UTS recently played host to the Sydney/Gadigal launch of the stunning new children’s book In My Blood it Runs.
The book is Dujuan Hoosan’s story in his words, and presents his vision for a different approach to schooling and justice for Indigenous kids.
The book is based on the impactful documentary of the same name (directed by UTS Alumni Award Winner, Maya Newell), and written by Dujuan, Margaret Anderson and Carol Turner with gorgeous illustrations by Archibald-prize winner Blak Douglas.
Dujuan, an Arrernte and Garawa young man, grew up on the Ewyenpwer-Atwatje (Hidden Valley) town camp on Arrernte country in Mparntwe/Alice Springs.
The book propels forward a call for justice that links education reform, juvenile justice reform and anti-racism together. In Dujuan’s words, ‘lots of kids who are in trouble at school end up in juvie’. Dujuan himself was worried that this would be his future – but being able to access education on-country and the support of his family, Dujuan was able turn that around – and is now a published author.
The launch was organised and hosted by Dr Archie Thomas, Chancellor’s Research Fellow in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, whose postdoctoral research focuses on the concept of a ‘school to prison pipeline’.
The launch heard from Distinguished Professor Larissa Behrendt, a producer of the documentary, who highlighted the power of the book in showing the connections between systems of child protection, schooling, and policing – and the need to work to change all of those institutions. Director Maya Newell shared words from Dujuan himself and explored the work’s strategy for impact in policy reform. Dr Amy Thunig discussed how Dujuan’s story highlights the best practices in education - like learning from Garuwa teachers in Borroloola in forms of two-way learning - and how they work so well, but are not commonly practiced or supported.
The UTS Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASS) provided support for the event. Next year, the School of International Studies and Education (SoISE) will launch new stacked Primary Education degrees in undergraduate and postgraduate offerings which will include a focus on Indigenous Knowledges as one of the four pillars, drawing on UTS’ distinct strengths in this space.