Motivation and emotion/Book/2024/Connection to country and well-being

Overview

Imagine a world without nature. No tall trees to provide shade on a sunny day, no beautiful beaches to stroll on, no green grass to lay on, no marine life, no sky full of stars to admire, sounds quite miserable right? Whether you are conscious of it or not, nature is an extremely significant part of the human experience. We are one with nature, and that is where the concept of interconnectedness comes in. This is what the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders believe.

The First Nations peoples relation to Country is fundamental to how they live their daily lives, as well as their identity. And despite the devastating period of colonization, they have been committed to protecting the land and passing their knowledge through each generation

In this book chapter, we will explore the relationship between land and well-being, and what this connection to Country means to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders. Additionally, we will go through the concept of interconnectedness, the relationship between this connection and how it affects their self-identity, which in turn affects their well-being.

Connection to Country

What is Country?

• Country can be defined in many ways but these different definitions all have the same truth. According to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, Country can be described as a living system which is closely linked to Aboriginal cultural practices.
• Country can also be seen as a multifaceted concept which involves a "deep, intimate, holistic, complex, localized and reciprocal relationship and connection between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (herein Aboriginal) peoples and elements of land, sea, waterways, sky, stars, and living and non-living entities”(Yashadhana et.al., 2023).

What is connection to Country?

"The land and the people are one, 'cause the land is also related. In our kinship system, as a custodian I am the child of that land," says the Galpu Elder from Nyulunbuy in the Northern Territory, namely Dhangal Gurruwiwi.

Connection to Country is as wide as spirituality, family, community, and culture (Gee et.al., 2014) which provides them with a sense of meaning and belonging, as well as identity which in turn has positive psychological consequences (Haslam et.al., 2009).

"The land is the mother and we are of the land; we do not own the land rather the land owns us. The land is our food, our culture, our spirit and our identity" Dennis Foley, a Gai-mariagal and Wiradjuri man, and Fulbright scholar.

There are many ways in which First Nations people care for the land and which tend to be a community effort so as to promote ecological, spiritual, and human health long-term (Behndrent, 2020).

Why is it significant?

Listening to the voices of the First Nations people with the intention of willing to learn helps us understand what their connection to Country means, and why it is so important to their self identity.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders have the responsibility to take care of both the physical and intangible aspects of Country, and each generation inherits this responsibility. This includes all flora, fauna, living beings, storytelling traditions, language, and lore.

In a video that can be found on the Australians Together page, Dhangal Gurruwiwi goes on to explain the grief that comes with loss of the land. She says "A person dies of grief 'cause the soul has been torn, just like the earth moving equipment tears the land.

Nature's influence on well-being

Immersing oneself in nature has many physical and mental health benefits and the relationship between the two is intrinsically interlinked. Nature is known to enhance one's psychological well-being, especially under the self determination theory. This is done through the satisfaction of basic psychological needs (autonomy, competence, relatedness) which lead to higher levels of positive affect (Yang et.al., 2022).

Figure 2.1

Benefits of being in nature

1. Alleviates symptoms of depression
2. Reduced stress levels
3. Promotes productivity and creativity
4. Encourages mindfulness

*Activity box*

Indigenous health and well-being

All across Australia, Aboriginal people suffer a significant amount of health inequalities compared to the non-indigenous people in the country. Additionally, Aboriginal health is more than just their physical well-being. The well being of an individual includes the cultural, social, and emotional well-being of the entire community (Gee et.al., 2014).

Connection to Country affects their health in many ways because this relationship with the land, along with their cultural practices keeps the in connection with their ancestors as well as providing them with a sense of self, comfort, and community. For these communities to engage in their practices, cultural landscape is essential and if this connection is lacking, there is seen to be a discomfort and disruption in their well-being.

There is evidence found which points to the fact that community and culture is a major protective factor in the well-being and general health of the older Aboriginal people (Yashadhana et.al., 2023).

Challenges

What are some challenges faced by First Nations people due to disconnection from Country?

