Trauma in First Nations Communities

Intergenerational Trauma Animation

Courtesy of The Healing Foundation. Video narrated by Vale Uncle Jack Charles and Amber Romeril.

Voice, treaty, truth

The Uluru statement from the heart was issued as an invitation to the Australian people to walk with us, First Nations people, and to compel the politicians we elect to embrace change and not be afraid of change.

Pat Anderson AO ~ 2021–22 Sydney Peace Prize recipient

The Uluru statement from the heart

The Uluru statement from the heart is a powerful expression of First Nations peoples’ aspirations for formal recognition in the Australian constitution and a culturally appropriate mechanisms to achieve it. The statement continues to inspire people to think big about our sense of Australian nationhood and the benefits of First Nations recognition and inclusion in Australian nation building.

Non-Indigenous Australians have a key role to play in progressing these aspirations. Sadly, the referendum for a Voice to Parliament was unsuccessful, and for many First Nations People, a huge setback. Though many talk about the 'struggles' and the difficulty in achieving change, the rebuff makes them more determined to progress the cause and help those who voted ‘NO’ to understand the positive aspects of the Uluru Statement and why it is a missed opportunity for the Nation.

View the Uluru Statement from the Heart website.

The Social Justice Commissioner at the time June Oscar AO shared her hopes

"I know Australians are ready for systemic and social change that embraces and embeds First Nations cultures and knowledge systems. Now is the time to re-set and enter a transformative relationship between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and settler Australia, as Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples alike, in the face of crisis, envisage a stronger, more compassionate and caring nation."

June Oscar AO, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner, Wiyi Yani U Thangani Report (2020).

The impacts of intergenerational trauma

June Oscar AO
Previous CEO of Marninwarntikura Women’s Resource Centre

Video length: 2m 24s

It is imperative that we understand that when First Nations people talk about their struggles, or we see some of the challenges they face, these are the effects of complex trauma that has been passed down from generation to generation and continues to be seen today.

As Health Professionals can be the first contact point for people with a lived experience of trauma, we have a professional responsibility to learn about First Nations peoples and their histories for our own personal and professional development. The best way to do this is by listening and observing without judgement.