Writing retreats as spaces to create Indigenous postgraduate research communities of practice

Abstract

ABSTRACT Publish or perish is the cautionary aphorism reminding academics to produce academic work for career longevity. For communities historically excluded from tertiary institutions, this aphorism can also signify a responsibility to ensure their voices are heard. Tertiary institutions recognise the importance of fostering productive writing opportunities; and writing retreats are a valuable approach. This article demonstrates the importance of writing retreats from the perspective of Indigenous postgraduate scholars in Australia. Two writing retreats were held off-campus in 2018–2019. To identify the impact of the writing retreats, we (the participants in the retreat) used an active participatory approach to explore our experiences using data collected from Yarning circles and written critical self-reflections. We identified three key themes: (1) writing retreats as supportive spaces for academic writing, (2) the development of an ongoing community of practice and (3) the importance of managing cultural risk in Indigenous programs. The findings demonstrate the importance of providing culturally grounded opportunities that support Indigenous scholarship.