1. Reimagining Knowledge Systems: The Politics of Data
Data Analysis: via analysis of data through an Indigenous lens
Professor Maggie Walter
University of Tasmania

2. Statistics are not neutral numbers
Statistics more than summarising numbers
Powerful persuaders – portray and define
Create meaning – what meaning depends - what questions asked, how asked and who is asking
Context of data reflect cultural, social and political realities – these are mostly not our cultural, social or political realities
Data of Disregard: 5 D Data
Deficit
Difference
Deprivation
Disadvantage
Dysfunction
Source: Walter 2016

3. Statistics are Socio-Cultural Artefacts:
Whose Cultural Framework
Whose social cultural and political realities determine what data are perceived as important and why they are important
Controls Process
Cultural Framework determines :
Data collection design & process
Analysis process to produces results
How results are interpreted
Determines Content
Topics of interest will always reflect the priorities and interests of those who control the data process and reflects the dominant cultural framework
Statistics are not neutral numbers – although a large part of their power to create the things of which they speak – is founded on their perception as ‘objective’ data. They are in fact socio-cultural artefacts – and in this diagram I have tried to portray how they come to be what they are.
The overarching factor is the cultural framework – the cultural framework that guides the collection, analysis and interpretation of data about Indigenous peoples, both reflect and constitute, in ways largely invisible to their producers and users, the dominant cultural framework of the nation state within which they operate. It is not our socio-cultural reality that is being measured, but our position within the dominant colonizer social cultural reality – as defined by them
This norming of this White colonizer cultural framework norm is further entrenched by the fact that the process, from conception of the need fo statistics, which statistics, how they are collected, analysed and interpreted is largely an Indigenous free zone. And even if we are ‘consulted’ we are not in control. Consultation is a very weak word that denotes the power imbalance at its heart. Following on from there – the all important content – data collected on what – and probably more critically data not collected on what – reflects the priorities and interests of those who control the data and the social-cultural context. What they think it is important for them to know about us.
= real life consequences for Indigenous peoples

4. Indigenous Data Versus Data About Us
If we want to re-invent Indigenous statistics we need to ask: What would Indigenous statistics look like if:
Indigenous people were the instigators, analysers and intended audience?
the data were collected and analysed to meet Indigenous needs, priorities and aspirations?
Indigenous statistics were framed by what Indigenous people define as important to know about ourselves?

5. Telling It Like It Is Darwin
Identify Aboriginal views and experiences of race and race relations so non-Aboriginal people can see themselves from an Aboriginal perspective
Six repeat interviews with 44 Darwin respondents. purposively sampled to ensure diversity
Face Book community page to elicit broader Aboriginal perspectives
Survey of 474 Aboriginal residents of Greater Darwin area, purposively sampled to match Census profile of residents
Partnership with Larrakia Nation
Aims of the Study

6. Indigenous Data Sovereignty in Australia