A new podcast that delves into the cultural connections of Bond University’s Indigenous students will be launched during NAIDOC week.
Bond Songlines is hosted by Bond University Indigenous Ambassador and Kuku-Yalanji man Jeremy Donovan. It is produced by Bond’s Broadcast Manager Matt Webber.
You can listen to the podcast here.
The podcast features conversations with Indigenous students who have arrived at Bond University from many different parts of the country.
Mr Donovan says the podcast represents a tremendous teaching opportunity.
“Having Indigenous students from all corners of Australia with us here at Bond gives us a chance to understand the diversity of storylines and connections with country that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders enjoy,” he says.
The first episode of the podcast features first-year Bachelor of Psychological Science student Shardae Elsegood.
Ms Elsegood is a Larrakia woman whose family hails from Darwin. During the podcast she speaks about her special connection to the waterways of her home, the importance of her extended family, and the desire to return to country upon completion of her degree so she can make a difference.
She also speaks about her grandmother, a member of the Stolen Generation, who lived on Croker Island where many forcible removals occurred.
Ms Elsegood says her grandmother remains a hugely influential force in her life.
“(My grandmother) was one of the first Aboriginal women in Darwin to pursue a career in nursing and she was a lawyer as well,” she says. “If I’ve ever aspired to become something, she’s always encouraged me to go and achieve it.”
Mr Donovan says he couldn’t be prouder of Ms Elsegood for being the first Indigenous student to share her story for the podcast.
“Shardae is a terrific person, and it was a privilege to hear he speak so warmly and naturally about her country and her family.
“We should always celebrate the fact that the broader Bond community has the privilege of learning from people like Shardae, so they have a much deeper understanding of Indigenous history and culture.
“That’s what this podcast is all about.”