Episode 6: Teaching with Torres Strait Island Knowledge—A Conversation with Dr John Doolah
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Description
To mark 50 years of NAIDOC Week, Talking Teaching celebrates this year’s theme, The Next Generation: Strength, Vision & Legacy, by spotlighting the work of Dr John Doolah, a proud Torres Strait Islander and Indigenous education lecturer at the University of Melbourne.
In conversation with host Dr Sophie Specjal, John reflects on his heritage, his research, and the enduring strength of Indigenous knowledge systems. He shares how Torres Strait Islander ways of knowing can be meaningfully embedded in classrooms through respectful collaboration and cultural understanding, not as an add-on, but as central to learning. This episode invites educators to reflect, learn, and take part in shaping a future that honours both the legacy of Elders and the vision of emerging Indigenous leaders.
Guests
Dr John Doolah is a proud Torres Strait Islander of Erubam le (Erub person) and Meriam le (Mer person) heritage. John belongs to the sager people of Mer and his Mer nosik (clan) division, is Samsep-Meriam. He is a lecturer in Indigenous Education at the University of Melbourne and a post-doctoral fellow.
Further Reading
Dr John Doolah's PhD Thesis - Stories behind the Torres Strait Islander Migration Myth: the journey of the sap/bethey
University of Melbourne Indigenous Knowledge Institute
ACSES 2025 First Nations Fellowship - John’s project, Understanding Torres Strait Islander Knowledge and Shifting Attitudes