The Heart Research Institute (HRI) has marked NAIDOC Week with a very special series of events for staff, hosted by HRI's Djurali Centre for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Research and Education.
NAIDOC Week is held across Australia every year in the first week of July, to celebrate and recognise the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. It is an opportunity for everyone to learn more about First Nations traditions and histories and to participate in celebrations of the oldest, continuous living cultures on earth.
This year's theme 'Keep the fire burning! Blak, loud and proud' honours the enduring strength and vitality of First Nations culture.
To mark this important event, HRI staff started off the morning by taking part in a beautiful smoking ceremony, conducted by Gamilaraay man Uncle Raymond Weatherall at HRI.
A smoking ceremony is an Aboriginal custom that involves smouldering native plants, in this case sandalwood, in a wooden coolamon. As Uncle Weatherall explained, the smoke has healing properties and assists to remove bad spirits and cleanse the area.
"The sandalwood has a transformative smell," he shared. "The smoke heals the land and the people on it."
He noted that NAIDOC Week has its origins in 1938 and the 'Day of Mourning', when protesters marched through the streets of Sydney.
HRI staff were fortunate to experience an Aboriginal smoking ceremony
The smoking ceremony was followed by an Indigenous-led research showcase featuring Ms Jemma Chao, Dr Connie Henson and Dr Vita Christie from the Djurali team.
Ms Chao shared more about the history of NAIDOC Week before highlighting some of the incredible work the Djurali Centre has done with their workforce strategy and scholarship programs.
"We are so proud to have helped so many young Aboriginal people overcome trauma and obstacles in their path and enter the workforce," she explained, before introducing Folau Talbot, who won the NAIDOC Apprentice of the Year in 2018.
Mr Talbot is a proud Gamilaroi/Tongan man from Boggabilla NSW, a very remote and disadvantaged community near the Queensland border with just 600 residents. Thanks to a scholarship, he was able to complete his studies in Dental Technology and become a qualified dental technician. He has since worked for The University of Sydney as a project officer and now the Lowitja Institute.
"I wouldn't be where I am without these programs," he told HRI staff. "I got all my qualifications and then I was able to give back to my community by working as a dental technician and providing dentures for the elderly and mouthguards."
According to Ms Chao, Mr Talbot is now a "local hero" in his community, providing inspiration to many and giving back in a tangible way.
"He showed people that it is possible to leave community and that there are different career pathways for young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people," she said. "And this is how we keep the fire burning. All these students are heroes, and they are our future elders and leaders."
The Djurali team with Uncle Raymond Weatherall (centre)
Dr Henson then gave a fantastic talk about co-design and the importance of community for Indigenous people - an element that is often lacking in individualistic Western cultures.
She encouraged all HRI staff to get out in community and really listen to their needs and preferences.
Dr Christie rounded out the morning session by highlighting just a few of the important projects the Djurali Centre is currently working on within their Innovation stream, including:
- PAGES: Prioritising Aboriginal Genomics through Engagement and Skills
- Smoke messaging and Air Quality Forecasting system (AQFx)
- ON TRAC: Oncology trials in remote and rural areas collaboration
Ms Jemma Chao (left) and Dr Connie Hanson
Assoc Prof Uncle Boe Rambaldini and Dr Uncle Joe Perry then led an engaging discussion around the 1967 referendum and the recent Voice referendum, which staff agreed was a "devastating" outcome for the Voice not to be passed.
"NAIDOC Week is important because it gives us an opportunity to understand the historical and contemporary challenges that keep us apart," said Uncle Rambaldini. "I don't want to mend fences with non-Aboriginal Australia, because fences are there to keep people in or out. I want to build bridges so that we can live together in harmony.
"I want two things. I want equity and inclusion. And what will allow this to happen is truth-telling."
Dr Perry agreed and said his people are still facing "alarming discrimination" and fighting to maintain their legacy.
"Many policies in this country still devastate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in this country," he said. "Children are still getting taken away from their parents. Many people are blind to it. But amazing things can happen when we listen, and we sit down and we work together."
The Djurali Centre officially joined HRI as a research group in December 2023 after a 10-year partnership, to further collaborate on world-leading research into cardiovascular disease (CVD) in Indigenous populations.
The Centre's aim is to turn research into tangible and sustainable change in community, in healthcare, and in public policy, and to improve the quality of life of Aboriginal people through inclusion, equity and respect.
Assoc Prod Uncle Boe Rambaldini (left) and Dr Uncle Joe Perry (right)
