Continuities in education: Pedagogical perspectives and the role of Elders in education for Indigenous students

This article presents a pedagogical perspective that developed through conversations across cultural groups from different geographic locations ' an Australian rural city, Sweden, Papua New Guinea, and New Zealand. Indigenous Elders and others from the local community, educators including Indigenous educators from the rural city and overseas, developed a pedagogical perspective on continuities in education in Indigenous contexts. An ecocultural perspective is expanded as a critical pedagogy of place which considers both the ecological and sociocultural contexts of education by drawing on the funds of knowledge of the Indigenous community. Key points are (a) the nature of the past including working together in survival struggles influences the present; (b) the position of Elders in education is critical for sustainability of relationships, culture and land; and (c) the community's and family's roles and pedagogy continue in school education when teachers and educators have the relationships, trust and respect of the community and learners.