Indigenous music and cultural engagement

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures include rich music traditions that are an integral part of education. As tertiary educators (Dawn a naturalized Australian, and music educator, and Yin, an Indigenous Australian academic), both based at a Metropolitan university in Melbourne, our chapter focuses opportunities tertiary educators had and provide in relation to learning about Indigenous culture and music within initial teacher education programs. We draw on our voices, interview data, and anecdotal feedback from those who utilise Aboriginal Australian music in their teaching and who work with communities as a collaborative way to respect, recognise and celebrate the history, culture, music and language of First Peoples. We argue for collaborative engagement with local Indigenous communities for connections to be made to Country, offering some protocols when working with Indigenous people as a way to value and respect Indigenous ways of being, knowing and doing.