When culture creates tech: Indigenous autonomy and agency
When culture creates tech: Indigenous autonomy and agency
This Whyte Lecture will explore how the work of social enterprise Old Ways, New is creating systemic change, Indigenous agency and autonomy through Country Centred Design.
Old Ways, New is an Indigenous-owned and led organisation based on Gadigal land in Redfern, Sydney.
Working with Indigenous Custodian, knowledge holders and young people, the company has two arms which inform each other. It delivers consultancy services for the built environment, designing immersive experiences that combine Indigenous cultural knowledges and placemaking principles.
The organisation’s profits support Indigenous-led initiatives and programs as part of its Research & Development arm – where culture creates tech. The work here provides a pathway to embed Indigenous knowledges and knowledge systems into the development of new and emerging engineering practices and computer software technologies.
Why? For the restoration, revitalisation, health and wellbeing of Country and its communities.
Meet the speakers
Photo credit: James Horan and the Smith Journal
Founder and CEO, Old Ways, New
Angie Abdilla is a Palawa woman based in Sydney. Founding Old Ways, New in 2016, she applies Indigenous cultural knowledges to inform placemaking, strategic design and deep technologies – all in collaboration with a wide network of Traditional Custodians and knowledge holders.
Among many notable achievements, Angie has presented her research on Indigenous Knowledge Systems, Robotics, and Artificial Intelligence at the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues. She also co-founded the pioneering international Indigenous Protocols and Artificial Intelligence Symposium.
In addition to her role at Old Ways, New, Angie is an Advisory Board member of the CSIRO Indigenous STEM Academy and Board Director of Performance Space, Carriageworks. She was also a former Ethics Centre Fellow.
Digital Lead and Special Advisor, Benefits Delivery Modernization program at Service Canada (ESDC)
Pia is an open government and data ninja who has been helping to make the world a better place for 20 years. She transforms public services through greater transparency, democratic engagement, citizen-centric design, open data, emerging technologies and real, pragmatic innovation in the public sector.
In 2018 and 2019, Pia was recognised as one of the global top 20 most Influential in Digital Government and was celebrated as one of the Top 100 Most Influential Women in Australia for 2014.
At ESDC, Pia helps to design and deliver a holistic, modern digital channel for the Canadian Government to deliver a delightful, dignified, user-centric, responsive and integrated digital journey that empowers people to help themselves.