Uncle Bob is one very special person. Thank you for all your beautiful and wise words.
Aboriginal Healing, Sharing Culture
Sharing Culture |
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Bob Randall put these songs up on his facebook page today with the message: ‘I know where we came from and I'd love to share it with all of you... with love.’
Uncle Bob is one very special person. Thank you for all your beautiful and wise words.
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Aunty Janet Hayden a highly respected Noongar Elder and JP talks with Eugene Eades about life around Narrogin WA, stolen generation kids, justice diversion concepts, cultural practices and healing for Noongar people.
I just had to share this amazing Story from the Kapululangu Aboriginal Women's Association. ‘Let me introduce you to one of the most amazing Aboriginal Law Woman - not only in the South-East Kimberley but right across Australia and around the world. Manaya Sarah Daniels Napanangka is widely recognised as Kapululangu’s most knowledgeable and therefore powerful Law Woman. This small statured and quiet Luritja/Pintupi woman is easily overlooked. But she is a giant in the realm of Deep Ceremony and connection with the Tjukurrpa (Universal Life Force). She was about 28 years old when, in 1967 (relatively recently) she had first contact with Kartiya society. By that time she had gone through a lot of Women’s Law. She had become adept at managing and manipulating (call it “magic-ing”) the Tjukurrpa. She also became a trained Tjarrtjurra (Woman Healer). She used her knowledge for the benefit of her family and to replenish her ancestral lands, and continues to do so today. The story is often told amongst Kapululangu’s women how she, with her three sisters, brought the most potent Law (Ceremonies) and Tarruku (Sacred Items) to our community. And she is present in the stories that tell of how her oldest sister took women who had not yet gone through Law to secluded places out bush and trained them up in the ancestral dances and songs. This was in the mid 1970s to 1980s, at a time when the Catholic Mission had already had a huge impact on the intergenerational maintenance of Law and Cultural knowledge. Today Manaya continues to contribute towards maintaining the generational chain of knowledge that sustains her Peoples’ world-view, social structures, and lifeways of being. When a Peoples’ understanding of how the world is fashioned and operates, and their own and their peoples’ place in that world, are superimposed and overlaid by a dominant world-view, social structure and lifeway being the people become disheartened. They literally lose their heart. They are shaken to their core and their whole world-view and their place in their world is shattered. They become deeply traumatised. This is what Manaya has worked against all her life. She came out of the desert only 47 years ago carrying within her the seed of what was to become Kapululangu Women’s Law and Culture Centre – and uphill against incredible odds she has actively insisted that Yawulyu (Women’s Law) is practiced, enjoyed, taught, learned and maintained for the benefit of the Younger Generations. She was not alone in this, but she has been a leading light to guide the way. Of course, she wasn’t the only Woman Elder who created Kapululangu for such a creation requires community, but her contribution has been undeniably salient. She brought with her the knowledge and skills to make a major contribution to the continuation of Law in our community - where Law translates as the blue-print of Life, the discipline (both authority and obedience) of life, the philosophy and perception upon which people view themselves and their environment and thus act within their world according to those tenets (creeds and systems of belief). For this we celebrate Manaya Sarah Daniels Napanangka - Nintipuka Tutju (Clever Woman) and Tjarrtjurra (Woman Healer). If you wish to have the privilege of meeting highly remarkable Senior Law Woman we strongly encourage you to attend our 2014 Women’s Camps. Go to www.kapululanguculturecamps.com' One of my frustrations in working in the addiction field for fifteen years is seeing some civil servants and politicians who have little understanding of the reality at ground level (and the scientific evidence) making decisions about what should be done to tackle a problem. At times, their arrogance, even when talking to an ‘expert’, beggars belief. Research evidence obtained at ground level is even altered or ignored by government officials. This sort of situation has been happening in Australia, in regards to self-harm and youth suicide in indigenous Australians. The recent Elders Report on these problems is an essential read. It needs to be acted upon by government. The importance of indigenous people connecting to their culture needs to be taken on board. (I’ll be talking about this matter in my next blogs) Please read this report and pledge your support. I have included the report