The inaugural Bush Medicine Cultural Immersion weekend, organised by the Kimberley Health Professionals Network (KHPN), has given participants a deeper understanding of Aboriginal culture and connection to Country.
Held at Neem Campground on the Dampier Peninsula, the immersion provided a unique and enriching experience that blended practical knowledge of bush medicine with personal stories from Aboriginal Elder, Mena.
Travelling in convoy, the 21 participants made their way to the campground, setting up camp before embarking on a guided on-Country walk. “Mena guided the group through significant cultural sites, including a Stolen Generation kids bush camp, a shell midden, and a well that local Aboriginal people were forced to dig,” said KHPN Coordinator Sara Hennessy. “Along the way, she introduced various plants used in bush medicine.” The afternoon concluded with a swim at the mouth of the lagoon, followed by a barbecue dinner where Mena shared her story as a child of the Stolen Generation.
The impact of the Stolen Generation
The removal of Aboriginal children was a policy enforced by various governments from the 1910s to the 1970s, claiming it would save the children from a life of neglect. The children removed during this time are now known as the Stolen Generation. Many Aboriginal families have experienced inter-generational trauma due to the damage and hurt experienced by parents or grandparents who lived through this period of history. Mena’s story provided a moving and deeply personal element to the weekend and helped participants develop a deeper understanding of the lasting effects of this policy; many of whom had not previously heard a first-hand account from a child of the Stolen Generation.
Understanding connection to Country
“I have lived in the Kimberley for more than 10 years and have walked on Country with Traditional Owners from around the region, but with Mena’s guidance I felt like I was seeing the bush for the first time,” said Jenni Lowe, Coordinator for the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service (KAMS) Wellbeing Informed Care program. “The array of useful/medicinal plants all around us blew my mind. Listening to Mena’s knowledge, passion, and deep respect for the healing power of Country was truly moving.
“As a health professional, I felt privileged to learn a bit about the ways Aboriginal people have been doing things for so many generations.” The idea for the immersion came about after a chance meeting between Mena and local doctor Angi Vico. Angi felt Mena’s expertise in cultural and bush medicine would be a perfect fit for a KHPN event. “Angi told me she had met an amazing lady who knew a lot about bush medicine and asked if I would be interested in involving her in a KHPN event,” Sara said.
“Mena and I met later that same day, where we talked for hours and came up with the idea of the immersion. “The immersive aspects of the weekend gave the group a really rich experience which has given them insight into traditional bush medicine and connection to Country. We’ll definitely look to hold more on-Country events,” she said.
The Kimberley Health Professionals Network is a collegiate network of health professionals who provide care to the rural communities in the Kimberley region of Western Australia. Similar networks operate across Western Australia with the aim to provide health professionals with better support and greater opportunities to network, upskill, share information and collaborate in a local supportive community environment. To join your local network visit ruralhealthwest.com.au/hpns