ABSTRACT
In this chapter, I give a critical view of the representation of the sacred black female body in takayna country, lutuwitra (Tasmania), Australia. I use a discourse analysis from two sources to investigate methodologies that elucidate values relating to the black female body in the landscape. Whilst both sources concur that takayna country is female country, the language and methods used to characterize her sacredness are different. The application of Indigenous methodologies that are supported by kinship and agency of country facilitate culturally appropriate revelation of narratives about female bodies and their sacredness in the landscape. I find that the black female body is hidden and silenced by, firstly, white male privilege and its perpetuating colonizing behaviours, and, secondly, a wilderness brand that is being co-opted to bolster arguments for greater protection of nature and biodiversity that ignores sacredness. The management of takayna country is dominated by colonizing behaviours that perpetuate the unrecognition of sacredness which makes us hide our cultural knowledge in order to keep it safe. It is important to give recognition of the presence of the sacred black female body in the landscape, by translating it into protected area management via giving black women empowerment and control to protect, access, burn and hunt on takayna country. Therefore, it is imperative that protected area management uses Indigenous methodologies to give recognition to the sacredness of the black female body in takayna country, but not necessarily to quantify or characterize it or its significance. We need new Indigenous methodologies to create a policy framework that places palawa women central to the sacredness and management of takayna country so that women can sing songs of country and not be shackled by neocolonial victimhood.
