Aboriginal Leaders Research Articles

Traditional food availability and consumption in remote Aboriginal communities in the Northern Territory, Australia

Objective:To explore availability, variety and frequency consumption of traditional foods and their role in alleviating food insecurity in remote Aboriginal Australia. Methods:Availability was assessed through repeated semi‐structured interviews and consumption via a survey. Quantitative data were described and qualitative data classified. Results:Aboriginal and non‐Indigenous key informants (n=30 in 2013; n=19 in 2014) from 20 Northern Territory (NT) communities participated in interviews. Aboriginal primary household shoppers (n=73 in 2014) in five of these communities participated in a survey. Traditional foods were reported to be available year‐round in all 20 communities. Most participants (89%) reported consuming a variety of traditional foods at least fortnightly and 71% at least weekly. Seventy‐six per cent reported being food insecure, with 40% obtaining traditional food during these times. Conclusions:Traditional food is consumed frequently by Aboriginal people living in remote NT. Implications for public health:Quantifying dietary contribution of traditional food would complement estimated population dietary intake. It would contribute evidence of nutrition transition and differences in intakes across age groups and inform dietary, environmental and social interventions and policy. Designing and conducting assessment of traditional food intake in conjunction with Aboriginal leaders warrants consideration.

The Picture Talk Project: Starting a Conversation with Community Leaders on Research with Remote Aboriginal Communities of Australia

BackgroundResearchers are required to seek consent from Indigenous communities prior to conducting research but there is inadequate information about how Indigenous people understand and become fully engaged with this consent process. Few studies evaluate the preference or understanding of the consent process for research with Indigenous populations. Lack of informed consent can impact on research findings.MethodsThe Picture Talk Project was initiated with senior Aboriginal leaders of the Fitzroy Valley community situated in the far north of Western Australia. Aboriginal people were interviewed about their understanding and experiences of research and consent processes. Transcripts were analysed using NVivo10 software with an integrated method of inductive and deductive coding and based in grounded theory. Local Aboriginal interpreters validated coding. Major themes were defined and supporting quotes sourced.ResultsInterviews with Aboriginal leaders (n = 20) were facilitated by a local Aboriginal Community Navigator who could interpret if necessary and provide cultural guidance. Participants were from all four major local language groups of the Fitzroy Valley; aged 31 years and above; and half were male. Themes emerging from these discussions included Research—finding knowledge; Being respectful of Aboriginal people, Working on country, and Being flexible with time; Working together with good communication; Reciprocity—two-way learning; and Reaching consent.ConclusionThe project revealed how much more there is to be learned about how research with remote Aboriginal communities should be conducted such that it is both culturally respectful and, importantly, meaningful for participants. We identify important elements in community consultation about research and seeking consent.

Yarning with remote Aboriginal communities about seeking consent for research, culturally respectful community engagement and genuine research partnerships

If the invitation to research is not delivered in a way that is understood, or acknowledges that participants may come from a different world-view, it may affect participation rates, and research findings and research relationships with Indigenous communities. Reflections on the consent process and community engagement for research with Indigenous populations are rarely documented as shown in our systematic review.1 In response, The Picture Talk Project was initiated by leaders of remote Aboriginal communities of the Kimberley to have a ‘Yarn’ about the research process.2 Aboriginal leaders formed a partnership with researchers from Sydney and Darwin. Locally respected Aboriginal people were employed to work as Community Navigators and interpret language, provide cultural guidance and learn Western research approaches. Community leaders were interviewed (research topic yarning) and focus groups (collaborative yarns) were held with Aboriginal community members comprising of parents or carers about their understanding of research, the consent process and their preference of how communities should be engaged and how information should be presented.2 Focus group participants were also given the option to draw pictures on paper during the focus group in order to divert focus to a mutual activity.3,4 Transcripts are analysed using NVivo10 qualitative software and coded using inductive and deductive coding with grounded theory.5 Major Themes are synthesised and supporting quotes from participants were identified. Participants were from different age groups, both males and females and from main local language groups of the Fitzroy Valley, namely Bunuba, Gooniyandi, Walmajarri, Wangkatjungka and Nykina. Interview analysis reveals five main themes: Research – finding knowledge; Showing respect for Aboriginal people, working on country and being flexible with time; Working together with good communication; Reciprocity – learning two ways and Reaching consent. Themes emerging from the focus group data include: Research – your knowledge; Communication – ‘Milli Milli’ (written word) versus Pictures; Community Research Relationships – ‘Checking in’; and Future Directions: What to research next? Aboriginal communities want researchers to change their approach to community engagement.1 Specific feedback is given on how to communicate in a way that is embraced by remote Aboriginal communities leading to better recruitment rates and more meaningful research outcomes and forming relationships which embody respect for Aboriginal culture.