summary here: 'The Elders’ Report into Preventing Indigenous Self-harm & Youth Suicide was produced between 2012 and 2014 by Indigenous led social justice organisation People Culture Environment in partnership with Our Generation Media. It was developed in response to a massive and unprecedented increase in Indigenous youth self-harm and suicide that has occurred over the past 20 years across Australia’s Top End. Over this 20 year period the incidence of youth suicide in these communities went from being an extremely rare phenomenon, to one where the rate of Indigenous youth suicide is now the highest in the world. The Australian Bureau of Statistics states for young Aboriginal men, the rate is 4 times higher than their non-Indigenous counterparts, whilst for young Aboriginal women the rate is five times higher. In some remote communities in the Kimberley, spates of suicide have reached 100 times the national suicide average. In the Australian Government’s own report, Gone Too Soon, into youth suicide in the NT, published in 2012 states: “The suicide rate for Indigenous Territorians is particularly disturbing, with 75 per cent of suicides of children from 2007 to 2011 in the Territory being Aboriginal.” The Elders’ Report into Preventing Indigenous Self-harm and Youth Suicide brings together the voices of Elders and community leaders from across affected communities that wished to speak publicly about the causes and solutions needed to address this issue. The reason for creating the Report is that too often, the voices of community leaders are lost amongst the views of professionals, bureaucrats and other people in positions of power who bring their own perspectives to consulting with communities, analysing problems, developing policies and prescribing solutions. In this Report the voices and views of speakers are unaltered. The Report is a transcription of interviews held with 31 Elders and Community representatives from over 17 communities. Each speaker was asked two primary questions: why is self-harm and suicide happening? what is the solution? In response to the first question there was a high level of agreement between the speakers about the role culture and loss of cultural connection plays in making young people vulnerable to self-harm. “If we lose our culture we are lost, without it we are finished as a people.” Andrew Dowadi, Maningrida, N.T. “There is no balance for young people they are more adapted to non-Aboriginal culture than their own. This is happening because we have been forced into one place into towns and away from our traditional homelands our outstations.” Lorna Hudson OAM Derby WA “They are forcing our kids to attend school but they got to realise there is another education too and its our old system our culture that our kids are missing out on.” James Gaykamangu Millingimbi, N.T. “If they lose language and connection to culture they become a nobody inside and that’s enough to put them over the edge.” Joe Brown, Fitzroy Crossing, W.A “The Elders are the ones that hold on to the culture and the lore, they are the most important aspect of healing our people. And when we lose that, we lose who we are and when you lose who you are what do you have to live for. And many of our people are giving up; many of our people are suffering because of that loss of spirit loss of identity.” David Cole, Central Desert In response to the second question there was an equally high level of agreement amongst speakers about the role culture can play in healing and protecting young people. While some details of people’s experience differed, the message was unanimous: while most non-Indigenous involvement with the issues in these communities is well meaning, it is not working; give power back to the Elders of each region to build programs that take Indigenous young back to country to reconnect with their land and their spirit; and direct funds and programs for ending suicide and self harm to the Elders and community leaders to lead in the healing process. “We haven’t been funded because the Government haven’t been listening to the people on the ground, they do come and do consultations but they go away and the bureaucracy gets a hold of that document and when it comes back its probably unrecognisable from the interview that was done on the ground. ... So we end up again with ideas, with suicide prevention that come from Canberra that bears no resemblance to what is needed in the community and on the ground. And that is a big frustration that there is funding but the Government says this is how we are going to spend it.” Dean Gooda, Fitzroy Crossing, W.A. “Aboriginal people need to be involved in solving our own problems, bringing in outsiders into the Kimberley will not create succession, the legacies of change we need.” Wayne Bergmann, Kimberley, N.T. “We want Government to support the Elders so we can teach culture to our young people – when they have culture first they have the very thing that will hold them strong through their lives no