Due to the effects of racism all over the country for several years, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders were forcefully displaced and relocated due to harsh government policies. This means that they were moved to unfamiliar and more urban environments, which has restricted their access to Country, which is in the more remote areas (Yashadhana et.al., 2023). Unfortunately, this displacement forced the Stolen Generation Aboriginal people to assimilate which brought up several issues.

Evidence showed that:

• 79% of the Aboriginal people had a higher likelihood of developing mental and physical health issues.
• They have been incarcerated
• They are at a higher level of experiencing socioeconomic disadvantages

The stolen generation has been affected severely and evidence found that the victims experience:

• High levels of stress
• Constant discrimination
• Poor education and health outcomes
• Intergenerational trauma due to loss of displacement, disconnection from Country and culture

Conclusion

• There is a direct correlation between connection to Country and wellbeing of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, being that connection to the land has a significant positive effect on their wellbeing and the wellbeing of the community.
• On a more general level, immersing oneself in nature and spending time outside can be very grounding and improve wellbeing by reducing stress levels and encouraging mindfulness and being present.
• Older Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders are seen to face issues regarding their physical and mental wellbeing due to their forceful displacement and disconnection from Country.
• The Aboriginal people and Stolen Generation continue to experience discrimination, poor healthcare, lack of opportunities and good education systems among other issues due to racism.
• Connection to the land is vital for the First Nations people to thrive, as it is all they know and it provides them with the space to connect with their ancestors and community in a sacred an spiritual way.

References

Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Stolen Generations and descendants: numbers, demographic characteristics and selected outcomes. Canberra, Australia: AIHW; 2018 [cited 2023 Sept 21] Available from: www.aihw.gov.au/reports/indigenous-australians/stolen-generations-descendants/summary.

Fretwell, K., & Greig, A. (2019). Towards a Better Understanding of the Relationship between Individual’s Self-Reported Connection to Nature, Personal Well-Being and Environmental Awareness. Sustainability, 11(5), 1386. https://doi.org/10.3390/su11051386

Gee, G., Dudgeon, P., Schultz, C., Hart, A., & Kelly, K. (2014). Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social and Emotional Wellbeing. In P. Dudgeon, H. Milroy, & R. Walker (Eds.), Working Together: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Mental Health and Wellbeing Principles and Practice (2nd ed., pp. 55-58). Commonwealth Government of Australia. https://www.telethonkids.org.au/globalassets/media/documents/aboriginal-health/working-together-second-edition/wt-part-1-chapt-4-final.pdf

Haslam, S. A., Jetten, J., Postmes, T., & Haslam, C. (2009). Social Identity, Health and Well-Being: An Emerging Agenda for Applied Psychology. Applied Psychology-An International Review-Psychologie appliquee-Revue internationale, 58(1), 1-23. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1464-0597.2008.00379.x

Kingsley, J., Townsend, M., Henderson-Wilson, C., & Bolam, B. (2013). Developing an exploratory framework linking Australian aboriginal peoples' connection to country and concepts of wellbeing. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 10(2), 678-98. https://www.proquest.com/scholarly-journals/developing-exploratory-framework-linking/docview/1346610464/se-2

Nogrady B. Trauma of Australia’s Indigenous ‘Stolen Generations’ is still affecting children today. Nature. 2019;570(7762):423–4. CrossRef | PubMed

Yang, Y., Cai, H., Yang, Z., Zhao, X., Li, M., Han, R., & Chen, S. X. (2022). Why does nature enhance psychological well-being? A Self-Determination account. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 83, 101872. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2022.101872

Yashadhana, A., Fields, T., Liu, E., Serova, N., O’Leary, M., Kenning, G., Kuchelmeister, V., Lockhart, J., & De Leeuw, E. (2023). Therapeutic aspects of Connection to Country and cultural landscapes among Aboriginal peoples from the Stolen Generations living in urban NSW, Australia. Public Health Research & Practice, 33(4). https://doi.org/10.17061/phrp3342332

External links

• The Interconnectedness of life (Medium)
• Land is our future: Caring for our Country (Victorian Aboriginal Heritage Council)
• The importance of Land (Australians Together)
• Indigenous people with access to their traditional lands (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare)
• Connection to Country (Welcome to Country)