I set up this website in late 2013 to provide some key insights into the healing of historical trauma, along with information about our Sharing Culture initiative and what we are doing. I started blogging on the website in February of this year.
The website also contains film material produced by my close colleague Michael Liu, namely Marion’s Film Story. Mike and I spent a day filming Professor Marion Kickett in her hometown of York and we edited this into a series of clips about Marion’s life – Marion’s Film Story. You’ll be able to see our second piece of filmwork shortly, entitled “Paintings from the Heart.”
To date, we’ve operated without funding, other than a small grant from Curtin University for which we are very grateful. This situation has greatly limited what we can do. I’ve now started a fundraising campaign, initially trying to raise funding for an educational resource on Aboriginal Healing that we intend developing. Fingers crossed.
I’m now collaborating with Ann Oakley, Founder of Kinship Connections WA (KCWA). Ann is a descendant of the Nyul Nyul people from Beagle Bay on her grandfather’s side (Hawke family) and Gooniyandi people from the East Kimberly on her grandmother’s side (Cox family). Ann is the third generation in her family to have been affected by government removal policies.
I’ve been doing some voluntary work for Ann, including writing new content for her website. Ann and I have also been planning the development of a healing community, which will in part be based on the principles of asset-based community development (ABCD). I’ve been writing a funding proposal, but more about this in a later blog.
Ann is really committed to helping Aboriginal people – she’s a real go-getter. I am really enjoying doing some work with her. She’s been introducing me to Aboriginal people in her networks, which has been excellent. I’m currently working on three Personal Stories.
I’m still doing lots of reading, so much to learn. And as some of you know, I’m also running the Recovery Stories website. For those of you who don’t know about this website, please check it out. It contains lots of information relevant to Sharing Culture and Aboriginal Healing.
Take care and talk soon. Bye for now.
PS. Had my two youngest visit me from the UK recently, so couldn’t resist putting up a photograph of Sam and Natasha.