Embedding indigenous knowledge : seeking new design opportunities at the edge of the cultural interface : an Australian education case study

This paper explores the development of innovative curriculum pathways for highlighting the opportunities for designers in projects focusing on improved emotionally supportive and new practical outcomes for indigenous and non-indigenous communities emerging from historic and current indigenous cultural influences. Key findings from the research propose to embed indigenous knowledges into design education curriculum and related consultations with indigenous education representatives are presented. The cultural professional interface between design undergraduates and their chosen field of study, contexts for their design projects, and linkage to place and the indigenous stakeholders are introduced. The mobility of the designer either virtually or physically to interact with indigenous knowledges globally has never been greater. The prospect of providing serviceable products and useful services which contain both function and meaning by linkage to context is proposed as a desired outcome of the professional designer: catalyst, communicator, facilitator, collaborator, interpreter, citizen.