Rock Art and Ethnography in Australia

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Liam M. Brady ◽  
Robert G. Gunn ◽  
Claire Smith ◽  
Bruno David
Keyword(s):  
Meaning Making ◽  
Rock Art ◽  
Aboriginal Peoples ◽  
Complex Nature ◽  
Indigenous Australians ◽  
Cultural Contexts ◽  
Torres Strait

This chapter discusses the contribution of ethnography to the study of Australian rock art. With more than 100 years of ethnographic enquiry into rock art from across the country, valuable insights into the meaning, motives, function, and symbolism of images have been identified. However, with this information comes challenges with its use (and abuse), as well as the necessity to understand the cultural contexts of interpretation and meaning-making. This chapter explores the various ways Indigenous Australians (Aboriginal peoples and Torres Strait Islanders) engage with and describe their understandings of rock art in a variety of contexts. This review also highlights the complex nature of the interpretative process and the ethnographic gaze in which it is embedded. At its core, ethnographic approaches to Australian rock art reveal the multidimensional referential qualities of images found across the landscape.

What's in a Name?: Exploring the Implications of Eurocentric (Re)naming Practices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Nomenclature in Australian Education Practices

2016 ◽  
Vol 45 (2) ◽  
pp. 181-190 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sara Weuffen ◽  
Fred Cahir ◽  
Margaret Zeegers
Keyword(s):  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Torres Strait Islander ◽  
Aboriginal Peoples ◽  
Indigenous Australians ◽  
Australian Curriculum ◽  
Curriculum Assessment ◽  
Australian Education ◽  
History Of ◽  
Torres Strait ◽  
Naming Practices

The aim of this article is to provide teachers with knowledge of ways in which Eurocentric (re)naming practices inform contemporary pedagogical approaches, while providing understandings pertinent to the mandatory inclusion of the cross-curriculum priority area: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures (Australian Curriculum Assessment and Reporting Authority, 2015). While we have focused on Eurocentric naming practices, we have also been conscious of names used by Aboriginal peoples and Torres Strait Islanders to name themselves and others and as non-Indigenous Australians we acknowledge that it is not our place to explore these in detail, or offer alternatives. In this article, we have explored the history of nomenclature as it relates to original inhabitants, the connotations of contemporary (re)naming practices in Australian education and discussed the importance of drawing on cultural protocols and engaging local communities for teaching and learning of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures. It is anticipated that discussions arising from this article may open up spaces where teachers may think about ways in which they approach Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures.

Torres Strait Islanders‘ understandings of chronic hepatitis B and attitudes to treatment

2016 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 316 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elayne Anderson ◽  
Jeanne Ellard ◽  
Jack Wallace
Keyword(s):  
Chronic Hepatitis ◽  
Liver Cancer ◽  
Hepatitis B ◽  
Chronic Hepatitis B ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Cancer Surveillance ◽  
Indigenous Australians ◽  
Remote Communities ◽  
Torres Strait

Indigenous Australians are disproportionally affected by hepatitis B compared with non-Indigenous Australians. The higher prevalence of hepatitis B among Indigenous Australians has been linked to an increased incidence of liver cancer in this population. There is evidence that comprehensive programs of hepatitis B virus management, which include liver cancer surveillance and appropriate antiviral therapy, offer a cost-effective approach to reduce the incidence of liver cancer in Australia. This paper reports on data from the first study investigating understandings of hepatitis B and attitudes to treatment among Torres Strait Islanders living with chronic hepatitis B. Forty-two participants completed an interview questionnaire. Participants typically had an unclear understanding of hepatitis B and reported significant gaps in monitoring and follow up. A majority of participants indicated a willingness to use treatment if required. The findings of this study suggest the need for a new service delivery model that is appropriate to remote communities such as the Torres Strait Islands, to improve hepatitis B follow up, disease monitoring and management, and where appropriate, the uptake of treatment.

scholarly journals Impact of racism and discrimination on the physical and mental health among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples living in Australia: a protocol for a scoping review

