Professor MaryAnn Bin-Sallik, Dean of Indigenous Research and Education at Charles Darwin University (CDU), will open CDU’s free public lecture series on Tuesday, May 6 by exploring the meaning of Aboriginal culture and identity.
Professor Bin-Sallik will retire from CDU this year and this is her final lecture before retiring.
She has called for an opening of the debate on the useage of terms such as “urban” and “traditional” and of “Indigenous descent” to define and categorise Aboriginal Australians.
She says, “Not only are these categories inappropriate, they serve to divide us.”
This is indeed a controversial perspective, and as such, is rarely discussed in an open forum.
Professor Bin-Sallik anticipates a lively discussion, and hopes to start the “debate we have to have!”
Entry to all CDU public lectures is free, starting at 6pm, at the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory.
Light refreshments will be served afterwards, concluding at 8pm.
Media are welcome to attend. Further information can be found at www.cdu.edu.au/whatson/publiclecture.html.