Besides Aboriginal totems, Dreamings  and symbols, Aboriginal kinship and family structures are some of the most interesting concepts in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture. These govern the relationships and connections of individuals within their communities. Aboriginal skin names, for…

The Australian Aboriginal flag, along with the Torres Strait Islander flag, holds a lot of significance and meaning. Both emblematise the country’s rich Indigenous history and culture, which you can learn more about through Aboriginal cultural awareness training with Evolve…

The Torres Strait Islander flag represents the unity and identity of the Torres Strait Islander people. It stands for their connections with the sea, sky, and islands of the Torres Strait. Knowing about the history and meaning of the flag…

Image: Aunty Munya Andrews with the late Uncle Jack Charles (NOTE: Uncle Jack Charles’s family have given permission for his name and image to be used.) Elders are highly respected senior members of the Aboriginal community, providing spiritual guidance, support,…

‘Cultural safety’ is defined by the cultural safety principles of awareness, sensitivity, competency, and humility. It describes an environment where members are self-reflective and respectful, especially towards Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people; it’s a space where everyone can recognise…

‘Cultural bias’ refers to perspectives, attitudes, and behaviours based on the standards of one’s own culture. Examples of cultural bias include linguistic interpretation, understanding of right and wrong, and racial discrimination, among others.  These can manifest in multiple ways. For…

Every organisation that hopes to foster a culturally safe atmosphere must be grounded on the cultural safety principles of awareness, sensitivity, competency, and humility. These principles serve as the foundation of an environment where respect, knowledge, and experience are shared…

During the period from 2015 to 2017, the life expectancy of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people was 71.6 years for men and 75.6 years for women, which was respectively 8.6 and 7.8 years lower than the life expectancy for…

Assimilation policy had a devastating impact on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people throughout Australia and continues to contribute to the many complex political issues affecting Aboriginal communities today. As the latest Closing the Gap campaign reports show, there remains…

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people face complex political issues, as demonstrated in the latest Closing the Gap report. This shows that since the campaign launched in 2007, it has failed to achieve targets around health equality and reducing disparities…