Experimenting with Thought Ritual as an Indigenous Methodology in Educational Research: Stories from Larrakia Country

Abstract This article describes how relational processes of telling and listening to stories were central to the establishment of a doctoral project by a Larrakia traditional owner working with Indigenous and non-Indigenous supervisors. The project explores the topic of education about living with crocodiles, a totem animal for the Larrakia people. The first stage of the project involved a week-long visit by the research team to Larrakia Country, Northern Territory, in order to develop relationships with Larrakia people and Country, and to gain cultural permission prior to gathering data. Stories from the visit are recalled and their significance analysed using the Indigenous research methods Thought Ritual and Storying. The stories shared during the trip are shown to involve more than simple capture and retell; instead, through close listening and deep reflection on meaning, stories proved to be the main conduit for demonstrating respect, exchanging knowledge and building relationships. We argue for the value of such story-based approaches to education about crocodiles, including the reframing of crocodile-human relations as part of a web of connections with Country and all that live in/on it – a shift in perspective personally experienced by the research team during their visit.