A radical & successful approach to working with Indigenous communities | Denise Hagan | TEDxBrisbane

Traditional western models for 'helping' Aboriginal communities don't work. By turning these models upside down in favour of building authentic relationships and on-the-ground community engagement, Denise Hagan and the Puuya Foundation are empowering a remote Aboriginal community in Cape York, Australia, and delivering successful, life-changing programs. Denise Hagan works at the complicated intersection where the very sincere desire to help remote Aboriginal communities held by governments, philanthropists and nonprofits alike, clashes with entrenched, misinformed and western-centric attitudes to engagement, empowerment, funding and solutions.

[leahthomas]

You are right with what you are saying and thank you for having the guts to get up and say it. At this time some of our parents in central Australia (APY lands) are depressed, oppressed, and do not have the enthusiasm or leadership ideals to do what your community has done. Nor do we have someone like you who can afford to give up their job and put the enormous effort into developing and guiding a foundation. If you know of more people like you, please send them our way.

[karacunningham]

That’s was beautiful to listen to and so refreshing to hear someone slowing down and actually taking a minute to listen. I mean really listen, without judgement & without the input of your own preconceived ideas. Absolutely inspiring 🙌🏻

[davidmoore]

thank you for your wonderful inspiring work Denise Hagan

[andreawaugh]

Every time I watch this and share it with my students, I feel so emotional, ashamed, and feel so angry that the same situation is continuing 14 years later in so many Aboriginal communities

[anthrograd]

American anthropologists figured this out a few decades ago. I'm glad you did. No more top down approach.

[rustid]

Fantastic effort!
Māori in Aotearoa New Zealand have been and are still being suppressed in the same way.
Implicit bias and blatant racism still major issues. The only solution is education.

[georgeberry]

Quá tuyệt vời, quá tuyệt vời cô điều em chờ cũng có rồi 😁 Em cảm ơn cô nhìu 😍

[Dodiwes]

sounds like Canada and the USA as well. Same things happen to Indigenous peoples here.

[adammusic]

It's fantastic to see a change in Government culture and people willing to live out amongst with our indigenous people in rural and marginalised communities to REALLY SEE what they need, and not what the Government THINKS they need. It takes a massive change in mindset to move away from a Government office and actually learn "on the ground" from our people, in their communities and walking (and living for many years) alongside them in their home areas, learning from them and actually ASKING THEM what do they need instead of assuming what they need and then when that initiative fails (because they did what they thought was right for the Government and failed to ask that particular community), not giving any further funding and pulling the pin on the program... That's not the way, we need more people in our communities in central and rural Australia... I think if the Government got in the ears of Churches, Corporate mining companies and other large building companies, surely they could direct more resources (people, funding and caring) to our indigenous communities and taking the time to find out what it is they need, and walking respectfully on their land and not just taking over their sacred places!... I love to see talks like this as it gives hope to all of us that something is indeed changing, albeit slowly, it's still a change!