Dadirri: Deep Listening

In her book Trauma Trails, Recreating Song Lines (The Transgender Effects of Trauma in Indigenous Australia) Judy Atkinson introduces us to the concept of Dadirri, a kind of listening that does not only involve thee ears:

"The principles of reciprocity ("in dadirri - we call on it and it calls on us"; Ungunmerr 1993a: 36) are informed by the responsibilities that come with knowing and living dadirri. This principle shaped the dialectic between the researcher and the researched. "I will listen to you, as you listen to, share with me. Our shared experiences are different, but in the inner deep listening to, and quiet, still awareness of each other, we learn and grow together. In this we create community and our shared knowledge(s) and wisdom are expanded from our communication with each other."
A big part of dadirri is listening.

 Through the years we have listened to the stories In our Aboriginal way, we learn to listen from our earliest days. We could not live good and useful lives unless we listened. This was the normal way for us to learn - not by asking questions. We learned by watching and listening, waiting and then acting. Our people have passed on this way of listening for over 40,000 years (Ungunmerr 1993a:35)."

In mindfulness training we also use the concept of Deep Listening. It is done in group and a stick is passed around. Whomever holds the stick talks while the rest concentrates on that person and that person alone. All bodies lean into the direction of the speaker, all senses are focussed on the speaker. Not only her words are heard, but also her silences, her body language, that what she does not say.
This is not only extremely healing to she that is being heard, but also to the listeners. Not only the life story is heard, but also life itself. Deep calm is the result. The therapeutic value of deep listening cannot be stressed enough. The Aboriginal peoples of Australia knew this 40,000 years ago.


Aboriginal educator and artist, Miriam-Rose Ungunmerr-Bauman talks about challenges facing Aboriginal communities, and the Aboriginal concept of 'dadirri', a form of deep inner listening and contemplation. She spoke to Eureka Street TV at an Indigenous Theology Symposium held at Australian Catholic University Brisbane campus, and the interview is sponsored by the University's Asia-Pacific Centre for Inter-Religious Dialogue:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2YMnmrmBg8#t=96


Judy Atkinson, Trauma Trails, Recreating Song Lines (The Transgender Effects of Trauma in Indigenous Australia) Spinifex Press, 2002, p17-18

Miriam-Rose Ungunmerr-Bauman

     Judy Atkinson