Cul00401 | Indigenous World-Views | Assessment Answers

Demonstrate an appreciation for the complexity of Indigenous Australian world-views, philosophies and lore/law, including traditional and contemporary cultural practices

2. develop understanding of the foundations of cultural safety and a basis for a cultural competency framework within an Indigenous Australian context

3. describe Indigenous Australian notions of wellbeing, ways of being in the world and Indigenous knowledge systems

The topic for each reflection are listed in 1-6 below.

Topics

1. Valuing Cultural Safety within a ‘Cultural Competency Framework’

2. Indigenous Philosophies and World-Views

3. Indigenous Spirituality, Religion, Ceremony and Ritual

4. Social and Emotional Well-being

5. Kinship, Relatedness and Caring for Country 

6. Communication and Narratives

Topic 1

Engaging in an individual’s cultural background is immensely important in developing a culturally competent individual. The first topic on which I have been proposed to reflect is “Valuing Cultural Safety within a Cultural Competency Framework”. It has been highly fascinating to view this topic on diverse areas of ecosystem services, environmental welfare; cultural safety along with the nation and its people has aided me to comprehend the nature and characteristics of Indigenous communities. The first area focusing on ecosystem services have shed light on the way human societies have been developing awareness of their dependence on the goods. However certain associations between the benefits have been associated to the wellbeing to the large extent from being on a nation consequential to its autonomy, family bonds as well as intergenerational connections (Power et al., 2016). The explicit understanding of these subject areas has facilitated the advancements of constant relationships between Indigenous communities. It further aided me to consider approaches of closing areas of gaps between the Indigenous and Non-Indigenous communities and help performing with them with utmost efficiency. The comprehensive explanation of underlying conjectures of cultural frameworks has enabled me to promote an ambience where Indigenous perceptions are highly valued and treasured.

Topic 2

The second topic following to “Valuing Cultural Safety within a “Cultural Competency” Framework” reflects on the notions behind theoretical understanding of Indigenous and World-Views. By evaluating the ideas of the areas covered here the diverse source of philosophical considerations of Western and Indigenous Australians have been explicitly observed. The world we live in being a diversified and multi-cultural one constitutes a superfluity of worldviews. Watt, Abbott & Reath, (2016) have observed that the core disparities between Indigenous worldviews and Western outlooks hold great degree of value in attaining cultural unity and dignified relationships. Through this area of subject I have analysed the root of difference between worldviews which is typically been subscribed to opposite approaches towards knowledge, connectedness and science. Such inclusive insights have enabled me recognize the state of relatedness in which society functions. Efficiently identifying and honouring the deviations in worldviews will aid me in relationship formation between Indigenous communities. As Indigenous cultures emphasize on a holistic consideration of the whole which developed from the millennium of their subsistence and experiences (Cram & Mertens, 2016). However while encountering any situations with Indigenous people with an opposing gap; I should develop an effective cultural competency to develop a well-functioning with them.

Topic 3

Understanding Aboriginal spirituality has been derived from a theoretical understanding which further ascertains the holistic understanding of the interrelation of the elements of the earth and the universe along with conscious and unconscious elements where individuals, landforms are correlated. Forms of spirituality internalizes Indigenous Australian knowledge and expertise which have informed approaches of being and thus welfare since before the time if repositioning since before the time of colonization and ways which have being highly disregarded as well as devalued (Oka, Hussin & Hagström, 2017). My understanding and realization have been enhanced by considering that although Indigenous beliefs and perceptions as well as cultural practices tend to vary in accordance to regional context Indigenous share in an universal worldview which claims that the land along with other natural phenomena possess living souls (Parker et al., 2015). However I have realized that collection of narratives represented in this topic related these prevailing and dominant beings alters the legal framework of Indigenous and Torres Strait Islanders both its previous and prospective record. Australian civilization being one of the longest surviving human societies involves certain complexities while being studied. Thus this topic has proven itself to be highly proficient for me in realizing the aspects of worldviews in order to perform efficiently with them.