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Camila A Kairuz ◽  
Lisa M Casanelia ◽  
Keziah Bennett-Brook ◽  
Julieann Coombes ◽  
Uday Narayan Yadav
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Scoping Review ◽  
Torres Strait Islander ◽  
Health Interventions ◽  
Indigenous Australians ◽  
Physical And Mental Health ◽  
Future Health ◽  
Design Data ◽  
Global Trends ◽  
Torres Strait

Abstract Background Racism is increasingly recognised internationally as a key factor contributing to health disparities. A comprehensive body of strong research from international authors has reported negative associations between racism and health outcomes. In Australia, although the literature is more limited, available findings follow global trends. Australia has an identified health gap between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and non-Indigenous Australians, and despite efforts to bridge this gap, health inequities continue to exist. This scoping review aims to assess, analyse and synthesise the relationship between racism and discrimination on the physical and mental health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples living in Australia.Method This is the study protocol for a scoping review. A systematic search will be conducted using five electronic databases: PubMed, CINAHL, Embase, Web of Science and the Australia’s National Institute for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Research. The database search will include studies published between 2000 and 2020. Reference lists of the included articles will be searched. Outcome measures will include physical and mental health components including chronic conditions, depression and anxiety, psychological distress, social and emotional difficulties, suicide and health-related outcomes such as wellbeing and life satisfaction. Duplications will be removed, and titles and abstracts will be reviewed to select studies. Full-text screening of preselected studies will be performed by four reviewers independently, to select studies according to inclusion criteria. Included studies will be appraised for quality using appropriate tools tailored for each study design. Data will be extracted, and study findings and characteristics synthesised in a narrative summary. Discussion Our scoping review will synthesise the evidence on the impacts of racism and discrimination in relation to the physical and mental health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples living in Australia. These findings could guide future health interventions by addressing the exposure of racism and racial discrimination in order to reduce health disparity. It is anticipated the findings to be of interest to policymakers, researchers, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and community health organisations and other stakeholders interested in optimising public health interventions for and in partnership with Aboriginal and Strait Torres Islander communities of Australia. Scoping review registration The protocol for this review has been registered on the International prospective register of systematic reviews (PROSPERO). The registration ID is CRD42020186193.

scholarly journals Resetting the Narrative in Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Nutrition Research

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Annabelle Wilson ◽  
Roland Wilson ◽  
Robyn Delbridge ◽  
Emma Tonkin ◽  
Claire Palermo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Land Tenure ◽  
Food Systems ◽  
Torres Strait Islander ◽  
Production Systems ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Government Policies ◽  
Aboriginal Peoples ◽  
Australian Aboriginal ◽  
Nutrition Research ◽  
Torres Strait

ABSTRACT As the oldest continuous living civilizations in the world, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have strength, tenacity, and resilience. Initial colonization of the landscape included violent dispossession and removal of people from Country to expand European land tenure and production systems, loss of knowledge holders through frontier violence, and formal government policies of segregation and assimilation designed to destroy ontological relationships with Country and kin. The ongoing manifestations of colonialism continue to affect food systems and food knowledges of Aboriginal peoples, and have led to severe health inequities and disproportionate rates of nutrition-related health conditions. There is an urgent need to collaborate with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to address nutrition and its underlying determinants in a way that integrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ understandings of food and food systems, health, healing, and well-being. We use the existing literature to discuss current ways that Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are portrayed in the literature in relation to nutrition, identify knowledge gaps that require further research, and propose a new way forward.

scholarly journals Eating disorders amongst Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians: a scoping review

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Adam Burt ◽  
Deborah Mitchison ◽  
Kerrie Doyle ◽  
Phillipa Hay
Keyword(s):  
Eating Disorders ◽  
Mental Disorders ◽  
Scoping Review ◽  
Diagnostic Tool ◽  
Torres Strait Islander ◽  
Screening Tools ◽  
Cochrane Library ◽  
Indigenous Australians ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Torres Strait

