QEII staff, patients and visitors were invited to share in a morning of cultural connection on 17 July as QEII Hospital hosted its inaugural Marumba (good) Health Gathering.
The First Nations cultural healing and yarning gathering joins a successful rollout across PA, Redland and Logan hospitals.
Under the guidance of a dedicated team of Cultural Therapists, attendees of all backgrounds were immersed in a variety of cultural education and creative practice, enjoying jewellery-making, weaving, music therapy and painting, while enjoying traditional damper and bush tea.
Therapists also shared insights on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural healing therapies, bush medicines, and historical artefacts in a culturally safe and welcoming space.
Cultural Therapist and proud Quandamooka, Gorenpul, Yuggera and Gubbi Gubbi woman Rhiannon (pictured top right) led a weaving workshop, and says it was her own health journey that inspired her to embrace the art form.
“I have an Aunty who was a weaver, and I always wanted to try it. Last June, I got a DVT and was stuck in bed for a few weeks, so I asked her to teach me,” she said.
“I’m usually quite active, so I was feeling a bit depressed because I couldn’t play soccer for the rest of the year. Weaving got me through that time. It kept me occupied and now I love it. It’s a form of therapy for me.”
Today, Rhiannon is proud to share her culture and hopes that weaving will bring the same therapeutic benefits to others as they share in the practice.
Special thanks to all who helped bring the event to QEII: visiting Cultural Therapists; QEII and PAH Nurse Navigator Rochelle Pitt; QEII Cultural Capability Officer Brian Blow; QEII Health Liaison Officer Jeffrey Locke; Executive Director QEII Gillian Campbell, and the MSH Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Directorate.