At Murawin we have implemented Barri Marruma, our own signature Country-centric methodology that provides a constant anchoring to Country and ensures that our services are rooted in context, deep listening, participatory engagement, exploratory co-design and ambitious vision.
Today we’re going to delve deeper into this methodology and how it has been put into practice on a project for NSW Land and Housing Corporation, the Waterloo Estate Connecting to Country Framework.
We hope after reading this blog you will have a deeper understanding of our Barri Marruma practice and can reflect on the opportunities it provides for genuine connection to Country for you and your organisation. If this blog spurs thought on ways you could collaborate with Murawin, please reach out for a yarn.
What is Barri Marruma?
Just as has been done for tens of thousands of years in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, the Barri Marruma methodology uses story and metaphor to pass on knowledge, foster collaboration and embed meaning, as we move toward a sustainable future.
In the Dunghutti language (our Co-founder’s language), Barri means Country or Place, and Marruma means to build or construct. In the context of our methodology, it is not only about the literal construction of spaces and places but also about valuing and honouring history, building trusted relationships and constructing ways to collaborate into the future.
The Country-centric methodology ensures that Country, Community, and Indigenous Knowledge always informs our work and guides us through cyclic intercultural collaborations and design processes. It also informs how to approach contemporary projects to connect with Country and contribute authentically to reciprocity.
By centring Indigenous worldviews, this methodology creates space for the authentic representation and self-determination of First Nations Peoples, ensuring that the unique and diverse experiences of Indigenous Peoples and Communities are heard, honoured and integrated into the heart of our work.
EARTH | WATER | FIRE | SKY
Barri Marruma is broken into four phases – Earth, Water, Fire and Sky. These phases are constantly interlinked and interdependent, mirroring Country itself.
Earth | Truth
The foundations of this work, grounded in deep listening to unearth localised project truths. The deeper the roots, the longer lasting the impact. This is where we dig deep to inform our next steps.
It is about taking the time to connect with and hear the stories of Country, context and history that need to be heard, acknowledged and understood before moving forward.
During the Earth phase of the Waterloo Estate project, we learned about Illpah (what we now know as Waterloo) being an important flow of freshwater supporting an abundance of life pre colonialism and the vital importance of the Waterloo/Redfern area as a heartland of civil rights movements right up to the present day. Having these conversations, allows for understanding and means decisions come from an informed and empathetic place.
Only by rooting ourselves in this deep listening can we then progress through the subsequent Water, Fire and Sky phases of the Barri Marruma framework.
Water | Knowledge
This phase represents the flow of knowledge through hearing and listening to stories, values and knowledge which are grounded in the context of the particular Country. This phase is all about participatory engagement – sharing principles, values and contextual knowledge that is grounded in the unique characteristics of Country.
Just as water is essential for sustaining life, this phase is crucial for nourishing meaningful relations between all stakeholders. It is about moving beyond superficial interactions and creating space for genuine dialogue, shared understanding, and collective wisdom-building.
During the Waterloo Estate Project, through a series of inclusive workshops, focus groups and other engagement activities, we facilitated the flow of knowledge between Murawin, the client organisation, and the local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. This allows us to:
- Deeply explore the history, culture, and priorities of the First Nations Peoples connected to the Waterloo/Redfern area
- Unpack the client organisations current practices, challenges, and aspirations
- Co-develop principles and values that will guide this journey, and
- Establish protocols for ongoing culturally safe collaborations and decision making.
The insights and relationships forged during the water phase then flow seamlessly into the Fire and Sky phases, catalysing transformation, and empowering communities to chart their own vision for the future.
Just as water sustains all life, this collaborative, Country-centred engagement is the lifeblood of the Barri Marruma approach.
Fire | Transformation
The fire phase of the Barri Marruma framework represents the transformative power needed to drive meaningful and lasting change. Just as fire can be a catalyst for renewal and regeneration in the natural world, this phase harnesses the energy and momentum generated through the earlier Earth and Water phases to ignite a process of sustainable growth and transformation.
This stage on all projects including the Waterloo Estate Project is ultimately about developing principles and recommendations to move forward and have a transformative impact. In the case of the Waterloo Estate it was about developing these principles and recommendations on how to have genuine connection to Country embedded in the project ensuring the findings from the engagements sessions with community are honoured, acknowledged and acted upon.
Importantly, the fire phase is not just about combustion and sudden change. It’s about carefully tending to the flames, creating the conditions for smouldering embers to slowly build into a strong, controlled fire that can sustain warmth, light, and nourishment for the long-term.
By approaching this work with patience, diligence, and a deep respect for cultural protocols, we can help the client organisation and community stakeholders navigate the challenges and complexities of transformational change.
This gradual process ultimately leads to the flourishing of new growth, vitality, and resilience — just as fire regenerates the land.
Sky | Vision
This phase is where truth telling, stories, visions and dreams come together towards innovation and future possibility. Through sky vision, you create connections between the past and present and develop new futures with Country at its heart.
The engagement sessions for the the Waterloo Estate uncovered many proposals for the vision of the new development into the future. A vision that prioritises and highlights Country, community and history, allowing for everyone to learn, enjoy and participate actively in Country. Murawin then collated and synthesised the engagement session findings into a collection of opportunities for the client, co-designed with communities based on a shared vision for the project.
As can be seen throughout the Waterloo Estate project, The Barri Marruma methodology provides a holistic, Country-centric framework that inherently and genuinely connects projects to Country. By grounding the work in the core elements of Earth, Water, Fire and Sky, it ensures that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander knowledge, values, and ways of being are central.