Engagement in system redesign: A wellness example to enable a cultural transformation.

For the past several years, Interior Health (IH) has worked collaboratively with Aboriginal leaders to build strong relationships and develop an environment of reciprocal accountability and knowledge exchange. All partners are committed to working together to change the healthcare system so that it responds appropriately and effectively to the needs of a population of people with the poorest health outcomes. The development of the IH Aboriginal Health and Wellness Strategy is an example of meaningful engagement with First Nations communities in the IH region at the system level. The strategy was built by IH, led by First Nations, and developed in collaboration with First Nations, Urban, and Métis partners. It aims to address the shared long-term goal of improving the overall health and wellness of Aboriginal people and enable a cultural transformation to overcome the barriers that are stopping Aboriginal people from seeking care from a shared healthcare system.

Perceptions on confronting sexual exploitation in Canada: Introducing new primary research

This paper provides a preview into new primary research into sexual exploitation and human sex trafficking in Canada. The project, for which interviewing is complete and analysis is now underway, is qualitative research taking a grounded, open-minded approach with an underlying hypothesis that better outcomes may be gleaned from systems of service providers and stakeholders through improved coordination and collaboration. Previous research on related topics has often overlooked key stakeholders including police, prosecutors, political, First Nations and other community leaders. This research casts a wider net, incorporating the voices of over 65 experts across Manitoba, including: experiential survivors of sexual exploitation and sex trafficking, police, social workers, Aboriginal leaders, and people working in numerous non-government organizations who work to prevent sexual exploitation and assist victims to escape the sex industry. The research was focused in Manitoba where women and children continue to be victimized in the sex industry despite having one of the most comprehensive and well-funded counter sexual exploitation strategies of any province in Canada. The questions asked of subjects were designed to highlight barriers and opportunities for improved collaboration, interdiction and response to prevent people from being exploited in the sex industry and help others to escape it. While the data is in the early stages of analysis, some strong themes are already apparent to the researcher. These themes suggest that there may be a significant correlation between vulnerability to sexual exploitation and poverty, lack of opportunities, familial environment and relationships, and resilience. Generally, people from all perspectives seem to be stressing that there needs to be better coordination of resources, and more education and awareness across society on this issue.

The Gayaa Dhuwi (Proud Spirit) Declaration – a Call to Action for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leadership in the Australian mental health system

ABSTRACTThe Gayaa Dhuwi (Proud Spirit) Declaration aims to improve the mental health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples by supporting their leadership in those parts of the mental health system that work with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander populations. A further aim is to promote an appropriate balance of clinical and culturally-informed mental health system responses, including by providing access to cultural healing, to mental health problems in Aboriginal and Torres Strait persons. Developed by the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Leadership in Mental Health (NATSILMH) as a companion document to the international Wharerātā Declaration, the Gayaa Dhuwi (Proud Spirit) Declaration also sets out principles for governments, professional bodies and other stakeholders to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leadership in the Australian mental health system; and principles for working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander mental health leaders as they exercise culturally informed leadership within the Australian mental health system. The Gayaa Dhuwi (Proud Spirit) Declaration is being promoted by NATSILMH as a new paradigm for shaping mental health system responses to Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander mental health problems.

Competencies of Tribal Leaders on their Aboriginal Leadership Functions and the Effectiveness of the Certificate of Ancestral Domain Title as an Empowerment Tool in the Ancestral Domain of the Ayangans in Nueva Vizcaya, Philippines

Competencies of Tribal Leaders on their Aboriginal Leadership Functions and the Effectiveness of the Certificate of Ancestral Domain Title as an Empowerment Tool in the Ancestral Domain of the Ayangans in Nueva Vizcaya, Philippines

Mapping the journey of an Aboriginal research academic

Most universities implement academic, professional development opportunities to enhance knowledge, practice appropriately to their environments and support the career progression of staff. These opportunities, however, do not cater for the specific professional development needs of Aboriginal research academics. The aim of this paper is to map the professional journey of an Aboriginal research academic during the time of her participation in the National Indigenous Researchers and Knowledges Network (NIRAKN) 2012 to 2016. The author uses an autoethnographic approach to examine what worked for her, under what conditions, through what strategies and with what consequences in her development as an Aboriginal research leader. The author suggests that the unique ‘Indigenous space’ and Aboriginal mentorship provided by NIRAKN was critical in her successful transition to a research leadership position.

