Cultural Times ISSUE 2 JULY 2019
Cultural Times is an independent magazine crafted for the culturally curious. Each issue is a vibrant celebration of the diversity and richness of cultures from across the globe. Through carefully curated stories and perspectives from a wide range of voices, we invite readers to explore the world’s traditions, practices, and innovations. By showcasing inspiring examples of cultural exchange and collaboration, Cultural Times seeks to entertain, inform, and nurture a deeper appreciation for the connections that unite us all as humans.
Cultural Times is an independent magazine crafted for the culturally curious. Each issue is a vibrant celebration of the diversity and richness of cultures from across the globe. Through carefully curated stories and perspectives from a wide range of voices, we invite readers to explore the world’s traditions, practices, and innovations. By showcasing inspiring examples of cultural exchange and collaboration, Cultural Times seeks to entertain, inform, and nurture a deeper appreciation for the connections that unite us all as humans.
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CULTURAL TIMES
W H E R E D I V E R S I T Y T H R I V E S
C h i l d r e n o f G a z a
M e n t a l H e a l t h a n d W e l l b e i n g
A n i m p o r t a n t E l e m e n t o f D i v e r s i t y
S h o o t i n g S t a r s
An Indigenous Case Study
F a r F r o m H a r m l e s s
W o r d s C a n D a m a g e R e l a t i o n s h i p s
G r o w i n g Y o u r C u l t u r a l I n t e l l i g e n c e
C O N T E N T S
02
ON THE COVER
Children of Gaza
Expression through
art, by children from
war torn countries
04
Shooting Stars
08
10
Far from Harmless
Growing your Cultural
Intelligence
12
Mental Health and Wellbeing
PEOPLE AND THEIR STORIES
The power of
yarning circles to
engage Indigenous
youth
18
Expat Life in Mongolia
20
Rearranging my Understanding
28
A Brief History of Experience
07
16
WORLD KNOWLEDGE
The Most Accessible Passports
to Have in 2019
The Tale of Two Democracies
Growing your own
CQ to be more
effective
26
The Petri Dish of Life
22
25
MORE
Writing! Isn't that a Dying
Art?
Cultural Mindfulness
Mental Health - an
area of diversity
often neglected or
not even
considered
C U L T U R A L T I M E S | J U L Y 2 0 1 9
Letter from the Editor
With the end of financial year upon us, it is a good time to
reflect on the year thus far. Have you exposed yourself to
different cultures this year? Did you do some
volunteering perhaps? Or travelling? Or had a
conversation about mental health with someone? Have
you actually thought about the impact of your words or
felt the impact of someone else's words?
I can safely say I experienced all of these things and this
quarter's magazine will offer further insights into all of
these topics. All of these experiences will also help you
grow your cultural intelligence (CQ).
I've been fortunate to have been in Singapore, KL,
London and Ireland with the magazine this year. I am also
looking forward to the Grand Prix in Singapore in September and will publish a bit more about my
experiences there in our next release.
As fortunate as some of us are, so disadvantaged are others. Our feature article looks into the lives of
children from Gaza, who have experienced some dreadful sights, and volunteers who are providing them
with glimpses of hope. We continue to look at a very practical Indigenous case study and the power of
yarning circles. There is lots of food for thought about how your words may impact on those around you,
how to grow your cultural intelligence and cultural mindfulness. With the recent Australian elections and
various political shifts around the world - we compare Australian and American systems to provide a
cognitive piece for you to chew on.
May you all have a successful second half of the year! (and address the elephants in your organisation -
see back cover)
Tanya Finnie
Want to get in touch? Have an amazing story to tell? Write to us at editor@cultural-times.com
MEET THE TEAM!
from left to right:
Magan Hurrelbrink - Creative Director and
Social Media Manager,
Arjun Bhugra - Research,
Jordan Phoebe - Copy Editor.
C U L T U R A L T I M E S | J U L Y 2 0 1 9
Children of Gaza
Expression Through Art - Healing Trauma
Ayman Qwaidar
Ayman Qwaider, co-founder of Gaza Children Cinema, was in his early 20s before he saw his first movie and
a proper cinema. This was in 2010, when he was awarded a master’s degree scholarship to leave the
blockaded Gaza Strip to pursue higher education in Peace, Conflict and Development Studies in Spain. It was
not by Ayman’s choice that he was born and raised on the Gaza Strip (Palestine), a 365-square-kilometre
coastal enclave of more than two million people, more than 40% of which are younger than 15 years old. 73%
of the population are refugees forced out of their original homes and villages during the creation of the state
of Israel. Peoples' movement is highly restricted, and electricity is only available up to four hours per day.
In 2013, Ayman and a team of volunteers
established Gaza Children Cinema in Gaza,
Palestine. It is an education and community-based
initiative inspired by Ahmed, a 10-year-old boy who
worked long hours selling ice-cream to people on
the beach. Ahmed was asked to speak about his
situation where he shared the difficulty and
hardships of working at such a young age to support
his family.
The team realised that this conversation could have
been Ahmed’s only opportunity to have an informal
space to express himself and voice his own reality.
Ahmed inspired the idea of a mobile cinema, as an
idea to create a safe space for children. The Gaza
Children’s Cinema was born a few months later and
is volunteer run and directed.
It is a mobile cinema designed to move from one
community to another. The initiative has been
operating through building partnerships with existing
non-profit and local community organisations since
its foundation in 2013. Through Gaza Children
Cinema’s local partner in Palestine, Tamer Institute
for Community Education (a leading education
provider), cinema workshops are organised in
marginalised areas as well as refugee camps.
Gaza Children’s Cinema provides children with a
unique platform to verbalise their stories. Children
are encouraged to draw their feelings and tell
stories. Children are also encouraged to play out
their experiences in supervised play sessions.
These approaches enable the children to find ways
to externalise the trauma, rather than letting it fester
like an internal time bomb.
The violence that children in Gaza experience daily,
including the loss of loved ones, due to devastating
12-year siege and three major aggressions has
created a humanitarian crisis and left an entire
generation emotionally and psychologically
damaged. A recent study released by Norwegian
Refugee Council (NRC) stated that 68 per cent of
Gaza school children suffer from psychological
distress.
C U L T U R A L T I M E S | J U L Y 2 0 1 9 | 2 |
CHILDREN OF GAZA
Mahmoud, a 15-year-old boy participating in one of the film workshops, had this to say about the children’s
cinema:
“Expressing your sad feelings and sharing it with your
peers about the situation in Gaza is better than hiding it
inside yourself. When we smile but we have great internal
pain, it is important for me to share how I feel in this
platform…”
Gaza Children’s Cinema is designed to offer a regular routine, the
opportunity for self-expression and the chance to engage with
peers in a safe and creative environment. Gathering children
together can support socialisation, establish peer and family
networks and encourage children to understand and accept views
other than their own. It is important that the children don't suppress
their feelings and that they search for their strengths and hope for
the future.
In the context of Gaza (or any war zone), if the children
can't process their emotions during this time, they could
be affected for the rest of their lives.
The initiative is working to expand reach and eventually visit more children communities in Palestine. This
cinema service is crucial, as movies provide a form of escapism - one that children in Gaza certainly need.
