John De Satge and Carlie Gemmell watch on as Uncle Huey begins the smoking ceremony. Photo: Chris Roe.
On a cold August morning in Wagga, a group of Aboriginal nursing students has gathered near the tourist centre to meet Wiradjuri elder Uncle James Ingram.
The students come from all over – Tamworth, Dubbo, Orange, Newcastle, Cairns and even Tasmania – and have spent the week at Charles Sturt University, where they will gather regularly over the next three and a half years.
Uncle James leads them over the levee with a welcome in Wiradjuri and shares stories from his culture by the river.
“We’ve just started a new First Nations learning cohort for the Bachelor of Nursing,” explains CSU’s Carlie Gemmell, who is the student adviser in the First Nations student centre on the Wagga campus.
“We wanted to immerse them into the local community and welcome them because a lot of the students here are off-country and they’re not from this area.”
Uncle James enquires after each student’s name and background before explaining his own cultural identity and sharing some of his health battles of recent years.
“What you’re doing is so important for our mob, because we all know the challenges,” he says.
The students listen as he shares the story of the Murrumbidgee.
He explains how the goanna girl defied the greedy goanna men to release the water they had dammed up in the mountains.
She not only formed the river but transformed their society into a matriarchy, he says.
Uncle James Ingram shares the story of the river with CSU nursing students. Photo: Chris Roe.
“We wanted to not only give them the educational background but also a bit of a cultural experience because they’re going to be visiting Wagga a fair bit over the next three years,” says Carlie as the group walks back towards Wollundry Lagoon.
“The students will do most of the study online and then residentials here about four times a year to get that hands-on experience that they need to complete their degree.”
Uncle Huey Whyman is waiting by the lagoon to again welcome the students.
They each stripe their face with the ochre he has prepared as their ”passport” to be recognised as a guest on country, and he tells of the thousands of feet that have walked this land.
He becomes emotional as he shares his own experiences as part of the Stolen Generations and tells the students the story of the Cootamundra Girls and the Kinchela Boys homes, where Aboriginal children were placed and taught to “act white, think white, be white”.
He adds gum leaves to a small brazier that sizzles to life, emitting a plume of white smoke where each student in turn goes through the ancient cleansing ceremony.
Students dab their faces with ochre as part of the welcome ceremony. Photo: Chris Roe.
John De Satge is a Torres Strait Islander who has travelled from Cairns for the week and says the move into nursing was a natural one for him.
“Caring for people is a bit of a theme in my family, there’s no shortage of family members being involved in the healthcare system,” he says after consideration.
“I think in our communities, it’s one thing to know how to look after your body, but it’s another thing to navigate the health system.
“So I just feel like it’s my role to become that health advocate.”
As Uncle Huey wraps up, the cohort moves on to the art gallery for some weaving with the local aunties.
Carlie says it’s been an important week of bonding and connection that she hopes will keep the students connected as they journey through the course.
“This week is a good experience to get to know each other because they’re all studying online and all their forums and chats are online.
“It’s a time for them to get to know each other, build relationships, meet us and get the support services while they’re here.
“We’ll be seeing a bit of them over the next few years,” adds Carlie with a smile.
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