Yarning circles

It was to be a 2 hour seminar. We attended because wanted to learn about a topic that was important to us.

But the chairs weren’t set up in rows with a speaker’s lectern at the front, like we expected. Instead there were several rings of about 8 chairs each.

The First Nations facilitator explained that while white seminars and meetings typically had rows of listeners facing a lone speaker who had control, indigenous people generally preferred to be sitting in a non-hierarchical circle.

We were about to experience learning via yarning circles (see explanatory note).

What are yarning circles?

In Aboriginal art, the U-shaped elements represent people.

First Nations people in Australia (and in many other parts of the world too) have traditionally used story telling (“yarning”) to pass on knowledge and to make decisions.

Commonly, the group would sit in a circle while elders shared stories and important matters discussed. Everyone was entitled to contribute, thus providing “a safe place for all to speak without judgement”.

In this way “decisions are made collaboratively and through inclusive dialogue of participants rather than having one person in a position of power”.

Collaborative decision-making or information gathering has been used in many different situations in first world countries, but increased recognition of First Nations wisdom and a wish to “decolonise” some aspects of western thinking has led to a growing recognition that yarning circles have much to offer in non-traditional contexts.

Values of yarning circles

A yarning circle is a forum where community members can voice concerns, share perspectives, and work through issues collectively.

Everyone has “an opportunity to speak in a safe non- judgmental place” (SCU) and “everyone’s story is of equal value and importance” (“Social Deck“).

“Sitting in a circle removes hierarchy and places every voice on equal ground. It is not just about talking—it’s about sharing, connecting, reflecting, and learning.” (Krueger)

Key principles:

Respect for all voices
Listening to understand, not to reply
Sharing stories and experiences without interruption
Creating a safe and inclusive space

Instead of discussion being dominated by those in authority or the most articulate, all voices and viewpoints are heard equally.

You can find guidelines for conducting yarning circles – e.g. Barlo et al, Krueger, QCAA & UNSW.

Purposes of yarning circles

Yarning circles have been and can be used for several different purposes.

Making decisions: giving everyone a voice provides greater wisdom for decision-making and greater ownership of the outcomes.
Resolving differences: ensures all sides of disagreements are heard by all sides, and seeks to remove anger and blame.
Passing on cultural knowledge from elders: often by way of stories or songs. This might include “Dreaming” stories, cultural protocols, survival knowledge, and moral teachings.
Consultation: where government or other procedures require consultation with particular groups, yarning circles may make it easier for people to participate, especially for indigenous people.
Learning(e.g. in schools): “A yarning circle can be used as a learning tool to enrich and promote the shared knowledge of the group”.
Criminal justice & social welfare: it has been found that yarning circles can be beneficial in preventing family and community violence, in healing, recovery and restorative justice, especially among indigneous communities.

Yarning circles and the church

Yarning circles, or the ideas behind them, could be of considerable benefit to the first world church.

Teaching & learning

Protestant Christianity tends to highly value Bible and life teaching. Sermons often dominate church services (note that when a church service is advertised or introduced, the theme of the sermon is generally the most prominent item).

Yet educators and psychologists know that a monologue is just about the least effective way to teach or to motivate positive change. This because the congregation remains passive, whereas learning and growing requires active learning – via discussion, participation and self learning.

There are many ways to use the principles of yarning circles in churches, and principles and proceses can be learnt from indigenous people & groups, schools and universities that use these approaches.

Home groups

Many churches recognise the need for discussion and active learning. Even though they are unwilling to modify the sermon, they see the value of smaller discussion or Bible study groups.

Many groups are successful and provide great fellowship and formative learning and growth experiences. But groups can be dominated by the leader or a forceful person, and some churches can use such dominance to control what is discussed (I have heard of groups where a participant’s input was stifled because it didn’t agree with the church’s viewpoint).

A yarning circle approach, where all voices are equally heard and valued, can change this for the better. We have found that using a “yarning stick”, which is passed around to everyone in the group, identifying who is currently speaking, to be an effective way to allow this.

Decision meetings

There seem to be two unhelpful types of church “business” meetings – ones where a few people argue points while most people listen patiently, and ones where the chair so controls the meeting that most viewpoints are stifled (one church I know allows questions but not discussion at the one annual general meeting).

Again, a yarning circle approach would circumvent many of these problems. In larger meetings, several circles could be set up, with each reporting back before a vote is taken.

First Nations consultation

In Australia and the US and some other countries, the church has been part of colonisation and the evils that accompany it. The US also has African slavery on its conscience.

There are many Christians who believe that justice demands that the church should be at the forefront of truth-telling, apology and reconciliation with indigenous and previousl;y enslaved people groups.

Using an indigenous process like yarning circles (“talking circles” to North American First Nations peoples) would be a good way to begin to bridge this gap.

(26 years ago I was required, as part of my environmental management work, to consult with all stakeholders in a region, including First Nations people. My understanding of the best ways to do this was very rudimentary, but I did find that some Aboriginal people preferred to sit and yarn about issues rather than have a “meeting”.)

References

Yarning Circles -A Distinctively Indigenous Methodology. Richard T . Handley.
The Power of Yarning Circles in First Nations Communities. Krueger Consultancy Services.
Yarning about yarning: A literature review on the use of justice yarning circles in Australia. Helen Taylor & Lorana Bartels.
Yarning about Yarning: a Guide for Participants. Janine Dunleavy & Stuart Barlo.
The benefit of yarning circles for culturally safe engagement. The Social Deck.
Yarning Circle Meaning and Importance for Australian Indigenous Culture. Evolve Communities.
YARNING AS PROTECTED SPACE: principles and protocols. Stuart Barlo , William (Bill) Edgar Boyd, Alessandro Pelizzon & Shawn Wilson.

Note: Indigenous cultures are not all the same. Practices vary between language groups and over time. These were oral cultures, so there are no written records until recently. Some indigenous cultural knowledge in Australia (and doubtless elsewhere) has been lost since European colonisation. Thus this summary of yarning circles reflects what is known and how the practice has been adapted in modern times.

Photo by Anderson Schmig on Unsplash