Here at Jumbunna Research we held our first International Women’s Day event, celebrating Indigenous Nurses and their impact on the health system, the workforce, the history of our communities.
The room was full of a range of audience from young nursing students to community members and UTS staff.
The day started with Aunty Joan Tranter (elder in residence at UTS) doing an acknowledgement to country.
Prof Larissa Behrendt convened the panel of nurses. Aunty Dulcie Flower, who gave us a history of the community work and strength of our nurses. Dr Odette Best opened our minds with the history of the nurses she has found over the past 100 years, talking to the woman she found from 1906 as a registered nurse. Prof. Juanita Sherwood who take to the stories of cultural safety in the workplace and the tertiary education of our nurses today.
We had a great time listening to these incredible women who have played such an instrumental role in not just the health industry, but other areas of activism.
We also launched the banner for NAIDOC, as fittingly the theme for NAIDOC this year is “BECAUSE OF HER, WE CAN”. Jumbunna has done a revamp of the Rosie the Riveter poster and over the coming months will be looking to share more stories of the strength of our women in our communities.
Our first banner fittingly for today is based on Nurses. The concept is conceived by Pauline Clague with Palawa Artist Designer Tony Thorne, today’s unveiling is based on one of the icons of the nursing industry “Sister Alison Bush”, a true giant of midwifery in Australia . She spent over 40 years as a midwife delivering thousands of babies. Over the year Jumbunna will be hoping to bring light some of the many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women who have been resilient, courageous and trailblazers for our community.
Thanks to our guest speakers on the ‘Because of Her’ International Womens Day Panel, celebrating the work of Indigenous nurses, convened by Larissa Behrendt.
Aunty Dulcie Flowers, Elder in residence Aunty Joan Tranter, Professor Odette Best and Professor Juanita Sherwood.
If you missed our live streamed event, access the stream online: Panel celebrating Indigenous nurses for... - UTS- Jumbunna Research Media.