FOUR Aboriginal students, including a former Tamworth man, have each received a full postgraduate scholarship funded by the University of New England to assist them to further their studies in creative practice in the School of Arts.
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Michael Brogan, Amy Hammond, Victor Briggs and Robert Waters have won the scholarship through a new scholars program at UNE aimed at enhancing access and support to further study for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and has been more than a year in the making.
Rob Waters is now Armidale based, but originally a Gomeroi man from Tamworth.
Mr Waters lived in Sydney for about eight years until he completed high school.
After deciding he no longer wanted to live in Sydney he moved back home to Tamworth.
He eventually moved to Armidale about five years ago and is interested in arts, poetry and Aboriginal storytelling.
The head of School of Arts, Associate Professor Alan Davison, said the school has been working closely with the university’s research services to secure the scholarships and look forward to working with the students over the next three years.
“As the school has a distinctive creative practice research profile within the university, it is only natural that we are using this as a vehicle to develop deep links and knowledge sharing with Indigenous scholars,” Associate Professor Davison said.
“We are looking forward to the vibrant cultural enrichment that will occur, and for the opportunity to take a strong stance on the importance of the arts in current discussions around knowledge and culture.”
The scholarship will allow local poet and Aboriginal storyteller, Rob Waters, to dedicate himself full-time to his studies.
“I wasn’t sure that I would even be in with a chance of being awarded the scholarship, so when I was, it came as a bit of a shock,” Mr Waters said.
“In saying that I am honoured to be part of this group of amazing people; the research that has been proposed by the others in this cohort is extremely exciting and personally I am thankful that I can be part of that.”
Mr Waters’ area of interest is in the arts, specifically poetry and narrative methodology, and his studies will entail a cross cultural examination of the methodological/pedagogical frameworks utilised in the transfer of knowledge and culture in a traditional Aboriginal context.
“It will also examine the idea of indigenising academia, so continuing the work that is being done bringing that wealth of know- ledge into the academic sphere.”
The Creative Practice Scholarships will officially be announced at a research launch on Tuesday, December 8.