Abstract Background Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians (Indigenous Australians) have poorer mental health compared to other Australians. Yet, there is a lack of research into mental disorders among this population, especially for eating disorders (ED), which are amongst the most lethal and debilitating mental disorders. Aim We aimed to answer 2 questions: 1. What is the volume and content of literature on ED among Indigenous Australians? 2. Has a screening or diagnostic tool/instrument been developed for the assessment of ED amongst Indigenous Australians? Method We conducted a scoping review of electronic databases (Pubmeb, Embase, PsychInfo, Proquest, Cochrane Library, Indigenous HealtInfoNet and Scopus), for studies addressing ED, body image, muscle dysmorphia, weight and shape concern among Indigenous Australians, as well as diagnostic and screening tools. All relevant studies were reviewed in full by 2 researchers. Narrative synthesis of the data was performed. Results There is limited evidence for ED among Indigenous Australians, however, the evidence available strongly suggests that ED are more common among Indigenous Australians compared to other Australians. Eating disorders among Indigenous Australians are also associated with high levels of overvaluation of weight and shape. The increased risk of ED among Indigenous Australians was largely explained by factors such as poorer psychosocial wellbeing. No evidence was found for the existence of validated diagnostic or screening tools for ED in Indigenous Australians. Conclusion The evidence suggests ED are common among Indigenous Australians, and there are no diagnostic or screening tools available to assist clinicians in assessing them. More research is required in this field, especially towards the development of a validated and culturally specific screening or diagnostic tool for ED among Indigenous Australians.

scholarly journals Indigenous Australians with autism: A scoping review

Autism ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 24 (5) ◽  
pp. 1031-1046 ◽  
Author(s):  
Benjamin Bailey ◽  
Joanne Arciuli
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Support Services ◽  
Torres Strait Islander ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Indigenous Australians ◽  
Torres Strait Islander People ◽  
Provider Perspectives ◽  
Torres Strait

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with autism spectrum disorder, used interchangeably with the term autism, are among the most marginalised people in Australian society. This review maps out existing and emerging themes in the research involving Indigenous Australians with autism based on a search of the peer-reviewed and grey literature. Our search identified 1457 potentially relevant publications. Of these, 19 publications met our inclusion criteria and focused on autism spectrum disorder diagnosis and prevalence, as well as carer and service provider perspectives on autism, and autism support services for Indigenous Australians. We were able to access 17 publications: 12 journal articles, 3 conference presentations, 1 resource booklet and 1 dissertation. Findings suggest similar prevalence rates for autism among Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians, although some Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with autism may not receive a diagnosis or may be misdiagnosed. Research on the perspectives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander carers and Indigenous and non-Indigenous service providers is discussed in relation to Indigenous perspectives on autism, as well as barriers and strategies to improve access to diagnosis and support services. Although not the focus of our review, we briefly mention studies of Indigenous people with autism in countries other than Australia. Lay Abstract Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with developmental disabilities such as autism are among the most marginalised people in Australian society. We reviewed research involving Indigenous Australians with autism based on a search of the peer-reviewed and grey literature. Our search identified 1457 potentially relevant publications. Of these, 19 publications were in line with our main areas of inquiry: autism spectrum disorder diagnosis and prevalence, carer and service provider perspectives on autism, and autism support services. These included 12 journal publications, 3 conference presentations, 1 resource booklet and 1 thesis dissertation. Findings suggest similar prevalence rates for autism among Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians, although some Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with autism may not receive a diagnosis or may be misdiagnosed. We also discuss research on the perspectives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander carers and Indigenous and non-Indigenous service providers, as well as barriers and strategies for improving access to diagnosis and support services.

