In 2019 we undertook a project to examine ways to preserve aboriginal heritage with the assistance of new technologies. The project was given unwanted priority following the devastating destruction of an aboriginal heritage site in the Juukan Gorge in the Pilbara region of Western Australia.
Connection to Country is critically important to First Nations people and their communities. The destruction of Juukan highlighted the need to protect and preserve these precious cultural resources. In response, we examined ways to preserve aboriginal heritage with the assistance of new technologies (and the Internet of Things or IOT).
Our initial examination showed that risks were manageable (as seen here):
| Strengths | Weaknesses |
|---|---|
| Deep connection to country Unity Integrity Willingness to learn Good Relationships with business ventures | Many are new to digital landscape First implementation of this type Unknown level of business/investor interest Unknown level of technology support |
| Opportunities | Threats |
|---|---|
| Seize the IOT opportunity New technology understanding Link preservation to reconciliation plans Internet Of Things doorstep | Funding Sources Rate of technology change Regulatory changes |
Apart from the protection of heritage sites from damage or destruction, several additional use cases involving IOT were documented. The three major use cases were:
- The use of cameras and sensors to notify rangers and members of the community when ingress is detected near monitored sites. The use case explored what would occur if the transgression was:
- intentional (e.g., by a mining company vehicle, or a tourist); or
- unintentional (e.g., by off-roaders who did not know about the site).
Confirmation of the transgression was undertaken by remote drones which would prove invaluable given the distances involved.
- The use of cameras and sensors to notify rangers and members of the community when water levels or water quality changed significantly. Again, the use of drones was used to confirm the source of the problem. Use cases included:
- non-natural causes (such as where construction works have caused blockages); and
- natural factors such as blockages caused by weather
- The use of virtual reality to provide immersive experiences about country. The virtual/augmented reality experiences would be hosted by community elders ‘on country’ and would convey experiences about songs, stories, paintings, and artefacts on heritage sites. Use cases included where community members are required to be absent from country for a period of time (for example if they are convalescing following illness or injury in a rehab hospital in the big city) and promotion of the value of heritage sites to Mining Company executives and board members to give them a better understanding and to reinforce the need to protect them.
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