Human Terrains Anthropological Consultancy
Contact Us
If you'd like to discuss how the Human Terrains team can support your project and aspirations, please either call us on 0408 404 897 or email us on roina@humanterrains.com.au
Alternatively fill in the form below and someone will contact you shortly
We look forward to speaking with you soon.
Cultural Heritage Surveys and Expert Advice
About Us
Human Terrains works in partnership with Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people or business, to promote community development, resilience and cultural respect.
The aim is to balance developmental priorities with unique and advanced Aboriginal cultural heritage ecosystems.
Working within relevant Commonwealth and State legislations, we conduct independent cultural heritage surveys of key places with the appropriate Aboriginal peoples. We then work collaboratively to analyse results and promote authentic engagement between all parties.
Operational and Logistical Experience from Coastal to Remote Inland Areas
How well we listen and the questions we ask make all the difference.
Goals
Australia-Wide
We currently conduct business in:
Western Australia
Northern Territory
Queensland.
Enquiries from other states welcome.
Work with innovative Business
We are experienced across many sectors:
Land access,
Native title and heritage,
Housing and land planning,
Renewable energy,
Rail infrastructure,
Minerals exploration and mining,
Agriculture,
Water allocation and planning,
Sport and recreational spaces development, and
Conferences.
Respect, Record and translate Digitally
Upon request, we can respectfully integrate film, website development and all areas of digital communications media.
Strict media Intellectual Property (IP) and Indigenous Knowledge protocols apply.
We can also work closely with local artists and architects to promote the translation and interpretation of cultural meaning to broader audiences and within built spaces and on interpretive signage.
Tomorrow is Already Here
In the near future we anticipate climate and the environment will become of increasing concern to all humans.
Our ethos is that all of our efforts must be concerted towards addressing the issues of tomorrow, today.
Every landscape is different, so too are our anthropologists. They draw on their unique skillset and experience to understand cultural values.
Cultural Landscapes - What Are They?
Aboriginal knowledge encodes environmental stewardship within living ethnography and archaeology.
Every space holds diverse anthropological, cultural, aesthetic, economic, environmental, historic and even linguistic values.
Why an Anthropologist?
Anthropology is the study of human societies; what drives us, our patterns of thought and behaviour, and how this changes over time. Archaeology is a sub-field of anthropology and we often work closely with archaeologists.
By applying anthropology to complex problems we can understand and interpret the relationship between human behaviours, human outputs (i.e., technologies), complex systems, psychologies and environments. Relationships are viewed from an individual and collective perspective (emic and etic). Importantly we employ the methodology of participant observation, or in laymen's terms 'we hang out' with the group we are endeavouring to understand.
The business of Human Terrains is to manage complex problems and relationships by:
Interpreting the meanings left behind in a cultural footprint; in stories, implements, technologies, travels, artefacts and art - i.e. the tangible and intangible cultural landscape.
Understanding and mediating the differences and similarities between cultures and spaces.
Unravelling how humans, as a collective, make meaning of our lives and how this meaning impacts upon the world around us (this is the truly wicked one!).
As the future becomes now, what it means to be human is becoming radically altered by Artificial Intelligence (AI) and digital technologies. Anthropologists, archaeologists and artists find ourselves in the ideal position to critique the colonisation and 'disruption' of the human body and body politic, by machines. The most powerful of which sits neatly in the palms of our hands - the mobile phone.
The robots are here and we are hanging out with them.
Some of Our Clients
Kariyarra Aboriginal Corporation
De Grey Mining Pty Ltd
Puutu Kunti Kurruma and Pinikura Aboriginal Corporation
Horizon Power
Water Corporation
Yamatji Marlpa Aboriginal Corporation
South West Aboriginal Land and Sea Council
Anindilyakwa Land Council
Rio Tinto Iron Ore
Centre for Social Impact, UWA Business School
Telstra Corporation
Fortescue Metals Group
Atlas Iron Ore
CSIRO and SKA Astronomy Project
Landcorp and Department for Regional Development
Gumala Enterprises P/L
City of Kalamunda
Town of Claremont
Shire of Wiluna
Cox Architects
Tronox P/L
Iluka P/L
our anthropologists and cultural experts are All senior level Practitioners
Roina Williams
FOUNDER/Senior Anthropologist
With a passion for writing and Aboriginal culture, Roina holds a Masters in Applied Anthropology and Participatory Development (ANU) and a Bachelors degree with Honours in Sociology and Anthropology (UWA). With over 100 Surveys and Survey Reports and Cultural Heritage Management Plans under her belt, Roina is one of the leading applied anthropologists in Australia. This melds with a strong prior background as a creative writer/director in communications, advertising and marketing.
With experience in Indonesia, China and Australia, Roina is extremely grateful to have spent the last 16 years dedicated to working between the Australian bush, our towns and cities to support Aboriginal people's desire for cultural preservation, respect and recognition of pre-sovereign rights in lands, seas and waters.
Reach Out Today
Film, Signage and Digital Records
Record your cultural heritage in a digital format
Film can cross cultural divides in seconds. It speaks to people’s hearts and can quickly garner support for a cause.
Human Terrains partners with contacts operating in film and television media to create a digital record of your important sites, songs and family members. We are also hoping to incorporate Augmented Reality (AR) into our future communications. Watch this space.
Follow us on the Social Media links below for updates.