Episode 34: Carto Nullius, Reclaiming Maps and Data for Country

My Culture Story with Kado Muir

Carto Nullius In this episode I introduce the concept of Carto Nullius, which is strictly not linguistically correct but a play on the latin terms terra nullius, a term that for so long was used to marginalise and dispossess Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. It is my contention that cartography as a discipline has for a long time been empty of even very general traditional Aboriginal knowledge. The global renaissance of mapping technology, remote observations and need for data is an emerging sector that would be enhanced and strengthened by exposure to, partnership with and interpretation of traditional Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander knowledge inputs. This podcast anticipates a seminar Kado Muir will be giving at the Geoscience Australia building in Canberra on Wednesday 10th May, 2023 at 11am, seminar title: Culturally Grounded Mapping for Country: TEK, Science & Technology Abstract Technological advances in remote sensing, mapping and data acquisition and analysis using new tools like machine learning, artificial intelligence and other digital mapping models are developed from western world views. Kado Muir offers insight into how traditional ecological knowledge contributes a culturally grounded perspective in country mapping. Geoscience Australia’s Exploring for the Future program is proud to welcome Kado and thank him for his public contribution to the program’s Geoscience Knowledge Sharing initiative.