is an urban political geographer. She is currently a co-editor of Progress in Human Geography.

Alfred Wellington

Alfred Wellington is a Jerrinja man from Orient Point, NSW, and the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Jerrinja Aboriginal Land Council (LALC). In his role, Alfred is responsible for a number of consultative and administrative roles, and has taken a number of steps towards building capacity, connecting with culture and enhancing sustainability in the Jerrinja community. Prior to this role, Alfred held positions as a Community Development Officer with the Jerrinja LALC and as a Community Project Coordinator with the National Parks and Wildlife Services. Alfred grew up learning culture from elders, especially his Grandfather. Alfred’s mother was a great mentor who taught him the value of fighting for the protection of cultural heritage and sites of significance.