The Planets in Aboriginal Australia

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Duane W. Hamacher ◽  
Kirsten Banks
Keyword(s):  
Torres Strait Islander ◽  
Aboriginal People ◽  
Indigenous Australians ◽  
The Sun ◽  
Zodiacal Light ◽  
Retrograde Motion ◽  
Synodic Period ◽  
Relative Brightness ◽  
Torres Strait ◽  
Evening Star

Studies in Australian Indigenous astronomical knowledge reveal few accounts of the visible planets in the sky. However, what information we do have tells us that Aboriginal people are close observers of planets and their motions and properties. Indigenous Australians discerned between planets and stars by their placement in the sky and their general lack of scintillation. Traditions generally describe the ecliptic and zodiac as a pathway of sky ancestors represented by the sun, moon, and planets. This included observing the occasional backwards motion of sky ancestors as they communicate with each other during their journey across the sky, representing an explanation of retrograde motion. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people note the relative brightness of the planets over time and information about the roles they play in their traditions around Australia. Knowledge systems outline the importance placed on Venus as the morning and evening star, making connections to the object as it transitions form one to the other through observations and calculation of the planet’s synodic period. Traditions note the relative positions of the planets to the moon, sun, and background stars, as well as inter planetary dust through zodiacal light, which is perceived as a celestial rope connecting Venus to the sun. The relative dearth of descriptions of planets in Aboriginal traditions may be due to the gross incompleteness of recorded astronomical traditions and of ethnographic bias and misidentification in the anthropological record. Ethnographic fieldwork with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities is revealing new, previously unrecorded knowledge about the planets and their related phenomena.

Placing Torres Strait Islanders on a Sociolinguistic and Literate Continuum: A Critical Commentary

1991 ◽  
Vol 19 (3) ◽  
pp. 39-53 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin Nakata
Keyword(s):  
Torres Strait Islander ◽  
Educational Achievement ◽  
Oral Traditions ◽  
Aboriginal Peoples ◽  
Critical Examination ◽  
Aboriginal Education ◽  
Torres Strait Islander People ◽  
Linguistic Differences ◽  
Critical Commentary ◽  
Torres Strait

Much of the literature on Torres Strait Islander, as well of Aboriginal, education begins from the assumption that oral traditions and cultures have a profound effect on educational achievement. But how easy is it to plot Islanders on an oral/literate continuum (cf. Goody, 1978)? The purpose of this paper is a critical examination of a sociolinguistic model designed to describe Torres Strait Islander and Aboriginal peoples in terms of oracy and literacy by Watson (1988). As part of her attempt to explain mathematics education as it relates to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, her continua attempt at an analysis via a theoretical framework built on socio-demographic and linguistic differences between orate and literate traditions. Watson (1988, p.257) suggest that, “...there exists the same type of continuum linking use of Torres Strait Islander languages and English.”

Review of the cultural safety of a national Indigenous point-of-care testing program for diabetes management

2016 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 368 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark Shephard ◽  
Christopher O'Brien ◽  
Anthony Burgoyne ◽  
Jody Croft ◽  
Trevor Garlett ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Torres Strait Islander ◽  
Diabetes Management ◽  
Health Workers ◽  
Point Of Care ◽  
Cultural Safety ◽  
Medical Services ◽  
Indigenous Australians ◽  
Point Of Care Testing ◽  
Group Setting ◽  
Torres Strait

In Australia, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have approximately three-fold higher rates of diabetes than non-Indigenous Australians. Point-of-care testing, where pathology tests are conducted close to the patient, with results available during the patient consultation, can potentially deliver several benefits for both the Indigenous client and the health professional team involved in their care. Currently, point-of-care testing for diabetes management is being conducted in over 180 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Medical Services as part of a national program called Quality Assurance for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Medical Services (QAAMS). The cultural safety of the Program was reviewed by sourcing the views of the QAAMS Indigenous Leaders Team in a focus group setting and by surveying the point-of-care testing operators enrolled in QAAMS, via an electronic questionnaire. The current study confirms that QAAMS remains a culturally safe program that fills a permanent and positive niche within the Indigenous health sector. The study demonstrates that QAAMS provides a convenient and accessible ‘one-stop’ pathology service for Indigenous clients with diabetes and empowers Aboriginal Health Workers to have a direct role in the care of their diabetes clients.

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