Fact Box
Understanding the treatment of trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) through creative expression,
known as art therapy, is still in its relative infancy. However, there are promising results that indicate artistic
expression is useful in reconstructing traumatic events and managing psychological symptoms and stress
(Spiegel et al. 2006, pg. 159). Proponents of art therapy claim that creative expression allows patients to
reactivate positive emotions, enhance one's ability to express emotions in a controlled manner, and reconsolidate
memories. Some scholars even claim that art therapy can effectively achieve similar goals to
trauma focused cognitive behavioural therapy (Pifalo 2007, pg. 171).
Reference - Pifalo, T 2007, 'Jogging the cogs: Trauma-focused art therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy with sexually
abused children', Art Therapy, vol. 24, no. 4, pp. 170-175.
Spiegel, D, Malchiodi, C, Backos, A & Collie, K 2006, 'Art therapy for combat-related PTSD: Recommendations for research
and practice', Art Therapy, vol. 23, no. 4, pp. 157-164.
C U L T U R A L T I M E S | J U L Y 2 0 1 9 | 3 |
S H O O T I N G S T A R S
In Australia, the gap between Aboriginal
students and their non-Aboriginal peers is
significant in terms of attendance, retention
to Year 12, and literacy and numeracy skills,
with the gap widening in regional and remote
contexts. School-based 'academy-style'
engagement programs work to close this gap
by providing holistic support services to
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (ATSI)
students. Funding is currently biased
towards boys' programs, with $40 million
granted to the mentoring and support of
young men in June 2017, compared to $9
million for young women.
In 2017, the Standing Committee on
Indigenous Affairs found that the common
elements among successful engagement
programs were “flexibility, cultural safety,
buy-in from the family and connection with
community”; yet how the success of these
programs was measured was not defined,
with the committee also stating that they
were “consistently surprised and concerned
about the lack of data available regarding
attendance and education outcomes for
Indigenous students”. So how do you
measure the success of an engagement
program? While attendance numbers
are significant, they do not tell the whole
story.
One engagement program, Shooting Stars,
is based in eight remote and regional
schools in Western Australia, where it uses
netball and other incentives to
engage Aboriginal girls in their education,
while promoting their health and
wellbeing. Committed to culturally
responsive, site-specific programming,
Shooting Stars evaluates the efficacy of its
services through collation of school
attendance data (see figure above),
participant case studies (confidential), and
yarning circles. The methods used in the
yarning circles research were developed
over 18 months in collaboration with
Shooting Stars participants, localised
Shooting Stars steering committees,
and Shooting Stars staff across Western
Australia.
C U L T U R A L T I M E S | J U L Y 2 0 1 9 | 4 |
S H O O T I N G S T A R S
The yarning circles research provided
baseline data for participant attitude towards
school, learning, and their aspirations (data
identified as non-existent by the Standing
Committee on Indigenous Affairs). One key
learning from these yarns was the
importance of growing local role models and
exposing participants to different post-school
pathways.
Shooting Stars staff are predominately
Aboriginal (82%), thanks to the Shooting
Stars governance structure and Indigenous
employment strategy, which includes a
traineeship model to foster local Aboriginal
women, where local trainees learn the ropes
while undertaking a Certificate III or IV in
either Sport and Recreation or Youth Work.
This system has proven very successful,
with Shooting Stars' Aboriginal staff rate
growing from 50% in 2015 to 82% in 2019.
Aboriginal staff in schools, specifically
Aboriginal teaching and support staff, have
greatly enhanced student outcomes in both
remote and boarding school contexts,
illustrating that Aboriginal employment
strategies should be embedded in all
Aboriginal engagement programs.
Role models are also actively grown from
withing the Shooting Stars program itself,
with the Shooting Stars Leaders project.
Shooting Stars Leaders, who are voted in by
their peers, facilitate yarning circles with their
cohort in order to develop student-led
community initiatives.
The yarning circles project enables Shooting
Stars participants and localised steering
committees to define local barriers to school
attendance. Twenty yarns across the
Carnarvon, Derby, Halls Creek,
Meekatharra, and Mullewa sites were
conducted from 2016 to 2018 that explored
barriers to attending school. Once these data
were collated, Shooting Stars staff, in
conjunction with localised Shooting Stars
steering committees, were able to tailor their
local program to address the barriers
identified by the students and community
members themselves.
A key part of this process is education, with
Shooting Stars staff running health and wellbeing
sessions on targeted topics, such as
defining bullying and what to do when you’re
bullied/teased at school.
To yarn is to converse — in a mutual,
reciprocal dialogue, where interjections, interpretations,
and additions are welcome. A yarning circle is a group
conversation with a purpose, a focussed discussion
which is grounded in respect and democratic
participation. The yarning circle has an ancient history in
Aboriginal Australia, with similar practices called by other
names in other Indigenous nations
throughout the world.
C U L T U R A L T I M E S | J U L Y 2 0 1 9 | 5 |
S H O O T I N G S T A R S
The Shooting Stars program has found that
by acting on what the participants and
steering committees identify as barriers,
and developing solutions together, both
participants and communities have a greater
buy-in to the program and are more invested
in outcomes such as attendance
improvement.
Yarning circles are not just a
culturally safe way to evaluate
program success and to tailor
engagement programs to local
contexts, they provide a platform
for student voice and selfdetermination.
For Shooting Stars, the essential element is
the relationship that is built between
facilitator and participant before, during, and
after the yarning has taken place.
C U L T U R A L T I M E S | J U L Y 2 0 1 9 | 6 |
G L O B A L P A S S P O R T R A N K I N G
M o s t a c c e s s i b l e p a s s p o r t s t o h a v e i n 2 0 1 9
Globalisation has created an increasingly
connected world, and as a result access to
countries across the globe has become more
important than ever. In addition, the number
of high net-worth individuals choosing to
migrate to other countries is higher than ever
before, with recent data indicating that twothirds
of Ultra High Net Worth Individuals
have access to a second passport or plan to
obtain one. With this in mind, it is clear that
holding a passport with a high degree of
international access is of utmost
importance for globally minded
individuals and a key concern for modern
organisations.
Residence and citizenship advisory firm
Henley & Partners recently published their
Passport Index – a ranked list of which
passports have the greatest global access
based on data from the International Air
Travel Association (IATA). Topping the list in
2019 are Japan and Singapore, allowing
Visa-free access to 190 and 189 countries
respectively, while the UK and USA offer
access to 185 and Australia 181.
Greater global access means more
opportunities for investment, a wider talent
pool and access to preferable social
conditions such as lower crime rates or
higher quality education. It is estimated that
open access visa policies may generate up
to USD 206 billion dollars and as many as
5.1 million jobs.
