Tagalaka man and Firesticks co‑founder Victor Steffensen isn’t an easy man to pin down - even from the inside. The delay for our yarn, as he puts it, “Always in the field, as you know.”
Following his best‑selling book Fire Country, his latest release The Knowledge moves into the next chapter - expanding beyond fire to share a broader system of understanding shaped through decades of practice, mentorship and global knowledge exchange.
As Victor explains, it is both a continuation and a call to action, an invitation for people everywhere to contribute in finding ourselves in order to restore our planet.
A body of knowledge grounded in Country, The Knowledge reminds us that humans are not separate from nature - we are part of it. At its core is a clear and urgent message: if we are to move forward, we must realign with the natural world, take responsibility for our place within it, and learn to care for Country together.
When you hold The Knowledge in your hands, what does it represent to you at this moment in your life?
As I hold the book in my hands for the first time, I get this overwhelming feeling of relief that this piece of work is finally done for the people, Country and the spirits. I feel happy for everything that it represents knowing that I am just the messenger to give our beautiful planet and our ancestors a voice to communicate to all of Mother Earth's occupants.
The title itself The Knowledge carries weight. When you say, ‘The Knowledge’, what are you really speaking to?
I know it is a really strong title, but it is not about the knowledge in a way that I hold it and no one else. It is about the knowledge we all have forgotten about which belongs to the universe and is the natural intelligence that has shaped indigenous knowledge globally for thousands of years that we have all forgotten about. It is the knowledge that we need to restore for our future generations that reminds us of who we are and how we must always keep our feet on the ground as we progress into the future.
The book shines a light on everything you teach us - that humans are not separate from nature. Why is that understanding so critical now?
One of the underlining points to take from this book is that humans are not separate from nature and that is so true when it comes to human evolution on our planet. Once upon a time long ago humans were aligned with nature which has allowed our ancestors to be on this planet for thousands of years without destroying it. That is pretty much the main challenge for humanity today all summed up in a nutshell, to realign humanity with mother nature again so we can be here thousands of years more.
Fire Country introduced many people to Indigenous fire knowledge. How does The Knowledge build on that work or take it further?
Fire Country was the book that represented the knowledge of fire and for people to understand where it all came from in terms of my mentors and the honesty of my own journey in learning and sharing these important practices. The Knowledge touches on parts of the fire knowledge that I didn't get to put in Fire Country but it is also a continued story of the work done within the new chapters of my life and the need to demonstrate traditional knowledge in other fields along with my findings in sharing knowledge globally. It is written in a way that all people from all nationalities can relate to in a way that underpins a call for action for us all to contribute in finding ourselves in order to restore our planet.
Our recent name shift feels significant and deeply aligned with this book. What does this new name represent to you?
The work done through our organisation, Firesticks, has been so important in getting Cultural Fire out in the world and in the hands of many communities I have had the pleasure to support over the years. But times have changed with all the great work we do which is now moving into other fields of traditional knowledge that are crucial to our current modern world. Changing the name Firesticks to The Firesticks is to encompass all the great work that has come from the organisation and to have a name that shows it is more than just fire alone. I want people who read The Knowledge to know that the Firesticks has evolved from the great work done since 1991 when I first started doing this work with my mentors all those years ago.
In your eyes, how does this shift open new pathways for how we share, protect, and apply Indigenous knowledge into the future?
The Knowledge is written to help people to become aware of the amazing opportunities re aligning ourselves with culture and nature can really be within all aspects of our lives and how The Firesticks is created to accompany that.
When you look back at the mentors who guided you, and the journey you’ve taken so far, where do you feel you are now on that path?
When I look back to when I first started doing this work with my mentors and to where it is today, I am really proud as it has achieved so much for the world to share. My only wish is that they were still here doing this work together but I know they are here in spirit along with many other amazing brothers and sisters that were a part of this important journey and are no longer with me.
Is The Knowledge an ending, a beginning, or another step in a much longer story?
The knowledge comes from the beginning and needs to be recognised in the present because it is so important for all humanity into the future.
If The Knowledge could change just one thing about how people live or think, what would you hope that change would be?
If there was one thing that The Knowledge could change in this world, it would be to realise that we are all a product of nature and that we all need to learn to respect each other and our Mother Earth to make a better world.
What does ‘Caring for Country’ mean to you today, in this moment, compared to earlier in your life?
Caring for Country has always meant the same sense of importance to me throughout my life, the difference today is that we need it more now than ever before and it needs to involve all of humanity into the future.
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