A gathering of global Indigenous psychologists recently took place at the University of Western Australia on Whadjuk Noongar boodjar.
Professor Pat Dudgeon, Chief Investigator of Transforming Indigenous Mental Health and Wellbeing and Australia's first Indigenous psychologist, welcomed visiting scholars from Canada, the US, and New Zealand.
The visitors arrived in Boorloo from Ngambri and Ngunnawal Country (Canberra), after being flown to Australia by the Winhangadurinya Project, an Australian National University (ANU) research venture (led by Principal Investigator, Dr Stewart Sutherland) exploring Indigenous mindfulness and its intersection with ways of thinking among Indigenous peoples.
The group included Associate Professor Jeffrey Ansloos, a citizen of Fisher River Cree Nation (Ochekwi-Sipi; Treaty 5) and the Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Studies in Health, Suicide Studies & Environmental Justice at the University of Toronto and Associate Professor Waikaremoana Waitoki of Te Pua Wānanga ki te Ao Faculty of Māori and Indigenous Studies, affiliated with Ngāti Hako and Ngāti Māhanga iwi and of Māori descent, and a clinical psychologist.
Also in attendance were Dr Mark Standing Eagle Baez, a descendant of the Mohawk and Pawnee people, President-elect of the Society of Indian Psychologists and Associate Professor of Clinical and Counselling Psych at Bemidji State University; Dr Hukarere Valentine, a senior Māori Clinical Psychologist and co-director of the Centre for Indigenous Psychologies at Massey University; and Dr Stewart Sutherland a Wiradjuri man from Wellington, NSW, with more than 20 years' experience in Indigenous health from ANU.
Dr Valentine, Dr Baez, A/Professor Waitoki and A/Professor Ansloos delivered a public lecture at the WA Museum Boola Bardip on October 25 on 'Climate Change and Global Indigenous Psychology' where they discussed the profound impact of climate change on mental health, especially for First Nations peoples whose connections to the land are central to their social and emotional wellbeing.
While in Boorloo, the cohort took the opportunity to visit Wungening Aboriginal Corporation and the Aboriginal Health Council of Western Australia (AHCWA) to network and share Indigenous knowledges from around the globe with local experts, and vice versa.
A/Professor Ansloos and Dr Baez were the key presenters at the 2024 Robin Winkler Lecture at UWA, presented by the School of Psychological Science on 28 October.
The public lecture centred around the theme 'Mental Health is Political: Global Indigenous Struggles for Racial Justice and Collective Healing' and was hosted by Professor Dudgeon and Dr Sutherland.
"Indigenous research methods have shown community engagement and cultural empowerment is vital in understanding and addressing real-world issues," Professor Dudgeon said.
The Robin Winkler lecture was preceded by a smoking ceremony at Bilya Marlee at UWA, which served as a Welcome to Country for the visiting academics. Micheal Spratt, a Noongar Yamatji man played didgeridoo, while Noongar elders Aunty Roma Winmar and Aunty Tjalaminu Mia presided over the ceremony.
The group of international Indigenous scholars and practitioners have committed to working together further in the future, collaborating on papers and research grants, and by continuing to share Indigenous knows of waying, being, and doing.
In a joint statement, the group said they look forward to being reunited on Whadjuk Noongar boodjar again soon.
"We need to look to the political courage of Indigenous peoples around the world," A/Professor Ansloos said.