The best passports to hold midway through
2019 are:
1. Japan (190 countries)
2. Singapore, South Korea (189 countries)
3. France, Germany (188 countries)
4. Denmark, Finland, Italy, Sweden (187
countries)
5. Luxembourg, Spain (186 countries)
6. Austria, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal,
Switzerland, United Kingdom, United States
(185 countries)
7. Belgium, Canada, Greece, Ireland (184
countries)
8. Czech Republic (183 countries)
9. Malta (182 countries)
10. Australia, Iceland, New Zealand (181
countries)
The worst passports to hold midway through
2019 are:
94. Kosovo (44 countries)
95. Congo (Dem. Rep.), Sri Lanka (43 countries)
96. Ethiopia, Iran, North Korea (42 countries)
97. Bangladesh, Lebanon, Libya, South Sudan
(41 countries)
98. Nepal (40 countries)
99. Palestinian Territory, Sudan (39 countries)
100. Eritrea (38 countries)
101. Yemen (37 countries)
102. Pakistan (33 countries)
103. Somalia, Syria (32 countries)
104. Afghanistan, Iraq (30 countries)
Reference: https://www.henleypassportindex.com/assets/2019/HPI%20Global%20Mobility%20Report_Final_190104.pdf
C U L T U R A L T I M E S | J U L Y 2 0 1 9 | 7 |
F A R F R O M H A R M L E S S :
H o w W o r d s C a n D a m a g e R e l a t i o n s h i p s a n d R e p u t a t i o n s
Sticks and stones may break my bones,
But words will break my heart.
Does this sound familiar but also… wrong? It’s my
version of this English language children’s rhyme
from the mid 1800’s.
'Sticks and stones may break my bones But words
will never hurt me.'
As a girl who wore glasses from the age of six and
was teased about having ‘four eyes’, I know that
words can indeed hurt.
Words can break hearts, ruin relationships
and damage businesses.
The wrong words can have consequences that
last longer and reverberate further than physical
damage. And much of the time, we don’t realise
the damage our words are doing because we are
unaware of the unconscious bias that shapes our
language. We believe, without even articulating it,
that the way we speak is ‘normal’ which, through
our own cultural lens, may appear to be the case.
However, words frame our experiences and
establish norms for others that may not actually be
their normal.
Words carry assumptions about gender, sexual
orientation, ethnicity and racial identity, disabilities
and age. Words can suggest that one experience
is the norm whilst the other is the exception.
Words like
chairman
businessman
fireman
Or the use of a gendered pronoun with a role that
is gender-neutral. For example, ‘When you next
see a doctor make sure to tell him about your
headaches.’ By assigning the male pronoun, we
are reinforcing the male as the norm and the
female as the exception in this role.The problem
with gendered language, or any language that
expresses bias, is that the groups of people not
represented are then given less opportunity to
envisage themselves in those roles, that situation,
that future.
It must be said that there is a greater awareness
of gendered language these days and for many
people a greater awareness of how to adjust to
counteract it.
What is less obvious is language that marginalizes
other groups of people. For example, expressing
surprise when a person of Asian descent is not
good at math because -
'I thought all Asians are
good at math'
Or skepticism on being told of a person’s
Aboriginality because -
‘He doesn’t look Aboriginal.’
Or a new technology tool so easy to use that,
‘Even my grandma could do it.’
Once again, this sort of language presents
assumptions about others that reinforce
stereotypes and could work to limit opportunities
for particular groups of people.
C U L T U R A L T I M E S | J U L Y 2 0 1 9 | 8 |
FAR FROM HARMLESS
At this stage, it’s important to point out that I am a white
female, mid-fifties and from an Anglo Saxon educational
and social background. It’s not only possible but quite
likely that I am making assumptions in writing this article
about language.
I acknowledge that I am seeing things through the lens of
my own cultural bias.
And that’s the first step to improving our use of language
- cultivating an awareness that we may (and probably
are) operating from a place of unconscious bias.
For it is only by recognising the potential for bias that we
can be more intentional in finding ways to counteract it.
Which brings me to the second step in addressing
unconscious bias in language -
For many, a brand voice is nothing more than
artifice and appearance. Yet the brand will be
judged by potential clients and customers in
the way its voice is expressed, through words
and language at any touch-point.
Being aware and intentional about the
language we use and the words we choose
can open up a world of opportunity for us,
personally and professionally. The opposite
can close off just as many exciting avenues.
About the Author
Being intentional.
Your voice in the world, as an organisation or individual,
is revealed through the language you use and the words
you choose. You will be judged one way or another
regardless of whether you are conscious of the impact of
your language.
Those with the greatest integrity will ensure that their
voice is aligned with their values.
Sherene Strahan is a writer and coach
for individuals and businesses that
want to develop their authentic voice
for greater impact and reach.
Unfortunately, this does not always happen. For many
businesses, the focus in establishing a brand voice is
about identifying personality traits - Quirky! Or serious.
Friendly or formal - rather than understanding the
connection with the mission and values of the
organisation.
She is a former journalist who
somehow fell into marketing, where
she relishes the storytelling
opportunities. She believes every voice
matters, especially when they are
genuine.
C U L T U R A L T I M E S | J U L Y 2 0 1 9 | 9 |
Diversity and Inclusion
Growing your
Cultural Intelligence (CQ)
By Tanya Finnie
'Do I really need to learn about culture to be better at
my job?' 'Don’t you just automatically know this stuff
and adapt accordingly?' 'Surely it is just common
sense. I can just follow my intuition.' Questions and
statements, I often hear in the corporate world. The
answer to this is simply, that you probably do have
some sense, but can someone just define common
sense one more time... What is common behaviour for
one, may be exactly the opposite for another.
For example, how would you respond if you are new at
a workplace and your colleagues work until late and
then want to go and socialise together until midnight?
Some of you may be mortified at the thought of
socialising with your colleagues. Others may see it as
their duty or simply the way they do things. The reality
is there are some things that we deeply believe in and
often think is the only way to do it, until we come
across someone who does it differently.
Culture is a bit like gravity – we do not
know that it is there until we take a leap.
Once you’ve leapt you have two options:
1. Dismiss them as obviously wrong and continue in
your own way or
2. Be open to another way of doing things and
consider that your way may not be the only way.
Depending on what this is, you may be more or less
inclined to consider the options. However, when you
practice different perspectives and expose yourself to
different perspectives, you’ll stretch your brain to
become more and more comfortable with those.
When we are stressed, we tend to fall back on our
comfortable default behaviour as in the moment of
stress we do not have the energy or capacity to
rationally find the best solution. That is why it is so
important to practice the correct behaviour, so it does
become second nature.
Who has not had a driver do something silly like cut
you off? What did you do? In that moment of rage, you
may have chased past the person to glare through the
window to confirm your stereotype of what you already
decided. Then you continued with a sigh, thinking that
was typical (insert your stereotype here). Was it fair?
Can you really say all (insert stereotype here) are
(insert your belief system)?
I’d like to challenge you to be curious
to others and their behaviour and
question your own stereotypes.
Let me be clear that no one can constantly operate in
that space of exposure – it is exhausting. However, like
all things in life, the more you practice it, the more
comfortable you’ll get with it.
Cultural self-awareness is the key to start growing your
cultural intelligence (CQ). We can only adapt to others
if we are aware of our own comfortable operating
system (OS). So, what is your OS?
Do you tend to be more direct or less direct when you
express yourself? Are you willing to take changes or
are you more measured in your OS? Would you cross
the street where there is not a traffic light or rather walk
an extra 100 meters to the nearest traffic light? Are you
happy to just do it, or would you rather spend more
time planning , researching and weighing up all your
options? Are you comfortable with being on a first
name basis with your colleagues and superiors or do
you prefer a more formal approach? Combine all these
different scenarios into one workplace, one meeting
and you could be facing a melting pot of potential
conflict.