Interrogating and interpreting the mediation of an emerging Australian Aboriginal social movement between 1923 and 1940

The founding of the Australian Aboriginal Progressive Association (AAPA) in 1923 heralded the rise of an organized, motivated Australian Aboriginal rights movement that has continued to fight for improvements to Aboriginal people’s lives. This paper investigates the media framing of this emerging movement through an analysis of print media (mainstream and alternative) coverage relating to the AAPA (1923–1930) and the Aborigines Progressive Association (1937–1940). Key questions consider how media framed each organization, their leaders and activity, who was allowed to speak, and what led to the emergence of the movement in the first place. In addition, this discussion includes an examination of how social movement and journalistic theory connect. It is argued that changes in Australia’s political environment, heightened levels of oppression of Australia’s Aboriginal peoples and the availability of charismatic Aboriginal leadership provided ideal conditions for the successful emergence of the Aboriginal rights movement in Australia.

Effective strategies to reduce commercial tobacco use in Indigenous communities globally: A systematic review.

BackgroundAll over the world, Indigenous populations have remarkably high rates of commercial tobacco use compared to non-Indigenous groups. The high rates of commercial tobacco use in Indigenous populations have led to a variety of health issues and lower life expectancy than the general population. The objectives of this systematic review were to investigate changes in the initiation, consumption and quit rates of commercial tobacco use as well as changes in knowledge, prevalence, community interest, and smoke-free environments in Indigenous populations. We also aimed to understand which interventions had broad reach, what the common elements that supported positive change were and how Aboriginal self-determination was reflected in program implementation.MethodsWe undertook a systematic review of peer-reviewed publications and grey literature selected from seven databases and 43 electronic sources. We included studies between 1994 and 2015 if they addressed an intervention (including provision of a health service or program, education or training programs) aimed to reduce the use of commercial tobacco use in Indigenous communities globally. Systematic cross-regional canvassing of informants in Canada and internationally with knowledge of Indigenous health and/or tobacco control provided further leads about commercial tobacco reduction interventions. We extracted data on program characteristics, study design and learnings including successes and challenges.ResultsIn the process of this review, we investigated 73 commercial tobacco control interventions in Indigenous communities globally. These interventions incorporated a myriad of activities to reduce, cease or protect Indigenous peoples from the harms of commercial tobacco use. Interventions were successful in producing positive changes in initiation, consumption and quit rates. Interventions also facilitated increases in the number of smoke-free environments, greater understandings of the harms of commercial tobacco use and a growing community interest in addressing the high rates of commercial tobacco use. Interventions were unable to produce any measured change in prevalence rates.ConclusionsThe extent of this research in Indigenous communities globally suggests a growing prioritization and readiness to address the high rates of commercial tobacco use through the use of both comprehensive and tailored interventions. A comprehensive approach that uses multiple activities, the centring of Aboriginal leadership, long term community investments, and the provision of culturally appropriate health materials and activities appear to have an important influence in producing desired change.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12889-015-2645-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

From the Moral Limits of Markets to the Moral Limits of Welfare

AbstractThe political philosopher Michael Sandel (2012) has recently argued compellingly for more attention to the moral limits of markets, arguing that market values can crowd out other values we should care about. Meanwhile, conservative advocates for welfare reform, such as the Australian Aboriginal leader Noel Pearson, have raised concerns about the impact of long-term welfare receipt on community values. Pearson's argument about welfare can be articulated in similar terms to Sandel's argument about markets. Pearson maintains that in heavily disadvantaged communities – such as the Aboriginal communities of Cape York Peninsula – the state's provision of non-contributory welfare can crowd out important values such as trust, respect, care for the weak and mutual help as well as self-reliance and hard work. Though Sandel's and Pearson's arguments find receptive audiences on different ends of the political spectrum, the parallels between their arguments are striking. The article seeks to promote greater scholarly engagement with Pearson's moral critique of welfare while expressing scepticism about one of the key correctives he proposes.

When reconciliation means reparations: Tasmania's compensation to the stolen generations

Reconciliation is the dominant discourse surrounding Australia's response to historical injustices Aborigines have suffered. However, debate persists about what the concept means and how effective it is when addressing past harms. It is particularly criticised for focusing on symbolic and social justice measures, rather than material reparations enshrined in law. This article examines the case study of Tasmania, which has been the only jurisdiction to compensate the Stolen Generations. It questions why there was an understanding of reconciliation as reparations at the state but not at the national level. Drawing on interviews with Tasmanian political and Aboriginal leaders, this investigation found that a shared discourse of reconciliation created a space where a momentum of community support grew for legal redress. Alongside this analysis, the article argues that studies on reconciliation should go beyond the nation to examine how these debates play out in state legislatures.

