Music as a determinant of health among First Nations people in Australia
A scoping narrative review.
While social determinants frameworks are still popular in research about First Nations health in Australia, a growing body of research prefers cultural determinants of health models. Cultural determinants models provide a holistic, strength-based framework to explain connections between health and contextual factors, including the potential role of music and its impact on social and emotional well-being. Given the growing international recognition of links between music, health, and wellbeing through bodies such as the World Health Organisation, this article examines whether and how music practices are acknowledged in First Nations determinants of health literature.
Audience Survey
Summary of findings for communities and organisations
In September 2022, The Remedy Project collaborated with The Desert Song Festival & The Desert Festival & other local organisations in Mparntwe Alice Springs to learn how First Nations live music affects the people who attend. We offer a summary of the survey and research findings on the right.
Re-searching Through the Arts
Research as Healing by Professor Naomi Sunderland
This presentation examines the often-unrecognised reciprocal healing potential of doing research in creative, anti-colonial, and anti-oppressive ways. Drawing on First Nations knowledges and anti-oppressive approaches, the presentation explores what can happen when researchers actually 'do what the ethics guidelines say' and allow ourselves to be led and fuelled by those with whom we are working. This re-searching through the arts presentation will offer provocation, story, and resource for those wishing to explore the often challenging but potentially nourishing territory of transforming self and system through creative research. While creativity in research offers particular affordances for healing, this presentation is intended to be relevant for all researchers and support staff in all disciplines.
Review of existing research on First Nations music as a determinant of health
A resource for communities and organisations.
Creative and critical reflections on rights-centred community music engagement and research
2022 ISME Community Music pre conference seminar.
Naomi Sunderland, Brigitta Scarfe, Brydie-Leigh Bartleet.
This arts-based research presentation shares musical and other stories from The Remedy Project: First Nations Music as a Determinant of Health. That project investigates, examines, and shares how First Nations music is both an intrinsic determinant of health and something that shapes other health determinants. The Remedy Project honours the role of musical engagement and participation as a natural “remedy” in cultural healing and ceremony that has happened over Millennia in First Nations communities. It reflects the resolute strength of First Nations music and musicians despite historical and ongoing colonisation. This ...
ABC Radio Queensland New Music Segments with The Remedy Project
Episodes of ABC Radio Queensland's new music segment with The Remedy Project's Professor Naomi Sunderland.
First Nations music as a determinant of health in Australia and Vanuatu: political and economic determinants
Health Promotion International, Volume 38, Issue 2, April 2023, daac190
Naomi Sunderland, Phil Graham, Brydie-Leigh Bartleet, Darren Garvey, Clint Bracknell, Kristy Apps, Glenn Barry, Rae Cooper, Brigitta Scarfe, Stacey Vervoort.
Click here to access the journal, or contact us for a free copy.
This article looks at how making and performing music, recording music and listening to music helps the health of First Nations peoples in Australia and Ni Vanuatu. Music is an important part of the lives of First Nations peoples from these places and so research was done to try to understand why it is meaningful. Music can be used as an outlet for personal feelings, and can also be a way that groups of people can express common concerns. First Nations musicians talked about how music makes them feel, and how music is used to strengthen relationships between people, and between people and their culture. Musicians also talked about how music helps them express their political and economic goals. The findings backed up existing First Nations’ models of health that say that health for First Nations People’s needs to be thought about in a holistic way. The findings also showed that the relationship between music and health needs to be studied more so that we can better understand how it helps maintain links with the past, gives a guide for the present and opens options for the future.
Trauma aware and anti-oppressive arts-health and community arts practice
Guiding principles for facilitating healing, health, and wellbeing
Naomi Sunderland, Fiona Stevens, Rae Cooper, Marianne Wobcke.
Affiliations: School of Health Sciences and Social Work, Griffith University, Australia. Creative Arts Research Institute, Griffith University, Australia. Queensland College of Art, Griffith University, Australia. Indigenous Research Unit, Griffith University, Australia
There is a growing call for arts-health and community arts professionals to work in ‘trauma informed ways’ to prevent re-traumatisation and promote healing. This creative and engaged presentation reports on a scoping review of existing literature that deal with trauma aware and informed practice and its applications in arts-health and community arts. Trauma informed practice does not seek to target or treat trauma but, rather, seeks to provide a safer and more informed space for people who experience post-traumatic stress conditions and symptoms to engage in facilitated arts activities. We particularly examine the extent to which existing literature acknowledges the presence of oppression-related collective trauma – such as racial trauma – and offers appropriate creative, anti-oppressive, and trauma aware practice approaches. Although no specific guidelines for trauma aware practice in arts-health or community arts were found, we consolidated our findings into new creative resources to guide trauma aware and informed practice in arts-health and community arts. Findings can also inform general trauma related research and therapy by highlighting the growing role of arts and creativity in responding to diverse experiences of trauma and its effects.
The Spirit of Santo, Pacific Song
Remastered audio version of The World Premiere of 'The Spirit of Santo', performed at Oyster Island Resort, Espiritu Santo, Vanuatu by the Banban Bamboo Band, the Water Music Ladies and a local youth band. Filmed at Oyster Island Resort, Espiritu Santo, Vanuatu A Maunie Production by Graham Keating, 18th September 2016.
Original video can be found at: https://youtu.be/XTV1HDwgyTI
Shine your light: The life and lessons of Madeline Woleg
Naomi Sunderland, Phil Graham, Joel Spence, Rae Cooper, Kayla Harris.
View the publication on issuu here.
This research seeks to understand the ways in which First Nations People use music as a means of advocacy. The research builds on three years of arts based community development activity in Vanuatu with local musicians and cultural leaders. The research was funded by the Queensland Conservatorium Research Centre and an Academic Studies Program grant from Griffith Health and the University of the Sunshine Coast.
The project was titled Songs of Self Determination and involves musicians from Australia and Vanuatu. A key aim was to collect musicians' and song writers' accounts of how musical performance and distribution promotes self-determination, health, and human rights for First Nations' Peoples in Australia and Vanuatu. Research contribution: This research spans Indigenous studies, performing and creative arts, and social work fields of study. The study and related outputs provides a contemporary understanding of how diverse First Nations musicians and song writers practice self-advocacy and assertion that in turn shapes powerful social and environmental determinants of health for their communities. Research activities included in depth interviews and storytelling with First Nations songwriters and musicians in Australia and Vanuatu and group songwriting on topics that were important to community members. Research significance: This is a community requested output from research. First Nations health is an international priority. Existing literature demands strengths based and culturally safe forms of health promotion and research with First Nations Peoples internationally. This research offered all of those things through privileging and investigating the role of cultural and musical self-determination and self-advocacy in shaping known social and environmental determinants of health. The community and academic outputs from the project document both First Nations voice and the impact of their sovereign musical and cultural activity.
More resources coming soon.