Moving Forward Together in Aboriginal Women's Health: - Theses ...

Moving Forward TogetherJanet KellyColonisation is like a meteorite hit, it caused total and widespreaddevastation for us Aboriginal people. Who do we want to blame for it? Itis not as if everyone is evil. I just don’t believe that every one who camehere is evil. But still, that is what it has done. Devastate (AH Mg Int. 3).One older Aboriginal health worker explained;You get people who end up like myself, who manage the system learn howto play the game, I am doing Ok, I survive, all those sorts of things, andthen you have got people who are completely disadvantaged anddispossessed (AH D6)A younger Aboriginal staff member said;It causes a lot of heartache because I have family who have been part ofthe stolen generation. They have the stories that still stay with them andwe still listen. Your head is still being filled with those stories and youcan’t escape it, it has happened, it is always going to be passed on fromgeneration to generation. It is who you are. It gets stuck with you (AHD7).She went on to say;There is so much discrimination, knowing that there are so manydiscriminating people out there really knocks you back. Thediscrimination is so real.Other co-researchers spoke about;…hugely, broken spirits. And that is what I call our people with all themental health, it is not mental illness, it is broken spirit. It is broken down(AH Hp Int. 4).Another spoke of;The burdens of generation after generation of not being heard, valued,lifted up (AH D7).AndIn the clinic I find people have been so traumatised generally from life(AH Hp Int. 6).230