Whither the Aborigine

Whither the Aborigine

Social acceptability and desirability of smoking in a national sample of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

To describe social normative beliefs about smoking in a national sample of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and to assess the relationship of these beliefs with quitting. The Talking About The Smokes project used a quota sampling design to recruit participants from communities served by 34 Aboriginal community-controlled health services and one community in the Torres Strait. We surveyed 1392 daily smokers, 251 non-daily smokers, 311 ex-smokers and 568 never-smokers from April 2012 to October 2013. Eight normative beliefs about smoking; wanting and attempting to quit. Compared with daily smokers in the general Australian population, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander daily smokers were less likely to report that mainstream society disapproves of smoking (78.5% v 62%). Among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander daily smokers, 40% agreed that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community leaders where they live disapprove of smoking, 70% said there are increasingly fewer places they feel comfortable smoking, and most (90%) believed non-smokers set a good example to children. Support for the government to do more to tackle the harm caused by smoking was much higher than in the general Australian population (80% v 47.2%). These five normative beliefs were all associated with wanting to quit. Non-smokers reported low levels of pressure to take up smoking. Tobacco control strategies that involve the leadership and participation of local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community leaders, particularly strategies that emphasise protection of others, may be an important means of reinforcing beliefs that smoking is socially unacceptable, thus boosting motivation to quit.

Predictors of wanting to quit in a national sample of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander smokers.

To describe factors that predict wanting to quit smoking in a national sample of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. The Talking About The Smokes (TATS) project used a quota sampling design to recruit participants from communities served by 34 Aboriginal community-controlled health services and one community in the Torres Strait. Baseline survey data were collected from 1643 current smokers between April 2012 and October 2013. Wanting to quit smoking. More than two-thirds of smokers (70%) said they want to quit. Many factors were associated with wanting to quit, including past quitting activity. Interest in quitting was lower among men and smokers from economically disadvantaged areas, but there was no difference by age, remoteness or other measures of economic disadvantage. Attitudes and beliefs negatively associated with wanting to quit included enjoying smoking and believing quitting to be very difficult, and those positively associated included regretting ever starting to smoke, perceiving that local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community leaders disapprove of smoking, believing non-smokers set a good example to children, worrying about future smoking-related health effects and believing quitting to be beneficial. Reporting support from family and friends was predictive of wanting to quit, but factors related to smoking in the social network were not. Associations with health and wellbeing were mixed. While most tobacco control policy exposure variables were positively associated with wanting to quit, two - receiving advice to quit from a health professional, and recall of targeted anti-tobacco advertising - appeared to have an effect that extended beyond influencing relevant attitudes and beliefs. Interest in quitting among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander smokers appears to be influenced by a broad range of factors, highlighting the importance of taking a comprehensive approach to tobacco control. Advice from health professionals and targeted advertising appear to be important intervention strategies.

Prevalence and patterns of alcohol use in pregnancy in remote Western Australian communities: The Lililwan Project.

Alcohol use in pregnancy is thought to be common in remote Australian communities, but no population-based data are available. Aboriginal leaders in remote Western Australia invited researchers to determine the prevalence and patterns of alcohol use in pregnancy within their communities. A population-based survey of caregivers of all children born in 2002/2003 and living in the Fitzroy Valley in 2010/2011 (n = 134). Alcohol use risk was categorised using the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test consumption subset (AUDIT-C) tool. Birth and child outcomes were determined by interview, medical record review and physical examination. 127/134 (95%) eligible caregivers participated: 78% were birth mothers, 95% were Aboriginal and 55% reported alcohol use in index pregnancies; 88% reported first trimester drinking and 53% drinking in all trimesters. AUDIT-C scores were calculated for 115/127 women, of whom 60 (52%) reported alcohol use in pregnancy. Of the 60 women who drank (AUDIT-C score ≥ 1), 12% drank daily/almost daily, 33% drank 2-3 times per week; 71% drank ≥ 10 standard drinks on a typical occasion; 95% drank at risky or high-risk levels (AUDIT-C score ≥ 4). Mean AUDIT-C score was 8.5 ± 2.3 (range 2-12). The most common drinking pattern was consumption of ≥ 10 standard drinks either 2-4 times per month (27%) or 2-3 times per week (27%). High-risk alcohol use in pregnancy is common in remote, predominantly Aboriginal communities in north western Australia. Prevention strategies to reduce prenatal alcohol use are urgently needed.