Most confusing is when we don’t even recognise when
a misunderstanding has occurred. Self-awareness and
situational awareness are key to managing this
potential conflict and building stronger relationships.
C U L T U R A L T I M E S | J U L Y 2 0 1 9 | 1 0 |
Growing your Cultural Intelligence (CQ)
Slow is neither good nor bad, it is simply slow. Direct is
neither good nor bad it is simply direct. What are your
belief systems (BS)? I want to point out that when I
refer to culture – it could be ethnic culture as in where
someone is from, but there is so much more to culture.
There are generational differences, gender
differences, organisational differences, socio economic
background differences and many more.
These are all part of us. You are not even like all the
others that are ‘like you’. You just have to look at your
family – people from the same background (possibly)
with similar value systems (possibly) and already you
are all so different.
Once you are aware where you sit on the cultural
scale, you can start comparing where are others are
coming from. You don’t need years of experience and
having travelled to several countries. Rather, commit
to being culturally intelligent and plan how you can get
there. You can start by self-awareness and step up to
the next level by observing others.
I dare you to do a few things
out of your comfort zone.
Be patient and have fun.
Tanya Finnie is the Director of RedHead
Communications. She is a global cultural
strategist working with organisations to
adjust their culture to enhance job
performance, improve creativity and
innovation, amplify situational awareness, but
mostly just create thriving cultures.
She is also mother of one human child, one
canine and a wife. She is based in Perth, but
calls herself a child of the world.
C U L T U R A L T I M E S | J U L Y 2 0 1 9 | 1 1 |
MENTAL HEALTH
AND WELLBEING
An Important Part of Diversity
T A S H A B R O O M H A L L
Diversity in the workplace is a key focus in many organisations,
with the goals of increasing awareness, respect and inclusion.
People have significant diversity in their individual mental
health and wellbeing, and a lack of knowledge and respect in
workplaces can lead to discrimination and exclusion.
Would you discriminate against an employee who
was blind? Would you allow time off and a
graduated return to work for an employee after a
heart attack? Would you make adjustments to
support an employee with a broken limb who
needed a change in duties during recovery? Most
organisations have a comprehensive health and
safety policy relating to their employees’ physical
health and it is imperative that organisations
respond to a person with mental health problems
with the same principles that they would apply to
an employee with a physical illness or disability.
Nowadays we hear a lot about mental health and
well-being in the workplace, but we are usually only
hearing about it in relation to the costs associated
with mental illness. Mental health is a part of our
general health. Each year 1 in 5 of us will experience
mental illness (1) and during our lifetime
approximately half of us will experience a mental
illness. Employees’ mental health issues can have
significant human and economic impacts in an
organisation.
The Cost of Mental Health Issues in the
Workplace
The overall financial impact of mental health
issues in the workplace is estimated to be:
6 million work days lost in absenteeism
annually due to untreated depression (2):
12 million more work days lost to
presenteeism each year 2;
$10.9 billion lost in productivity per year
(average cost of $9,665/year/FT employee)
(2);
$10 billion a year for the cost of stressrelated
workers’ compensation claims
(this has doubled in recent years) (3); and
When considering psychological injury
claims, work pressure is reported as the
cause of half of all claims, and harassment
and bullying is the cause of almost a
quarter of all claims (4).
C U L T U R A L T I M E S | J U L Y 2 0 1 9 | 1 2 |
MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLBEING
Ensure health and safety: OHS legislation requires
employers to ensure your workplace is safe and
healthy for all workers and does not cause ill health or
aggravate existing conditions. This applies to both
mental and physical health.
Ensure privacy: Privacy legislation requires employers
to ensure personal information about a worker’s
mental health status is not disclosed to anyone
without the worker’s consent.
Avoid adverse actions: industrial law requires
employers to ensure your workplace does not take any
adverse action against a worker because of their
mental illness. (4)
Despite the prevalence of possible impacts and
obligations, many supervisors, managers and
colleagues are not confident in recognising and
appropriately responding to mental health issues.
People often know a good deal about common
physical health problems, yet there is widespread
ignorance or misunderstanding of mental health
problems. This adds to stigmatising attitudes and
prevents people from seeking help early and seeking
the best sort of help. It also prevents people from
providing appropriate support to colleagues and
family members, simply because they do not know
how to help.
Work related mental stress Workers’ Compensation
claims are the most expensive form of Workers’
Compensation claim because they usually involve
lengthy periods of absence (4). Poor psychological and
physical health is having a serious impact on worker
well-being and productivity, which results in increased
costs to employers. Research indicates that job
stressors such as an ‘unhealthy’ workplace, work
overload, or a traumatic work incident can contribute
to the development of mental illness (4), or exacerbate
existing illnesses.
As well as the costs, in many countries employment
and non-discrimination laws require that
organisations provide reasonable adjustments for
employees with mental illness and that employers do
not discriminate against an employee on the grounds
of mental illness or disability.
In many countries, employment law states that
employers are legally obliged to:
Not discriminate against an employee with mental
illness: Disability discrimination legislation requires
you to ensure that your workplace does not
discriminate against or harass workers with mental
illness (either directly or indirectly). This includes form
recruitment through to cessation of employment and
extends to making reasonable adjustments to meet
the needs of workers with mental illness.
C U L T U R A L T I M E S | J U L Y 2 0 1 9 | 1 3 |
MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLBEING
Consider the leaders in your organisation:
Do they know how to recognise and appropriately
discuss mental health concerns with an employee?
Do they understand their obligations around
privacy and confidentiality?
Do they know how to design and implement
reasonable adjustments for staff with mental health
issues which support both the individuals’ and the
business’s needs?
The workplace impacts of mental health issues on an
individual can vary greatly. Whether an individual
needs to disclose their illness or not may also differ
depending on the type, frequency and impact of their
symptoms. Sometimes it will be very clear that a
person is experiencing mental health issues, but at
other times it might not.
Nearly half of all senior managers believe none of their
workers will experience a mental health problem in
the workplace (4). Given the evidence to the contrary,
Leaders sticking their heads in the
sand does not make good business
sense.
Mental health issues are a factor in diverse workplaces.
It is far better to develop a proactive strategy to
minimise the impacts and costs – both human and
economic.
Mental health problems are a very individual
experience and the types of symptoms and functional
impacts people experience can vary. Similarly, the
type of supports and treatments that are appropriate
can vary from one person to the next. It’s important to
respect a person’s individual experience of mental
illness and to assist them in seeking professional help,
as people can and do recover from mental illness.
