Marika Seden is an engagement and community development practitioner, with 26 years’ experience working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and communities in the Torres Strait, Far North Queensland and Cape York. Her work has centred on cross-government program and service coordination, Indigenous community advocacy, project management and delivery of initiatives that help communities build capacity and regain effective control over their lands, and other community and cultural resources. This has involved direct and extended engagement with a broad range of First Nations stakeholders and at various levels within government.
Prior to joining Alluvium, Marika was with the Queensland Government, engaged in addressing land administration issues along with whole-of-government coordination of all infrastructure development within First Nations discrete communities. This work covered the interrelated areas of land use planning; native title compliance, including Indigenous Land Use Agreements; survey works; tenure resolution; infrastructure development; Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employment, business and training; home ownership and cultural heritage compliance.
Marika’s personal and professional experiences give her a strong affinity with First Nations Peoples’ values, relationship expectations, and of the centrality of land and sea country, including natural features, in validating personal histories and identity. These cultural aspects resonate strongly with Marika who is a Tolai customary landowner from Papua New Guinea.
Marika’s skill set allows her to pursue diverse and effective relationships. She can identify, articulate and work to different perspectives while maintaining a high level of professionalism.