Reconfiguring indigeneity in the mainland Gulf country: Mimicry, mimesis, and the colonial exchange of difference

This paper explores the meaning of indigeneity in the southern Gulf country by focusing upon a group of Aboriginal and non‐Aboriginal people who claim as a common ancestor a pioneering non‐Aboriginal pastoralist. This early settler established a large cattle property on the Northern Territory/Queensland border at the end of the nineteenth century, where he participating in frontier violence as well as attempts to resolve such violence and promote more peaceable relations through various kinds of exchange, including the common‐law marriage of his part‐Aboriginal son to the daughter of a local Aboriginal leader. Drawing on Taussig's reflections on the economy of mimesis and alterity in colonial exchange, I analyse the ways in which different kinds of connections to the property in question have been phrased by Aboriginal and non‐Aboriginal descendants of this man, as well as other local people, from first settlement in the 1860s through to the contemporary moment, when multiple and overlapping assertions of indigenous belonging by Aboriginal people intersect with articulations of an emergent autochthony amongst non‐Aboriginal Australians with long histories of residence in the area.

Prevalence of fetal alcohol syndrome in a population-based sample of children living in remote Australia: the Lililwan Project.

Aboriginal leaders concerned about high rates of alcohol use in pregnancy invited researchers to determine the prevalence of fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) and partial fetal alcohol syndrome (pFAS) in their communities. Population-based prevalence study using active case ascertainment in children born in 2002/2003 and living in the Fitzroy Valley, in Western Australia (April 2010-November 2011) (n = 134). Socio-demographic and antenatal data, including alcohol use in pregnancy, were collected by interview with 127/134 (95%) consenting parents/care givers. Maternal/child medical records were reviewed. Interdisciplinary assessments were conducted for 108/134 (81%) children. FAS/pFAS prevalence was determined using modified Canadian diagnostic guidelines. In 127 pregnancies, alcohol was used in 55%. FAS or pFAS was diagnosed in 13/108 children, a prevalence of 120 per 1000 (95% confidence interval 70-196). Prenatal alcohol exposure was confirmed for all children with FAS/pFAS, 80% in the first trimester and 50% throughout pregnancy. Ten of 13 mothers had Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test scores and all drank at a high-risk level. Of children with FAS/pFAS, 69% had microcephaly, 85% had weight deficiency and all had facial dysmorphology and central nervous system abnormality/impairment in three to eight domains. The population prevalence of FAS/pFAS in remote Aboriginal communities of the Fitzroy Valley is the highest reported in Australia and similar to that reported in high-risk populations internationally. Results are likely to be generalisable to other age groups in the Fitzroy Valley and other remote Australian communities with high-risk alcohol use during pregnancy. Prevention of FAS/pFAS is an urgent public health challenge.

Review of Return to Tyendinaga: The Story of Jim and Melba Loft, Bahá’í Pioneers by Evelyn Loft-Watts and Patricia Verge

Review of Evelyn Loft Watts and Patricia Verge's Return to Tyendinaga: The Story of Jim and Melba Loft, Bahá’í Pioneers by Louise Profeit-LeBlanc

A clash of paradigms? Western and indigenous views on health research involving Aboriginal peoples.

To explore the issues of data management and data ownership with regard to health research conducted in aboriginal or indigenous populations in Canada. Research with aboriginal communities in Canada has often been conducted by researchers who had little or no understanding of the community in which the research was taking place. This led to 'helicopter' research, which benefitted the researcher but not the community. National aboriginal leadership developed the ownership, control, access, and possession (OCAP) principles, which outline how to manage research data regarding aboriginal people and to counteract disrespectful methodologies. However, these principles present their own set of challenges to those who would conduct research with aboriginal populations. Documents from the Assembly of First Nations, the Government of Canada, Aboriginal writers and researchers, and Nursing theorists and researchers. This is a methodology paper that reviews the issues of data ownership when conducting research with Aboriginal populations. The authors explore indigenous and Western views of knowledge development, outline and discuss the OCAP principles, and present the Canadian Institute of Health Research's guidelines for health research involving aboriginal people as a guide for those who want to carry out ethical and culturally competent research, do no harm and produce research that can benefit aboriginal peoples. There are special considerations associated with conducting research with Aboriginal populations. The Assembly of First Nations wants researchers to use the Ownership, Control, Access and Possession (OCAP) principles with First Nations data. These principles are restrictive and need to be discussed with stakeholders before research is undertaken. In Canada, it is imperative that researchers use the Canadian Institute of Health Research Guidelines for Health Research Involving Aboriginal People to ensure culturally sensitive and ethical conduct during the course of the research with Aboriginal populations. However, some communities may also want to use the OCAP principles and these principles will need to be taken into consideration when designing the study.