matter what they choose to do or where they choose to do it.” Eustice Tipiloura, Tiwi Islands “Support us to take our people out on country. All we ask is to help us so we can change things, we are losing our own countrymen, we are losing our lives. What is happening is a Balanda (non Indigenous) problem that gave us the bad things. Stop thinking blackfella doesn’t know anything about healing, we living with these problems, we the best informed to deal with it.” Andrew Dowadi, Maningrida, N.T. “The only way to stop suicide is to fulfill our cultural obligation to teach our young people because that’s what we have been brought up with, strength of character through strength of culture, not by white man’s cultural obligation, we need to educate our young ones culturally. The Government doesn’t see that we need to build something culturally strong for our people to be healthy and survive.” George Gaymarrangi Pascoe, Maningrida N.T. What needs to happen and how you can help? In respect to the actions and next steps that should be taken to address youth self-harm and suicide in Indigenous communities this report calls for Governments, professionals in the health and justice systems and others to acknowledge and accept:
For individuals and organisations that wish to help directly, the appendix to the Report contains the details of 21 community organisations who are at the front line of dealing with these issues. These are the organisations doing the work to reconnect young people with culture and country, and they would value any direct support that can help them maintain and grow their programs. Max Dulumunmun Harrison Yuin (NSW) Chair, People Culture Environment, Director, Culture is Life ..... Indigenous community leaders and Elders are calling for your support to help them heal their young people, by reconnecting them to their culture, and strengthening their sense of identity. They are asking that long-term funding be directed to grassroots, community-based programs that are working on the frontline with at-risk youth, providing vital support, cultural education and on-country healing. Please sign-up your support. A powerful film clip from The Elders Report On Indigenous Youth Suicide, featuring Lorna Hudson OAM, senior Bardi Elder, Derby, Western Australia.
I will be talking about suicide amongst indigenous peoples in the next few blogs. Please don’t miss them. And pass on to your family, friends and work colleagues. "Thus, everyone is someone’s Elder; the 12 year old looks to the 15 year old; the 7 year old looks to the 12 year old, and the 3 year old looks to the 6 year old. Each of us has something to teach and we must keep that in mind: that what we teach can be helpful, or hurtful. " This blog is based on the first part of a fascinating article on the Native American Wellbriety Movement website. 'White Bison’s Wellbriety Programs and the Wellbriety Movement itself are based in the Teachings of the Elders, and guided by our Circle of Elders. Over the years people have asked us what that means and how that works. We would like to introduce our Circle of Elders and reflect upon some of their teachings. First, it is helpful to explore the nature of an Elder. Elders are not just “old people.” In fact, most of the Elders who carry that designation do not think of themselves as “old people.” Even into their 90s, they pay attention to the world around them, engage in community and ceremonial activities, and work to improve the lives of their people. They are sought out to share their wisdom, experience, and their hope. They are grounded in their traditions, culture, their spirituality and hold a broad vision of the interconnectedness of all things. Many have taken the time to learn the traditional language, which allows them to experience life through the ways of seeing shared by their ancestors. Elders do not designate themselves as such. Rather, they are identified by the communities they serve. They often serve as unofficial leaders; or are called upon to explore the “sticky” challenges that community leaders and families experience on a day to day basis. Elders provide a balance and harmony where conflict lies; they look for the bigger picture and the common ground. Often, Elders help us to see things differently through a story; sometimes these stories can seem like riddles. They make us change our thought patterns and bring us to a new understanding of what is important. Here is what Elders have brought to the Wellbriety Movement over the years. “Long time ago” Elders shared prophecies - messages about the future. Their stories foreshadowed the coming of the web around the world; the Eagle going to the Moon; identification of the challenges of the Native people that would lead to healing. “Long time ago” Elders provided role models on how to solve community problems, how to raise children, how to “be” a Native man or a Native woman. Not only do we use their teachings, but some non-Native researchers, like Erik Erikson, have written about