1. Australian Bureau of Statistics 2007, National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing: Summary of Results 2007
date viewed 30/8/2015
<http://www.ausstats.abs.gov.au/ausstats/subscriber.nsf/0/6AE6DA447F985FC2CA2574EA00122BD6/$File/43260_
2007.pdf>
2. Price Waterhouse Coopers, 2014, Creating a mentally healthy workplace return on investment analysis, Price
Waterhouse Coopers, viewed 30/8/2015 < http://www.headsup.org.au/docs/defaultsource/resources/beyondblue_workplaceroi_finalreport_may-2014.pdf>
3. Medibank Private, 2008, The Cost of Workplace Stress in Australia, Medibank Private, viewed 30/8/2015 <
http://www.medibank.com.au/client/documents/pdfs/the-cost-of-workplace-stress.pdf>
4. Australian Human Rights Commission 2010, 2010 Workers with Mental Illness: a Practical Guide for Managers,
Australian Human Rights Commission, date viewed 30/8/2015,
<https://www.humanrights.gov.au/publications/2010-workers-mental-illness-practical-guide-managers/1-
mental-health-workplace>
C U L T U R A L T I M E S | J U L Y 2 0 1 9 | 1 4 |
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A Tale Of Two Democracies
C O M P A R I N G T H E A U S T R A L I A N A N D A M E R I C A N P O L I T I C A L S Y S T E M S
By Sophie Barclay
Australia and the United States are often
referred to synonymously, particularly when
referencing democratic political systems. It is
easy to justify the comparison; the Australian
political system was partly inspired by the
American model and shares its federal design of
dividing power to govern between national and
state governments. However, the Australian
model was actually created as a unique hybrid
of the U.S. system and the British ‘Westminster’
system of responsible government. This has
resulted in two different models of governance
that share certain similarities.
The Constitution:
Both countries have a written constitution,
dividing the power of governance and law
making between three key branches; the
executive, the legislature and the judiciary. The
division and separation of these powers is to
avoid one of these branches from misusing or
having too much power.
The Australian constitution is considered
minimalist, with many aspects of the political
system developed over time rather than being
explicitly enshrined. Did you know that the Prime
Minister and Cabinet are not even mentioned in
the Constitution?
In comparison, the U.S. Constitution is a
maximalist doctrine and is the single and
overriding source of constitutional law. It also
contains a Bill of Rights, which is a collection of
10 amendments that explicitly protects individual
rights, such as freedom of speech and freedom
of religion. Conversely, Australia is the only
common law country that does not have a
constitutional or federal legislative bill of rights.
The House And The Senate:
Both countries have two houses, the House of
Representatives and the Senate. In Australia,
federal elections are held at least once every
three years, with 150 members elected to the
House of Representatives and 75 elected to the
Senate. In America, congressional elections are
held every two years, with 435 members elected
to the House of Representatives and 100
members elected to the Senate.
In both systems, the number of elected
representatives in the House of Representatives
is dependent on the population of each state
whereas, in the Senate, every state has an
equal number of representatives. In Australia,
the Prime Minister must be the leader of the
winning party, whereas the American President
is separate to their party and is elected every
four years. Their party does not have to be in
power in order for a President to win office.
Systems Of Representation:
In Australia, members are elected to the House
of Representatives using the preferential voting
system, whilst proportional voting system is
used to elect Senators. The preferential system
requires members to receive 50% + 1 of the
popular vote, with the winning party forming
government. The proportional voting system
requires Senators to receive a quota of 14%,
allowing for a much more diverse range of
candidates to be elected.
In comparison, a U.S president is elected via the
Electoral College system. The Electoral College
is a group of 538 people, all of whom represent
one vote, and the president must receive 270 or
more votes in order to take office.
C U L T U R A L T I M E S | J U L Y 2 0 1 9 | 1 6 |
A Tale Of Two Democracies
Each state receives a particular number of
electors based on population size. Presidential
candidates often try to win states with a high
distribution of electoral votes, such as California,
which represents 55 votes. If a candidate wins in
a state, they receive all of the electoral votes. A
president can take office, having received the
majority of the Electoral College vote, but not
the popular vote. In 2016, Donald Trump
received 304 electoral votes but received 3
million less votes in the popular votes than his
rival Hillary Clinton.
At the same time, when it comes to electing
candidates to the House of Representatives and
the Senate, the United States uses the firstpast-the-post
voting system, which means the
candidate, who receives the most votes, wins.
This does not automatically equate to receiving
the majority of the votes, which means there
could be representatives in office who receive
less than 50% of the vote.
On the other hand, the United States is a
republic, with the President the head of the
government and head of state. Whilst the
Governor General is appointed by the Queen on
the advice of the Prime Minister, the President is
elected by the American people.
Closing Thoughts:
It is easy to look at political systems like the U.S.
and Australia and assume they are identical.
However, what this analysis shows is that
models of government can evolve quickly and
independently, despite beginning in very similar
historical and political circumstances. It will be
interesting to see what the future brings for
these two democracies.
Voting: Right Or Obligation?
Voting is one of the central tenets of a
democracy, a method by which the people can
freely appoint representatives to government.
Australia is one of only 11 countries to enforce
compulsory voting, meaning that it records voter
registration and turnout consistently above 90%.
In contrast, Americans have the option to
exercise their right to vote or to decide not to
vote. This has led to the lowest voter turnout
amongst the developed nations. In the 2016
presidential election, only 55% of the voting age
population ended up casting a ballot.
Sophie Barclay on the
speaker's balcony in DC
Head Of State:
There are also fundamental differences between
the Australian and U.S. political systems when it
comes to the head of state. Australia is a
constitutional monarchy, where the British
Queen is the nation’s head of state and the
Governor General acting as her representative.
However, both these roles are ceremonial and
the elected government is the primary and
overriding form of governance.
The author is currently studying a
Masters of Strategic Communication
at the University of Western Australia.
Previously, she completed an
undergraduate degree in Political
Science and International Relations,
and was a congressional intern in the
U.S House Of Representatives.
C U L T U R A L T I M E S | J U L Y 2 0 1 9 | 1 7 |
Expat Life in Mongolia
By Rebecca Stubley
Growing up in Western Australia I dreamed of
living abroad one day somewhere like Canada
or England. You can imagine my surprise when
my partner was offered an expat role with Rio
Tinto in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. It sounded
outrageous to us, but it was an opportunity for
adventure that we couldn’t pass up. I have
done quite a bit of travel in the past however
the questions from our friends and family were
questions that I really couldn’t answer without
doing a bit of research first. Where WAS
Mongolia? What language do they speak? I had
never considered Mongolia as a travel
destination let alone somewhere to live.
In September 2017, we packed up and
arrived in what would be our new home for
the following 2 years. Landlocked between
Russia and China, Mongolia is a country
known for its extreme temperatures, nomadic
culture and vast, rugged landscapes.
Mongolia has a population of approximately
three million people, half of which are based
in the relatively small capital city of
Ulaanbaatar (UB). Just 15 years ago UB had
the population of around 500,000 people but
after finding large deposits of valuable
mineral resources including gold, coal and
copper, mining companies flocked bringing
with them expats and wealth.
UB is a city of (somewhat) organised chaos.
Walking around the city to the sound of cars
honking, it’s easy to get lost. There is little in
the way of street signs and building addresses.
Many stores and restaurants are located on the
upper floors of soviet style, concrete office or
residential buildings.
It takes a while to become confident to just walk
into a building hoping for the best. Public
transport is crowded but available and many
local Mongolians drivers are happy to stop for
you on the side of the road and take you to your
destination (for a small fee). However, in a city
centre where car ownership has quadrupled
from when major infrastructure was planned it
can often take an hour to travel a couple of
kilometres.
C U L T U R A L T I M E S | J U L Y 2 0 1 9 | 1 8 |
Expat Life in Mongolia
Winter in UB is bitterly cold, with temperatures
dropping to minus 40 degrees Celsius, making
it one of the coldest capitals cities in the world.
Being a West Australian, I have never
experienced anything like it in my life – I had
never seen snow before moving to Mongolia. I
was expecting beautiful, white snow like in the
Christmas movies but this was not the case.
