I love the Indigenous view of healing. It is not sufficient to try to heal the individual - we must also work to heal the community. Western culture is generally focused on healing the individual - often described as treating their illness or disease - and ignores the environment and its impact on the development and maintenance of mental health problems and addiction.
What would happen to such problems if we focused on healing the community?
Well, if you check out the work of Annalise Jennings you will get some idea of what can be achieved. I came across Annalise’s work several months ago and quickly realised that this remarkable lady was doing some special things in Indigenous communities in the north of Australia.
I asked Annalise if she would join our network of Advisors/Healers and she agreed. We’ve been emailing each other since then and yesterday we had our first Skype meeting. We agreed we’d do some work together and I cannot tell you how exited I am about that.
For now though, I’d just like to introduce you to Annalise. And then let Annalise tell us about herself and her work.
In 2009, a short holiday in Cape York took me from a successful Senior Management career in the corporate sector to working with remote indigenous communities in the Far North of Queensland (FNQ). The programs I’ve created and implemented across the Cape uniquely involve community ownership and engagement.
The results have been overwhelmingly successful. I have been proudly made an adopted Daughter of the tribal land of the Thanikwithi Peoples, an honour l hold close to my heart. I consider this to be the greatest acknowledgement of my work so far. My aboriginal name is Kili.
I created a purpose built program for each discrete community that involved developing a blueprint for economic development and community growth. It’s objective is to reduce welfare dependency and government intervention. This program brings about social transformation and raises community responsibility for self-determination.
The resultant ‘whole of community change’ program has seen remarkable changes, particularly in the remote community of Napranum. Here is an article First Nations people published recently about my story.
I was asked to be a keynote speaker in Sweden earlier this year. Here is a video I was asked to pull together in the lead up to the conference. It gives a little more insight into who l am and what l stand for .
There are heaps more videos and news articles on my website, including footage from the ABC and a TedX Talk.
My vision is to share a message of hope for all indigenous communities that change is possible and within reach. My hope is to expand my program far and wide.
And finally... I have a question for you...
What is your soul calling you to do that would change the course of humanity?’
P.S. You can now take a Sharing Culture journey through this magical Story of what happens when people achieve true community ownership and self-determination. [David on 21st January, 2015]