Dhunning - Indigenous Impact
The Story Behind the UC Indigenous Treatment
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As the University of Canberra (UC) join Indigenous Australian and non-Indigenous members of the wider community to celebrate National Reconciliation Week, you may have noticed a slight change to our social media profile pictures.
Over the course of this week, the social media pictures have been updated to reflect our Indigenous treatment design, and to acknowledge the importance of reconciliation within the UC community and across Australia.
The UC Indigenous design treatment echoes the significant place and role that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, cultures and histories have within UC. The Indigenous treatment incorporates an artwork painted by Lynnice Church, a Ngunnawal/ Wiradjuri/ Kamilaroi artist. It reflects the importance of forming strong partnerships and working hand-in-hand with the community to achieve lasting impacts.
Each element within the design uncovers integral parts of the UC story that celebrates diversity and inclusive relationships. Through this approach, UC acknowledges the principles of respect, trust, diversity, unity, collaboration, innovation and celebrating the inclusive future the University is building together with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
The Indigenous design project was initiated in February 2018, by the UC Office of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Leadership and Strategy (OATSILS) in collaboration with Gilimbaa, an Indigenous creative agency specialising in culturally effective and appropriate communication strategies and design for the government, non-profit and corporate sectors.
The UC project team from OATSILS and Marketing saw a unique opportunity to work closely with Ngunnawal Elders and the University community to create a distinctive design narrative for the University, where Aboriginal artists, students, staff and the wider community could play an integral role in authentically incorporating Indigenous perspectives in design practice University-wide.
With Ngunnawal people at its heart, the University will continue to build upon our commitments to reconciliation and embrace Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives in all areas of the University.
The Indigenous design treatment was featured on the UC Capitals uniform for their inaugural Indigenous Round in December 2018. The University also includes the Indigenous design treatment across the website and within the design of student and staff workspaces. The consistent application of the Indigenous design treatments across UC assists in aligning the development of the University with creating opportunities to explore the elements that bind and connect Indigenous Australian and non-Indigenous communities.
The new Indigenous design treatment, which forms part of the new overall UC branding, represents unity and progressive steps the University is taking towards reconciliation with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. The work and thought that has gone into the UC Indigenous design treatment is something UC is very proud of embedding into our story.
Words by Amy Stevenson. Photos: Supplied.