Healing the Past

These series of videos below are worth watching to get a perspective of what has occurred to the people of this land prior to the European (Portugese, Dutch, French and British) and Asian visits. Generational trauma caused by colonisation is what we all must today have a deeper understanding (and respect) of so we can come together to help restore the balance on the land and it’s First Nations people. The two Indigenous groups; Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples of this land.

Inter-culturally all Australians need to work together to restore balance

~ Wi3W

“Healing is part of life and continues through death and into life again. It occurs throughout a person’s life journey as well as across generations. It can be experienced in many forms such as mending a wound or recovery from illness. Mostly, however, it is about renewal. Leaving behind those things that have wounded us and caused us pain. Moving forward in our journey with hope for the future, with renewed energy, strength and enthusiasm for life. Healing gives us back to ourselves. Not to hide or fight anymore. But to sit still, calm our minds, listen to the universe and allow our spirits to dance on the wind. It lets us enjoy the sunshine and be bathed by the golden glow of the moon as we drift into our dreamtime. Healing ultimately gives us back to our country. To stand once again in our rightful place, eternal and generational. Healing is not just about recovering what has been lost or repairing what has been broken. It is about embracing our life force to create a new and vibrant fabric that keeps us grounded and connected, wraps us in warmth and love and gives us the joy of seeing what we have created. Healing keeps us strong and gentle at the same time. It gives us balance and harmony, a place of triumph and sanctuary for evermore”.

• Associate Professor Helen Milroy, Aboriginal Child Psychiatrist and Australia’s first Aboriginal doctor, 2009.

This is the story of the Healing Foundation. It begins more than 60,000 years ago. The Healing Foundation, supporting communities; Strong spirit, strong culture, strong people.

Why does the Healing Foundation exist?

The Healing Foundation is a national Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisation that provides a platform to amplify the voices and lived experience of Stolen Generations survivors and their families.

They work with communities to create a place of safety, providing an environment for Stolen Generations survivors and their families to speak for themselves, tell their own stories, and be in charge of their own healing.

They promote trauma-aware, healing-informed practice to help government, policymakers, and workforces understand their role in intergenerational healing.

By addressing unresolved trauma in First Nations communities – trauma that was caused by colonisation and actions like the forced removal of children – we are walking alongside communities on the path to healing.

Watch the overview on the video from the Healing Foundation

Bringing them Home

This documentary DVD was produced by Australian Human Rights Commission in 1997 and forms part of the Bringing them home education resource for all Australians, the new and old migrants to understand what occurred. For more on the report see: https://bth.humanrights.gov.au/

This resource is based on ‘Bringing them home’, the report of the National Inquiry into the Separation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children from Their Families, and on the history of forcible separation and other policies which have impacted on the lives of Indigenous Australians. This documentary complements a collection of curriculum-linked activities and teaching resources, plus a range of photographs, maps and diagrams, timelines, legal texts and glossaries. The Australian Human Rights Commission invites teachers and students to use this resource to explore, understand and reflect on one of the most difficult chapters of our national history and to engage with some of the key concepts involved in the reconciliation debate in Australia. For the education resource see: https://www.humanrights.gov.au/educat… Warning: This video may contain images / voices of deceased Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander persons. Video produced by Oziris. © Australian Human Rights Commission

Swimming The River

“Swimming the River” is how Wunan Chairman Ian Trust explains the key issues facing Aboriginal people in the East Kimberley. This animation could apply in so many cities, towns and places all across this country.
The diagram depicts the impact of European settlement, failure of many Aboriginal people to adapt to the changing environment and damage to people and culture that has resulted. It also proposes a solution – Living Change – whereby Aboriginal people accept responsibility for their future, capitalise on their abilities and, with help, learn to “swim the river” and prosper from the opportunities that exist across the region and beyond.

*If you have any suggestions for videos that help us get better informed and educated about the healing of all peoples of this land in the 21st Century, please feel free to connect with us here and appreciate any suggestions to include in further Yarn Ups.
Thanks to Gungarri Traditional Custodian, Aunty Betty McGrady, for lighting up the path and informing us about these videos and stories.

* Image featured is from the Inclusion Support Queensland web site