A leading Indigenous academic and champion for reconciliation will receive an honorary doctorate at a University of Queensland graduation ceremony next month.
Jackie Huggins, AM, is known internationally for her work as an author, historian and activist, and has served as the deputy director of UQ's Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies Unit since 1997.
Of the Bidjara (central Queensland) and Birri-Gubba Juru (north Queensland) peoples, Ms Huggins attended Serviceton State School in Inala at a time when Indigenous Australians weren't counted on the national census.
Next year celebrates the 40th anniversary of the 1967 referendum which gave Indigenous peoples citizenship rights.
Motivated to pursue higher education by her grade five teacher Mrs Beryl Roberts - who will be attending the ceremony - Ms Huggins worked at the ABC and the Department of Aboriginal Affairs before commencing undergraduate studies at the University of Queensland.
Graduating with a Bachelor of Arts majoring in anthropology and history in 1987, Ms Huggins moved to Adelaide where she completed a Diploma of Education and then honours in history and women's studies at Flinders University.
Ms Huggins said the guidance and encouragement she had received both as a student and staff member at UQ were invaluable.
"I've been very supported along the way with a very generous team that I work with here at UQ and they are just like family to me," she said.
"My peers and supervisors have been nothing but supportive in everything that I do."
Becoming a Member of the Order of Australia in 2001 for services to the Indigenous community, Ms Huggins has served on numerous boards and is currently a Co-Chair of Reconciliation Australia and a director of both the Telstra Foundation and the Australian Centre for Indigenous History.
She said among her proudest achievements were firstly being a mother to her son John, who is currently completing business and tourism studies at UQ, and secondly participating as a scholar and educator at the recent Australian History Summit.
Ms Huggins said for the country to move forward, it was crucial the teaching of Australian history acknowledged past mistakes and injustices.
"It will take generations in order for reconciliation to become a reality in our country, but at least we're in the initial phases," she said.
"In this process we advise people to talk the talk and we want them to walk the walk now.
"Until we get it right with the teaching of Aboriginal history then I don't think that we can pretend to be Australians together.
"By that I mean there is a lot of denial in our country about the original inhabitants and owners of the land."
Ms Huggins said her time at UQ had allowed her to focus on the fight for reconciliation, address women's issues and improve Indigenous literacy and numeracy.
"All the study I've done here has really equipped who I am and what I've done and what I will do in the future," she said.
"I'm just absolutely stoked at receiving an honorary doctorate and I feel very humbled by it.
"I know that I will be able to use it to good effect for future promotion of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies Unit here, and certainly in the continued work that I do in Indigenous affairs right across the country and internationally."
Ms Huggins will be conferred with her award at the 11am Arts and Social and Behavioural Sciences ceremony on December 4.
Media inquiries: Jackie Huggins (07 3365 6709) or Cameron Pegg at UQ Communications (07 3665 2049)