The snow is generally quite light and the
freezing temperatures cause it to quickly turn to
ice on the roads and footpaths. During winter,
UB experiences some of the worst pollution in
the world. Much of this is attributed to the
impoverished ‘Ger’ districts that border the city.
With little electricity in these areas, families rely
on cheap, inefficient coal for warmth. Sadly, this
causes terrible health issues for people living in
UB, particularly young children, and even
issues such as car accidents due to reduced
visibility. For a couple of months over spring
and summer, UB experiences warm days in the
mid 20s (c). The flora around the city bloom into
lively green, the air is clear and the days are
long. This is the best time in Mongolia.
Hospitality in Mongolian culture is generous
and inviting. When visiting families in the
countryside you are welcomed into their Ger
(or ‘Yurt’ – a tent like dwelling) and offered
snacks of bread, cheese curds and milk tea.
Some items are an acquired taste but it is
polite to try it for their efforts – you often get a
giggle from your hosts knowing Westerners
aren’t enjoying something but trying it
anyway. If you finish your serving they will
come straight over and top you up, so if you
do not enjoy it leave a small amount. During
celebrations like Tsaagan Sar (Lunar New
Year) be prepared for a boozy day. Host
families offer you vodka, lots of vodka, early
in the day. This mixed with roast lamb meat,
buuz (steamed meat dumpling) and Airag
(fermented mares milk) can make for an
uncomfortable tummy ache later in the day.
1.
Around UB you can find many Western food
options at stores and restaurants. Often at
restaurants the meal or beverage you order is
not available so it’s always a good idea to have
a few options in mind.
Older Mongolians have quite traditional values
and ideology, however young Mongolians are
becoming quite progressive from their exposure
to other cultures through expats and
opportunities to study and travel abroad. Pop
culture from other countries like South Korea
and the USA play a big part in the changing
views and values of the youth in Mongolia. In
recent years founders from around the world
have started not-for-profit and charity
organisations in Mongolia where many young
Mongolians become involved. Still, today, with
little disposable income, it is uncommon for
Mongolian people to donate to charities. Some
notable organisations I have been involved in
during my time in Mongolia are: The Mongolian
Bankhar Dog Project (1.), restoring the Bankhar
dog to its former status as the mediator
between nomadic people and the fragile
Mongolian environment since nomadic
practices were banned during the Soviet
occupation, and The Veloo Foundation (2.) who
work to improve the lives of children and
families forced to live and scavenge the rubbish
dumps of UB. I have met many national young
adults who are passionate, innovative and
eager to make the future in Mongolia a happy
and healthy place for all.
Mongolian Bankhar Dog Project: https://www.bankhar.org/
2. Veloo Foundation: http://www.veloofoundation.com/
C U L T U R A L T I M E S | J U L Y 2 0 1 9 | 1 9 |
REARRANGING MY UNDERSTANDING
THREE THINGS I LEARNED WHILE STUDYING JAPANESE
J O R D A N P H O E B E
At the beginning of this year, I had a gap in my university timetable that needed filling. Having
completed all units necessary for graduation, I decided to pursue my long-time interest in Japanese
culture and history by taking a Japanese language course. The following is a list of things I learned
while taking this class, none of which are exclusively about Japanese, but language and learning in
general.
1. The Internet helps, but it is no replacement for going to class –
As much as it dismayed me to drag myself to the bus stop for a two-hour tutorial at 7am, I can't deny how
helpful it was to practice speaking and listening with my peers. Certainly, there are great resources online for
understanding grammar, sentence structure and the characters used in foreign languages, however there is no
replacement for the immediacy of conversing as best you can in a language you are still coming to grips with.
By speaking and listening, as opposed to writing, you are forcing yourself to firstly understand another person,
which reinforces what you have learned, then to compose thoughts into language in the most immediate way
possible with no room for deleting and rephrasing.
C U L T U R A L T I M E S | J U L Y 2 0 1 9 | 2 0 |
REARRANGING MY UNDERSTANDING
Of course, this approach results in many mistakes, and
I often felt humbled as I grappled with a child-like
frustration at struggling to understand quickly, let
alone express myself adequately. However, these
challenges (and mistakes) are necessary, in my
opinion, for fluent language acquisition; particularly
since adults spend 65-85% of communication time
either speaking or listening (Rivers in Gilman and
Moody 1984, pg 331). Fortunately, I had a group of
enthusiastic students and an encouraging teacher to
support (and sometimes commiserate with) me,
which studies have shown benefits language learning
in many aspects (Zhang 2010).
3. Fun provides meaningful context –
While I have played some language games designed
for Japanese children that were a lot of fun, in this
case I'm referring to preserving the wonder and
excitement that can all to easily turn into drudgery
when studying a new language. Basically, having fun
gives context and meaning to the struggle of
learning something so difficult.
Some of my fondest memories from class involve
asking my teacher about dajare (Japanese puns) or
learning how to type 'lol' (if you're curious, you
simply type 'w' the first letter of 笑 い, which means
laughter). Studies have found that when students
are enjoying themselves, anxiety about learning
language decreases, while motivation and interest in
learning increases (Yolageldili & Arikan 2011).
The above topics aren't usually presented in
textbooks, but they create a real sense of the
language living and functioning in the real world,
which illustrates that, beyond the confines of the
classroom, beyond grammar worksheets and long
nights practising hiragana, the function of language
is to communicate with other human beings. I think
there is something beautiful in understanding that.
2. Mnemonics work –
A great example of this is using fun or creative
mnemonic associations. For example, the Japanese
word for 'famous', ( 有 名 ) is pronounced yuu-mei, which
I remember with the phrase "yuu-mei have heard of
this". It sounds simplistic, but rigorous analysis has
demonstrated that this method is superior to nearly
every other method of vocabulary learning (Gu 2003).
In addition to soundalikes, associating a visual image
with the many, many characters necessary in learning
Japanese is extremely effective way of quickly
boosting your ability to recall information.
C U L T U R A L T I M E S | J U L Y 2 0 1 9 | 2 1 |
“WRITING!
ISN’T THAT A DYING ART?”
By Judith Ann
When people find out I am a writer of the hand
written word, this is a comment I hear often!
My reply is, “Actually, there’s resurgence. It IS
alive and my aim is to give it breath - the beauty
of a legible, stylish hand that empowers and gets
you noticed at the same time.”
As I write this, it is on paper with my favourite
tool: the pencil. The feel and glide of lead when
looking back at my marks made on the pages
gives my words creativity and meaning.
Somehow, it helps my story telling to flow and my
thoughts to ponder and strategise. Sure, you can
do this on your PC, but for me it’s honouring the
engagement of lead and paper, the hands-on
movement with sincerity to it all.
When a hand written letter was delivered in the
mail it may have taken days, weeks or months to
arrive with news from elsewhere in the world. Can
you imagine that? That very act of reading a news
letter often reveals life’s details more honestly
and intimately than what we may load instantly on
social media. It’s the tactile exchange that comes
from receiving something either private, news
worthy or an invitation to a special event.
