Rethinking Indigenous Knowledge: Critical Aboriginal Heritage in Alexis Wright’s Carpentaria

In recent decades, a critical debate on Indigenous Knowledge has emerged in the cultural framework of the Anglosphere, originating a new field of research known as Critical Indigenous Studies. This thesis explores how contemporary Indigenous voices are challenging the dominant colonial literature. Through the reading of Alexis Wright’s Carpentaria, the analysis delves into the consequences of European colonialism for Traditional Owners, highlighting ongoing socio-political discriminations and cultural appropriation, with the aim to promote a re-evaluation of Indigenous Knowledge by engaging with the authentic perspectives of First Nations’ descendants. The research explores the traits of Aboriginal cultures in Australia, including their intimate bond to the country, their spiritual attachment to the natural world and the centrality of oral storytelling, contributing to the preservation of Aboriginal identity. Starting from an historical analysis of the pre-, colonial and post-colonial phases, the paper outlines the effects of European invasion in Indigenous lands. Then, the second chapter focuses on the critical debate on the rethinking of Indigenous Knowledge, highlighting the need of observing moral and ethical norms and the challenge imposed by modern technologies. Finally, Wright’s narrative offers insights into the life of Aboriginal groups nearby the Gulf of Carpentaria, depicting their habits, beliefs and practices through an Indigenous perspective. The main purpose of the analysis is to challenge hierarchical knowledge systems that privilege Western epistemologies, often resulting in the marginalisation and silencing of alternative worldviews.