the role that Elders and Grandmothers played in developing their research models. Erikson’s Stages of Psychosocial Development was grounded in part from his discussions with Yurok and Sioux Grandmothers in the 1940s. His model is used as the framework for the Daughters of Tradition and Sons of Tradition. Natural Law and prophecies were shared with us by Elders from many different nations. Of special importance were those Elders who helped to launch the Wellbriety Movement. An Elder from a North Eastern nation helped us to coin the term Wellbriety. Then, to further develop the movement, Elders from the 4 Directions (yellow direction, Tibet; red direction, Native; black direction, African; and white direction, Sammi) met in Janesville MN in 1994 to bless the Sacred Hoop. Each contributed one of the 4 Powers of the Sacred Hoop: power to forgive the unforgivable; unity - we have to come together to do this work together; power of healing - we have to heal ourselves; power of Hope that lead us to dream. White Bison is the Keeper of the Sacred Hoop of 100 eagle feathers. The feathers represent 100 communities. We have traveled over 150,000 miles taking the Sacred Hoop to inspire healing and Wellbriety in Native communities throughout the United States and Canada, including Alaska. Elders in the recovery movement have played a significant part in shaping the Wellbriety Movement. The documentary, How AA came to Indian Country, provides an overview of the early work by Native Elders to address alcohol problems in Native communities. The book Alcohol Problems in Native America: The Truth about the Lie begins with stories of how healing was addressed by Handsome Lake , a member of the Seneca Nation, in the 1700s. In the Red Road to Wellbriety, the stories reflect the recovery journeys of many of the Elders who have played a role in the Wellbriety Movement. Meditations with the Native American Elders is a collection of sayings from Elders of many different nations across the Americas. These are also available as daily meditations by subscription through the White Bison website. The teachings of the Elders provided the impetus for the Medicine Wheel and 12 Steps. In this recovery program, the 12 Steps are placed in a circle, and the traditional teachings are used to help men, women and family members work through their recovery issues. The Four Laws of Change and the Teachings of the Medicine Wheel are integral to this cultural approach to recovery. Over the years, there have been a number of gatherings where people met with Elders to resolve specific issues: sometimes they gathered to share what works in community development; sometimes, to identify what is needed in education or child development. Some gatherings were called to address specific issues, such as the 1996 Gathering of Native American Men in Florissant, Colorado. Over 2000 people camped out for 3 days to hear the Elders speak. Out of that gathering came Seven Philosophies which provide the core teachings for Fathers of Tradition, Sons of Tradition, Mothers of Tradition and Daughters of Tradition. One of the Elders at this particular gathering extended the idea of “Elder.” In response to the question of “what is an elder,” this Elder replied: ”an Elder is someone that you look up to for the right way to do things.” Thus, everyone is someone’s Elder; the 12 year old looks to the 15 year old; the 7 year old looks to the 12 year old, and the 3 year old looks to the 6 year old. Each of us has something to teach and we must keep that in mind: that what we teach can be helpful, or hurtful. Sometimes, White Bison has gone out to find Elders who will share their ideas about specific problems. The cross country Journeys of the Sacred Hoop that took place over the years, brought new teachings to light and brought new messages from Elders about the impact of Intergenerational and Historical Trauma on the Native people. These are included in the Wellbriety Journey of Forgiveness and also provided the inspiration for the Mending Broken Hearts training. The Wellbriety Movement also has a Council of Elders who provide guidance on a routine basis. Of course in today’s world they are available by phone, text or Skype! They have specialties, like language, cultural and spiritual traditions, mental health, traditional medicines, education, recovery, treatment, and prevention. Several have doctorates and Masters degrees. Some have published books. At the recent 2014 Wellbriety Gathering, we celebrated the contributions of the Council of Elders. We want to give credit for the Wellbriety “song” - where it is due.' You can meet various Elders in the second part of the article on the Wellbriety Movement website. I found this fascinating article very helpful for understanding the various elements of the Wellbriety Movement. Lots more reading to do though. Thank you! |
AuthorProfessor David Clark is Founder of the Sharing Culture initiative. Archives
November 2018
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