To me, somehow, the importance of the written
word is showing you care enough to put it down
on paper. If you receive a 'Thank You' note or
card by post, actually delivered into your mail box
(the sort out on the street), it means someone has
taken the time to offer you their appreciation and
gratitude in a meaningful way. I believe the art of
writing is about impact and connection, about
utilising the power of the written word to deliver
your message.
I wrote addresses on 150 or so beautiful, quality,
thick envelopes in nib and ink a while ago, one of
which was delivered to a well-known Perth lawyer
and he said it was the most beautiful invitation to
an event he had ever received.
Apparently, he had received many and this very
compliment made my heart sing. It’s the fact that
it went from my handwritten words to the bride
and then to her guests. The conversation it
caused, the amount of people who actually
phoned her and commented on the beauty they
received was over flowing appreciation. That flow
on effect is why I write by hand.
The art of the handwritten word has been proven
to slow you down and as you form your shapes,
link up your letters and design your flourishes,
mindfulness and well-being engage. You get into
the zone and forget everything else.
It is also proven that the act of
writing down your information is a
beneficial way of learning. Eye, hand,
brain - all connecting.
Students are still required to handwrite exams for
up to three hours and the problem with this is
they are out of practice. I taught Year Nine
students to write legibly and quickly with only a
few, too-short lessons. Obviously, they, like any
computerised student had to practice, to build up
the flow so that muscle aches in fingers, arm and
shoulder did not occur. And let’s not forget the
finger blisters! This is exactly what happens when
daily writing is not in our schedule. I've taught a
Qantas pilot, real estate agents, a poetic builder
and an international model to write and I love to
see the evolution of skills advance because of the
confidence it gives them.
C U L T U R A L T I M E S | J U L Y 2 0 1 9 | 2 2 |
WRITING! ISNT THAT A DYING ART?
Once upon a time, everyone who hand wrote did
so beautifully. Today, people hand write but
because we have no marker of beauty, the
youngsters seem to think that just because
anyone can form a letter it’s fabulous. Style and
standards have gone. Culturally, we’ve lost the art
of writing due to technology and are really just
finding it for the benefits of learning and
mindfulness. However, we still have to
concentrate on the formations for style, which
allow the beauty of handwriting to flourish.
Think back to the 1740s when notable copperplate
engravers and calligraphers like George Bickham
overlaid fine flourishes, swirls, spirals, featherings
and volutes by hand. Extreme decoration in
writing indeed. However, it is these very basic
exercises which I use today to capture the beauty
of the hand written word and teach it.
Most of our youth are embarrassed to
pick up a pen and write today because
they have not been taught how to; it’s
not high on the curriculum.
Interior design and architecture students are being
asked to perform a sketch on the spot, on a note
pad to quickly elaborate something to their client
and they will probably have to write a few words
too. Not corrected on how to pick up or hold a
pen, they write with fingers crooked around their
biro, unable to actually view what they are writing.
It’s not their fault; we’ve just been remiss in
assisting them in this detail.
However, the biggest thing that disappoints me
from a legibility point of view is that the letter
formations have gone beyond being fashionably
“imperfect”. I quite often see a modern style
brush lettered quote and deciphering it becomes
a typographical challenge. There is a time for
artistic lettering but I have to question if the word
reads 'happy', 'nappy' or 'pappy', I desperately
want to run up and erase or fill it in and finish off
one minor detail to read it easier.
Yes, artistic letters are great when required but
we are forgetting to finish and close off the joins
and meet ups and messing with incorrect height
and unclosed shapes is too much. Let’s not lose
the art of letter construction completely in our
modern world and let’s not break the rules too
much so that the illegible is fashionable. This is
something I encourage when engaging in
calligraphy, lettering class. Shape, form, space,
flow and rhythm are still the steadfast rules of
writing anything by hand. As I tell any of my
younger students; “Writing is a skill that takes
time - weeks, months, sometimes years
depending on how much you observe and
practice. So be patient with yourselves and in
this instant world, if you do not grasp it
immediately you are not failing but learning.”
C U L T U R A L T I M E S | J U L Y 2 0 1 9 | 2 3 |
DIVERSITY IN MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLBEING
Writing with style, like manners, can open doors.
It gets you noticed, admired and utterings of
surprise and delight occur when it’s beautiful.
The signature has the power to also give you
status no matter what your handwriting is like.
The signature has the presence to bring the
senses together into a visual majesty of sight,
sound and mark making. The signature has been
forgotten too.
I dearly wish I had taken a photo of a 15-year-old
teenager whose handwriting was somewhere
between printing and scribbled writing. I didn’t
even think he was going to turn up for his
appointment but the glorious, beaming smile and
the way he shook my hand after he stood up was
good enough indication that he had something
attainable that no one else in his class had. He
felt good about himself, with a sense of pride and
the firm, thankful handshake made me feel glad.
If nothing else, his signature was a kicker to go
forward with.
A signature to me is the mark of a man or
woman.
Let’s strive to keep the art of the
stylish, handwritten letters and
words alive, unite the signatures of
penwoman and penman and stand
out from the rest by connection,
beauty and the joy of our own hand.
Poise our biros, let the fountain pens flow and the
pencils glide. Dip your nib in the ink and let the
beautiful words flow, like all the words inside you
waiting to mark the page.
Write on, forever.
Judith Ann teaches calligraphy at
university level. She also developed an
hour long, one on one, trialled and tested
recipe that will give you, the owner, a
unique signature capturing your personality
and demanding attention. It joins with
handwriting to give you confidence and
control.
C U L T U R A L T I M E S | J U L Y 2 0 1 9 | 2 4 |
Cultural Mindfulness
CULTURAL MINDFULNESS
By Guglielmo Placanica
Recently, I was in India where its culture is diversely
different from that of an Australian. I visited a Hindu
temple in Tamil Nadu where there were certain customs
that needed to be adhered to before entering the
temple. At that moment I realised how much of a
“Westerner” I was with a strong, personal cultural
make-up. How would this impact on others in the
temple and how would they see me? I realised I needed
to follow their rituals in order to be able to enter the
temple.
Firstly, to be barefoot; I removed my shoes.
The term 'Mindfulness' has increasingly been
mentioned over the last few years. It has been talked
about by celebrities and major companies. These
companies are incorporating mindfulness into the
workplace in order to bring a focused, harmonious
working environment resulting in increased
productivity.
Secondly, knees were not to be exposed; wearing
shorts, my knees were visible; I bought a dhoti at the
nearby markets and wrapped it over my shorts covering
my knees.
Thirdly, men were to be shirtless; at the doorway I took
off my shirt.
Literally, 'Mindfulness' can simply be described as
being continually aware and focused on a particular
object or subject and by observing one’s thoughts in
that moment. It can also incorporate observing one’s
emotions and actions.
Mindfulness can be brought not only to the workplace
but to every other aspect of one’s daily life including
personal relationships. Being mindful within a personal
relationship can certainly transform that relationship to
a more authentic and honest exchange of energy.
What, then, would happen if mindfulness was brought
to all of one’s interactions with other people?
Travelling is a great teacher for
observing one’s interactions with
people from other cultures and
customs.
I followed a line of devotees giving homage to a Hindu
Deity. As I walked along with them, I witnessed their
profound sense of faith; some of them made eye
contact with me and smiled, one or two of them even
greeted me. If I hadn’t respected their custom, I would
have missed one of the most satisfying experiences of
my trip to India.
