Weaving Stories: A Reparative Truth-Telling Agenda

Abstract

There is much debate around how to “do” truth-telling in nations where settler-colonisers have never left. In so-called Australia, past truth-telling processes have drawn criticism for failing to bring about necessary changes to society. In this paper, we put forward an approach to truth-telling as a practice of connection, learnt from Country and through the age-old practice of weaving. “We” are a collaboration of Ngalakgan and Ritharrŋu and settler-colonial women researching with Ngalakgan Country, in the Northern Territory, Australia. This paper weaves predominantly Indigenous-authored literature into a reparative truth-telling—or truth-doing—agenda, advocating for humility, responsibility, and love in future truth-telling initiatives. We invite you to pick up a thread and weave yourself in as you read. Show more