Australia Awards South and West Asia

On 25 October 2024, Australia Awards – Nepal organised an Alumni Forum on First Nations Peoples in Kathmandu. The main feature of the Forum was a conversation between alum Dr Sujata Tamang and Alice Tamang, Australia Awards – South Asia & Mongolia’s Indigenous Engagement Adviser. The discussion covered various aspects of First Nations Peoples from both Australia and Nepal.

Alice highlighted that Australia is home to over 250 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Nations. She explained that Aboriginal Nations are spread across the mainland and some islands, while Torres Strait Islanders originate from islands located at the northern tip of Queensland, between Australia and Papua New Guinea. Although they share some similarities, each of these Nations has its own distinct language, culture and ancestral land.

Alice also highlighted that Australia’s First Nations Peoples have strong ties to their Country, family and culture. She said, “connection to Country is a fundamental part of who we are as First Nations Peoples. When we talk about Country, it goes beyond the physical landscape to encompass our ancestors, stories, plants, animals and cultural practices, all deeply intertwined. Our connection to Country extends back over 65,000 years, making us the world’s oldest continuing cultures.”

Dr Tamang (left) in conversation with Alice (right) during the Forum.

Similarly, she emphasised that family is at the heart of First Nations Peoples’ lives. This encompasses not only immediate family and relatives, but also “a broad network of kinship ties that connect us to each other, shaping our roles within the community, and guiding how we care for one another”. It is through these family members that First Nations Peoples pass on their cultural knowledge, language and stories.

Each Aboriginal Nation has its own stories and traditions, and storytelling is fundamental to First Nations Peoples’ culture. Alice said, “it happens not just verbally but through art, dance, song and language, with each Nation having its own unique expressions”. She added, “Stories vary across Nations, but always emphasise interconnectedness and balance in the natural environment. [Storytelling] shapes our identity and our worldview, guiding our responsibilities to care for the land, animals and each other.”

During the conversation, Dr Tamang also shed light on Nepal’s indigenous nationalities, broadly known as Adivasi Janajati. In Nepal, 59 communities identify themselves as indigenous nationalities. According to the 2011 census, there are 123 languages spoken in Nepal; more than 90% of these languages belong to indigenous peoples. Like First Nations Peoples in Australia, Nepal’s indigenous nationalities enjoy unique cultures and arts that shape their identities.

Dr Tamang, who is a member of one of Nepal’s indigenous communities herself, completed a Master of Indigenous Studies from the University of New South Wales with the support of an Australia Awards Scholarship. Later, she completed a doctoral degree from the same university, supported by a John Allwright Fellowship from the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research. Currently, she is working as a researcher at ForestAction Nepal.

More than 30 people, including alumni and recent Australia Awards Scholarship recipients, joined the Forum, either in–person or online. Following the conversation, participants were curious and wanted to learn more about Australia’s First Nations Peoples. Alice highlighted several opportunities for the Scholarship recipients to engage with Indigenous Australians available through Australia Awards – South Asia & Mongolia’s scholar enrichment program or directly through First Nations peoples’ organisations in Australia. 

To enhance Scholarship recipients’ knowledge about Indigenous communities, Australia Awards – South Asia & Mongolia has been conducting sessions focusing on Australia’s First Nations Peoples for several years. Taking advantage of Alice’s visit to Nepal, Australia Awards – Nepal organised this Forum as an opportunity for both Scholarship recipients and alumni to further raise awareness about Australia’s First Nations Peoples and explore the cultural similarities and differences with Nepal’s indigenous communities.