Health: Spirit, Country and Culture

The latest volume in the First Knowledges series, Health, is co-written by Shawana Andrews, Sandra Eades and Fiona Stanley, two First Nations and one white woman, all vastly experienced in the field. It begins from the premise that traditional life on Country was an intrinsically healthy one -- there is no separate word for 'health' in Aboriginal languages, and indeed it's hard to argue that an active, interesting life, culturally rich and embedded in the natural world, could be anything but healthy. In one study, eight diabetic First Nations men were taken out to live on Country for several weeks, actively searching for food and living a close to traditional lifestyle; their health improved even in this short period of time.

Colonisation was ruinous for First Nations peoples' health. Not only were they ravaged by alien diseases and forced away from their traditional balanced way of life, but bush tucker was replaced with flour and sugar, alcohol and tobacco, not to mention the mental health consequences of loss of culture and families being wrenched apart.

It's so frustrating to read of so many wonderfully effective programs, developed in trust and collaboration with Aboriginal communities, which have then been dismantled or destroyed for lack of funding. I can only imagine how furious and disappointed those actually working in the field must feel. In contrast, politically motivated, quick fix 'solutions' like the Northern Territory Intervention or the criminalisation of children, can be rapidly put in place and are always disastrous in effect. It makes you want to tear your hair out. But it's great to read about the successes and to know that there are such dedicated, intelligent people working on the problems.