I learned the lesson; being Culturally Mindful/Sensitive/
Aware impacts our interactions with others with
understanding, respect and appreciation.
C U L T U R A L T I M E S | J U L Y 2 0 1 9 | 2 5 |
The
Petri
Dish of
Life
By Dr Chelinay Gates
Images supplied by the author
To culture a bacteria or cell is to
provide suitable conditions for
growth and the maintenance of
life. Traditional Chinese
Medicine (TCM) adheres strongly
to the concept that the
macrocosm is reflected in the
microcosm.
It is the belief that the purpose
of life is to fulfill one's destiny
and all deviations from the true
path is the cause of disease,
both spiritual and physical.
Viewing the human condition
and its treatment from this
viewpoint makes for a very
different understanding of cause
and effect in the disease process.
Culturally, the stance of Chinese
Medicine compared to Western
Medicine seems worlds apart.
Western Medicine believes
that the body is the enemy
and it’s going to get you in
the end.
Chinese Medicine believes
that the body is the friend
and that it will do it’s best
with whatever it’s given.
Both models recognise death
as a momentous event.
In Western Medicine it is the
inevitable, bitter conclusion
to the end of the physical
body and its I-am-ness.
But in Chinese philosophy,
physical death is the way to
open the door to spiritually
return home to the Dao.
C U L T U R A L T I M E S | J U L Y 2 0 1 9 | 2 6 |
THE PETRI DISH OF LIFE
Zuo Chuan (2356 BC) wrote:
"He who ignores his own destiny,
probably will not return home again."
Thus the onus is on the Chinese Medical
Practitioner to be supremely interested in the
patient because that person is the one single pearl
in the midst of the boundless ocean of Life Forces.
In fact Zhang Ji (150 – 219 BC) said:
“A doctor is only as good as the virtue
he possesses. Without virtue he cannot
see (the patient)”
Hence the inextricable belief that organ function
can both provoke or be affected by emotions is
recognised in any primary medical diagnosis and
its resulting treatment protocols.
Confucius said:
"A man’s faults all conform to his type
of mind.Observe his faults and you
may know his virtues."
A healthy person can feel emotion without those
emotions becoming habitual.
Let's have a fun look at the complex emotional
stew that brews in the workplace, where most of
the excesses mentioned are practiced on a daily
basis.
The ancients were not expecting that the modern
human would work all day and party all night.
Regularity in all things; eating, sleeping, and even
defecating will increase health and longevity.
Let's say Grandma had a stroke and is expected to
die within two weeks. She’s put into a nursing
home and lives another ten years. Not because the
food is wonderful or the company is inspirational.
No her life is extended simply because she is fed
at 6am, 12 noon, and 6pm and is expected to sleep
from 6pm – 6am.
Shifting to constant night work is preferable to
oscillating shifts to encourage good health.
TCM believes that we should sleep in the yin of yin
time, when the night sky is at its darkest (9pm –
3am). This is when stem cells are switched on and
a concert of natural steroids are mobilized for
organ repair. You cannot replace this sleep at any
other time of the day. If you sleep by 10 mins to
11pm it is like having an extra 2 hours sleep in a
different time slot. The recovery of the body is
excellared by this earlier bed time as opposed to
going to bed at 11:10pm.
.
12pm =Yin of Yin
6am = Yin of Yang
Midday = Yang of Yang
9pm = Yang of Yin
5 Excesses that damages our health
1.EXCESS USE OF EYES
injures the blood and the heart.
2.EXCESS LYING DOWN
injures the Qi (Energy) and lungs.
3.EXCESS SITTING
injures the muscles and spleen.
4.EXCESS STANDING
injures the bones and kidneys.
5.EXCESS EXERCISE
injures the sinews and liver.
The technological age should have provided us
with more time to find contentment, joy and
appreciation of life and this amazing universe.
However, the catch cry of our generation is
anxiety, stress and discontentment. Elation and
joy stem from understanding your place in the
universe and being content.
In addition the environment most people work in
is not conducive to health or happiness.
It is not all doom and gloom though, we can use
this knowledge to heal ourselves and adjust our
schedules where possible.
C U L T U R A L T I M E S | J U L Y 2 0 1 9 | 2 7 |
A BRIEF HISTORY OF EXPERIENCE
By Torrance Mendez
T
Lamborghini Espada launched in 1968 – a bestseller with space-age looks.
Picture: Wikimedia Commons
his ageless Italian car with futuristic appearance is a Lamborghini Espada. Incredibly, it was launched way
back in 1968.
Here and now a white-collar worker wants to rebuild their online profile to advance their career. But time is a
foe. They feel old, jaded. Reassurance to the contrary is pooh-poohed.
That night, this media professional tasked with helping to shape a new profile surfs the web for pleasure and
hits on a magical formula: time = unique experience = enrichment.
A fascination for Italian-made vehicles reveals that, in 2018, car maker Lamborghini went to town on 50th
birthday celebrations for its Espada model, a glorious bestseller.
The hoopla involved shipping an
Espada to London for display in the
gilded rotunda of the Royal Automobile
Club in Pall Mall, fabled home of British
motoring.
For period context, the supercar was
then posed on the zebra crossing
outside Abbey Road Studios where, in
1968, The Beatles recorded Hey Jude.
That zebra crossing was on the cover
of their seminal Abbey Road album of
1969.
Lamborghini hoopla in the Royal
Automobile Club, Pall Mall, London. Picture:
Lamborghini
C U L T U R A L T I M E S | J U L Y 2 0 1 9 | 2 8 |
A BRIEF HISTORY OF EXPERIENCE
Espada poses on the crosswalk outside Abbey Road Studios, which featured in artwork for the
Beatles’ 1969 album, Abbey Road. Picture: Lamborghini
The media professional had personal
knowledge of the interior of the Royal
Automobile Club. Personal knowledge of
McCartney’s Lamborghini Espada. And
personal knowledge, too, of Abbey Road
Studios – all gained through work assignments
in a career marked by experience.
A trip to Abbey Road Studios became
unforgettable when a studio staffer confided
that, despite modern technology, The Beatles
insisted that everything in the room where they
had recorded a multitude of hits be left
untouched. That segued into a one-on-one
guided tour of the room. Inside, all that was said
reverberated to the timbre of Beatles’ vinyl.
So, what does this mean? Nothing. But it is an
insight into a rare combination of trivia
regurgitated and reassembled around a middleaged
totem – the 50-year-old Lamborghini
Espada.
Few would have first-hand experience of three
relevant factors in the story – the RAC interior,
McCartney’s Espada and The Beatles’ favoured
venue in Abbey Road Studios. Yet some have
been there, done that. But is it of value? Yes,
when experience is rare enough to be retold,
but obscure enough to be unknown. Aging is
enriching, personally and socially.
For survival, experience is priceless. Yet it can
only be gained one way. By living life.
Torrance Mendez is a veteran of the
media industry, formerly in England and
latterly in Australia where he worked in
newspapers. He is a consultant for Perth
Media public relations firm and has a
fascination for cars though he prefers
travel by public transport.
C U L T U R A L T I M E S | J U L Y 2 0 1 9 | 2 9 |
"When there is an invisible elephant
in the room, one is from time to
time bound to trip over a trunk."
Karen Joy Fowler