01/06/2026
When educators hear “STEM,” they often picture robotics kits, coding apps, lab coats and magnifying glasses. What they don’t always see is this:
• First Nations peoples are the world’s first scientists, technologists, engineers and mathematicians.
• For over 65,000 years, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have observed, tested, refined, calculated, engineered and innovated in ways that sustained complex societies across this continent.
The issue is not whether Aboriginal perspectives connect to STEM. The issue is that Western definitions of “science” have been positioned as the only science. Let’s expand the lens.
Western science often prioritises:
• Written documentation
• Laboratory settings
• Individual discovery
• Extraction and control
First Nations knowledge systems prioritise:
• Deep observation
• Oral transmission
• Intergenerational testing
• Sustainability and custodianship
• Relational accountability to Country
When we position Aboriginal knowledge as “cultural” and Western knowledge as “scientific,” we unintentionally reinforce a hierarchy. It’s time to challenge that narrative.
Check out our article “Let's Yarn About: Aboriginal Perspectives in STEM” via the link in the comments
