Lightning rods to laboratory: First Nations innovators harness ancient wisdom for modern solutions

What happens when First Nations innovators draw on ancient knowledge and get together with CSIRO scientists?

Electricity! Quite literally.

This was the case when Maiawali man, Darryl Lyons and his business partner, Mic Black, were accepted into CSIRO's ON Accelerate program.

The National Indigenous Australians Agency (NIAA) is partnering with the CSIRO to bring information about these sorts of opportunities to more First Nations businesses.

Darryl and Mic's Indigenous biotech company Rainstick uses electricity to influence the electrical signals in plant cells. The result is that crops grow bigger and faster.

Although the approach is high tech, it has roots in ancient tradition.

The Maiawali people of central West Queensland have traditionally used 'chuggera' – lightning rods – during thunderstorms to improve their harvest of native grains.

Darryl and Mic drew on this traditional knowledge, as well as scientific evidence, which confirmed the positive impact that electricity has on plant growth.

In partnering with the CSIRO, Darryl and Mic gained access to scientific experts. Rainstick has expanded on their project and are undertaking work to assist the CSIRO Alternative Protein team. 

'We were able to test Rainstick-treated microbes and their effects of eating more to grow faster. The project has resulted in showing Rainstick technology has significant potential.’

Graduates of the CSIRO’s Kick-Start program include Bidjara / Kara Kara man Phil Thompson, and Wailwan woman Cherie Thompson. They’re a husband and wife team and owners of First Nations skincare brand Native Secrets.

Phil and Cherie harvest a range of native plants, used in traditional medicine, which are distilled into essential oils for inclusion in their skincare range.

'We extract essential oils from wild-harvested Australian natives and transform them into the highest quality natural skincare products,' says Phil.

‘Our land management systems are based off our traditional knowledge, as well as our knowledge about native plants for medicinal purposes and food. We are also continuing to learn more and more about how we embrace fire to look after Country.’

'Round 2 of the Kick-Start program which is happening now is looking at our essential oils and validating our traditional knowledge.

'We are learning from 65,000 years of occupation and sharing that story through skin care,’ Phil explains. ‘We are utilising knowledge from Australia's first scientists and validating it through modern science with the world's best scientists at CSIRO. 

‘A Butchulla Elder recently said “Country needs people and people need Country.’