Topic 4

‘Social and Emotional Well-being’ which is the fourth topic of the module Indigenous World-views has provided explicit understanding of social and emotional welfare of the Indigenous communities. The term used by the Indigenous people to signify their social, emotional, cultural as well as spiritual welfare has greater underlying conjectures which must be efficiently considered to comprehend their state of being. Through this subject I have attained the way Indigenous connects themselves to the land, culture along with communities and religious aspects of life. The fundamental conjectures reflected on this topic has enhanced my realization related to the way Indigenous communities have given utmost significance to these aspects and how these vital facets play an influential role in their lives. Balaratnasingam et al., (2015) holds similar notion while discussing about mental health which significantly implies approaches taken by Aboriginals to contest critical intricacies in their daily lives.  It has been observed that major proportion of the Indigenous communities perceive mental health as a crucial determinant that extensively emphasizes on issues and dilemmas and exhibits greater incompetence in recounting factors which influence their wellbeing and benefits (Parker et al., 2015). Thus I consider this subject as highly significant for me to complete this module with utmost efficiency and also provided me with comprehensive insights which would help me to sustain my relation with Indigenous people.

Topic 5

The fifth topic”Kinship, Relatedness and Caring for Country” has been the most critical for me to reflect upon. Relating one’s intimacy towards the land he or she belongs has been one of the challenging activities an individual can experience. Australia being rich in cultural diversity constitutes greater extent of creation, ingenuity and culture within itself. The topic with its highly inclusive insights have revealed the extent to which Indigenous communities have been integrated to the country where they have born and thus perceives their nation not as a mere place to live in but as a living entity. Such attachments and closeness have revealed the holy, cultural and material connection towards their land (Hunt & Smith, 2018). Indigenous people irrespective of their ages develop the sense of honour towards their land that varies greatly from the perspectives of the Whites. Indigenous people with their powerful dominance on the land of Australia hold an inimitable kinship towards this land which many of the Westerners fail to realize (Oka, Hussin & Hagström, 2017). I have significantly observed that kinship and its cultural aspects have been highly multifaceted in the cultural aspects of the Indigenous communities which tend to interrelate to various facets of their culture and traditions which the Westerners find highly challenging to realize.

Topic 6

The subject area on “Communication and Narrative” has also been a crucial topic to comprehend but gradually as I have delved this topic I have attained a greater level of appreciation for this area under discussion and the way Indigenous people intend to organize and communicate their awareness from the world in forms of narratives and comprehensive depictions. Oka, Hussin & Hagström, (2017) observed that individuals belonging to Indigenous communities exhibit a propensity to embrace situations even when those are highly incomprehensible and might bring intricacies in their lives. This topic provides a profound explanation of the knowledge and awareness which relates to the rules of inference, values, and ideologies and not explicitly on narratives. In generalized narrative these practical characters tend to fail to possess certain poignant excellence which makes the Indigenous being perceived as humans in others’ perception. This area under discussion has been highly significant to understand the approach which is mostly being preferred by the Indigenous and which would help me as a guiding approach to develop strong association with them.

References

Balaratnasingam, S., Anderson, L., Janca, A., & Lee, J. (2015). Towards culturally appropriate assessment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander social and emotional well-being. Australasian Psychiatry, 23(6), 626-629.

Cram, F., & Mertens, D. M. (2016). Negotiating solidarity between indigenous and transformative paradigms in evaluation. Evaluation Matters—He Take Tõ Te Aromatawai, 2, 161-189.

Hunt, J., & Smith, D. E. (2018). Building Indigenous community governance in Australia: Preliminary research findings. Canberra, ACT: Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research, Research School of Social Sciences, College of Arts & Social Sciences, The Australian National University.

Oka, T., Hussin, N. A. M., & Hagström, A. S. (2017). The diversity of indigenous wisdom on grief: Exploring social work approaches to bereavement. In IAFOR International Conference on the Social Sciences, Honolulu, HI, USA. Retrieved from https://papers. iafor. org/submission33556.

Parker, P. D., Ciarrochi, J., Heaven, P., Marshall, S., Sahdra, B., & Kiuru, N. (2015). Hope, friends, and subjective well?being: A social network approach to peer group contextual effects. Child Development, 86(2), 642-650.

Power, T., Virdun, C., Sherwood, J., Parker, N., Van Balen, J., Gray, J., & Jackson, D. (2016). REM: A collaborative framework for building indigenous cultural competence. Journal of Transcultural Nursing, 27(5), 439-446.

Watt, K., Abbott, P., & Reath, J. (2016). Developing cultural competence in general practitioners: an integrative review of the literature. BMC family practice, 17(1), 158.