On a recent sunny morning, some 30 locals gathered in a shed in Narrabri, on the east coast of Australia, to watch bushels of native grasses disappear into various machines. Others were thrown onto old-fashioned sieves, where skilled hands extracted kernels from stalks. When it comes to processing native grains, one size does not fit all. That is why this shed and surrounding fields in native Gamilaraay country have become a laboratory of sorts – not just for how to restore an ancient indigenous grain culture but also how to make it future proof.
“We research the ways native millet used to be grown and combine this with knowledge of modern equipment and practices to revitalize the industry,” says Angela Pattison, one of the plant scientists at the research station. Not every researcher has this kind of direct connection to the local community. But for Angela and the team she leads at the Indigenous Grasslands for Grain project, it is an essential part of bringing millets back into fields and kitchens across Australia.
Together, they grow, harvest and process native grains, they prepare dishes and study how best to market the flour. They also research the impact reintroducing native grasses could have on other communities, on the local ecosystem, culture and economy. And whenever possible, they share their knowledge – and baked goods – through workshops.
Much of their work focuses on native millet, or Panicum Decompositum, which holds the greatest potential to be grown for mass consumption, their studies have shown. Unfortunately, it is rarely grown anymore.
“The practice of growing Australian native millets was largely lost after colonization, when Aboriginal people were moved off their lands and local grains were replaced with wheat, barley and oats,” explains Dianne Hall, a PhD researcher working at the Narrabri site, which is part of the University Of Sydney.
“In many places, Aboriginal people were forbidden from using traditional foods,” adds colleague Kerrie Saunders, a plant technician. “As a result, the knowledge of how to maintain and harvest from perennial grasslands using fire and other techniques was lost too.”
Kerrie refers to cool burning, a cultural practice using fire sticks to refresh the landscape. It feeds soil organisms, provides new food and increases biodiversity. Like fire, the team employs methods Aboriginal people used for thousands of years to care for Australia’s environment.
Kerrie and Dianne are Gamilaraay, one of the largest indigenous groups in Australia, as is the team’s research assistant, Hannah Binge. “We are custodians of the native millet songline,” says Dianne, referring to the oral histories that trace the journeys of ancient spirits across the land and pass on valuable knowledge about the environment.
“Soon, people will understand that native millets are not just another food commodity”, says Hannah, “but rather a food and plant that connects people to the land and culture”.
Ultimately, they want to support Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal landholders working together so native millet can be grown over large areas and made accessible to all.
Scaling up means “people will need to discuss how to build ancient and modern knowledge together in a respectful way”, she says.
“We look forward to seeing the millet flour on supermarket shelves – produced collaboratively, environmentally sustainable, and affordable.”
