Dr Raymond Desmond Kootji & Professor Vemuri Sivaram

Understanding the Greek and Indigenous Australian interactions over a lifetime

Abstract

This presentation is based on interactions between a Greek Diasporan and an Australian indigenous elder. It is an extension of our work presented at the 2022 conference on the interactions between the late self-made multi-millionaire, Mick Paspalis, and Larrakia Nerri (elder), Bundilla.

The paper highlights the time and motion contextual influences of interactions on the mindsets of the Greek diaspora and the Girdiminba. The observed narrative of the diasporic experiences of a person with Dementia in old age and the mental impact and long-term influences on the mindsets of the Greek and Indigenous Australians will be the focus of this presentation.

This presentation embraces a transdisciplinary perspective while exploring dementia and the freedom of a straddling mindset as the narrative constructively unfolds of the Greek and Indigenous Australian interactions.

Dr Kootji – Desmond J Raymond is a Larrakia man with a broad and deep range of experiences and expertise covering the arts, the sports, the media(television/film), the business, economic development, community engagement and community development. Over ten years of research, Kootji has developed governance, business and entrepreneurial perspectives, which are, lived experiences within the Indigenous worldview. He is currently a Doctoral candidate at Charles Darwin University. His current research focuses on the plurality of entrepreneurship and business within the economic landscape of Larrakia country, Darwin.

Professor Vemuri Sivaram has spent over 30 years working on several projects in Australia, USA, Jordan, India, and Papua New Guinea creating businesses in remote and regional areas. During his work at Charles Darwin University, he has been a chief investigator of 3 Australian Research Council and 2 Desert Knowledge Cooperative Research Centre as well as several NT Government and private sector projects involving applied economics. Ram has been a project leader of Interdisciplinary.net projects on a range of issues including Diaspora Business; Silence; Citizenship; Environmental Justice and Citizenship; Diaspora; Multiculturalism and Belonging; Pluralism, Inclusion and Citizenship; Strangers, Aliens and Foreigners.