Shaun Edwards is a multifaceted Kokoberrin artist, creator, philosopher, and emerging Elder undertaking doctoral research at the University of Queensland Poche Centre for Indigenous Health. He has a background in public health and visual anthropology, experiences that shape his capacity to work at the intersection of culture, knowledge, and health.
His PhD, Examining Kokoberrin Pa Wanggenvng (Old Man) Pa chalaili (Old Woman’s) Approaches to Declaring and Defending Pa La Nganthenduw Ngatherruw Yunngal Yinggay Ngerr Wur Kung, investigates ancestral Kokoberrin philosophy as a living system of knowledge that continues to sustain identity, belonging, and wellbeing.
Central to this research is Path Wudar—good health—a foundational Kokoberrin philosophy that predates the Western empire and is recognised as one of the oldest human systems on earth. Path Wudar offers a holistic framework extending beyond biomedical definitions of health, encompassing relational accountability, cultural continuity, and intergenerational responsibility. Shaun’s doctoral project represents both an academic and cultural investment: creating the time and space to reinstate Path Wudar as a guiding philosophy for future generations.
As Shaun reflects, “This story has kept Kokoberrin people strong since the beginning of time—why give it up? Future generations deserve the right to own and feel comfortable knowing who they are and from what people they evolved from.”
His research contributes to Indigenous-led scholarship that demonstrates how First Nations philosophies provide frameworks for health and wellbeing that are both culturally grounded and globally significant.