About this topic
Culture is a broad term. It includes traditional practices, ways of understanding the world, and methods of expression such as language, celebrations and events. Country refers to an area of land or sea on which Indigenous people have a traditional or spiritual association. Spirituality is a way of understanding life and connection with others. Individual Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures have specific spiritualities that are connected to Country and community.
Culture and spirituality can be expressed through many contemporary and traditional forms including language, dress, kinship, social norms, stories, music, song, dance, visual art, literature and film. Through these practices, culture can provide a sense of belonging that contributes to individual and community wellbeing.
Connection to culture, Country and spirituality and ancestors
Connection to culture, connection to Country and connection to spirituality and ancestors are 3 of the 7 domains of social and emotional wellbeing for Indigenous Australians.
Social and emotional wellbeing is a holistic way of looking at relationships between individuals, family, kin and community in the context of land, culture, spirituality and ancestry. Cultural groups and individuals each have their own interpretation of social and emotional wellbeing (Gee et al. 2014).
Factors that support the connections to culture, Country and spirituality and ancestors include cultural education, time spent on Country, and opportunities to attend ceremonies. Factors that adversely affect these domains include services that are not culturally safe, languages being under threat, and access to Country being restricted (PM&C 2017).
Culture
Culture is informed by history and heritage. It is also dynamic as it differs across time, geographic areas and groups of people (Paradies 2006). Often, rituals and ceremonies connect person, land and place (Dudgeon et al. 2017). Taking part in traditional customs and rites of passage can provide opportunities to learn about practices, acceptable behaviours, or familial and cultural responsibilities (Dudgeon et al. 2017). Cultural activities can also provide a sense of continuity with the past and help underpin a strong identity that contributes to wellbeing (PM&C 2017).
Country
Improvements in physical and mental health outcomes can be experienced as a result of being on and caring for Country. These outcomes include improved diet, more frequent physical activity, lower blood pressure and lowered psychological distress (Burgess et al. 2009). Connection to Country can be maintained by:
- recognising an area as Country that one belongs to
- having access to Country
- continuing cultural responsibilities to Country (Gee et al. 2014).
Country is a holistic concept based on the belief that all things—people, land and seas—are connected (Nursey-Bray & Palmer 2018). Management of land and seas can be disrupted by human-induced and natural environmental factors (Burgess et al. 2009).
Spirituality
Spirituality can be described as providing ‘a sense of purpose and meaning’. The mental health and emotional wellbeing of Indigenous Australians can be influenced by their relationship with traditional beliefs and metaphysical worldviews (PM&C 2017).
In many Indigenous Australian cultures, poor connection to spirituality can adversely affect mental health. Spiritual healing practices by traditional healers may aid in the treatment of mental health conditions (Ypinazar et al. 2007). Practices can include restoring the spiritual balance of an individual through massage, coaxing and using sacred tools (Dudgeon & Walker 2015). Traditional healers (such as Ngangkaris in the Ngaanyatjarra, Pitjantjatjara and Yankunytjatjara lands) partner with psychiatrists and psychologists in contemporary practice to calm and heal a person’s spirit. Symptoms such as a weakened spirit and community disconnection may require cultural resolution and healing with culturally appropriate counselling services (Gee et al. 2014).
Key statistics
The information presented above is from survey data. Estimates are calculated using a sample selected from a population rather than all members of that population. See the downloadable excel workbook for notes related to this data and for alternative text.
In 2018–19, 73% of Indigenous adults who lived on homelands or traditional Country experienced low or moderate psychological distress, and 27% experienced high or very high psychological distress.
In 2018–19:
- 66% (314,170) of Indigenous Australians aged 15 and over identified with a tribal/ language group or clan.
- 74% (357,420) recognised an area as homelands/traditional Country (AIHW & NIAA 2020).
In 2014–15:
- 32% of surveyed Indigenous Australians living in remote areas were involved in festivals involving arts, craft, music or dance in the last year, compared to 22% living in non-remote areas.
- Almost 2 in 3 (63% or 277,700 people) Indigenous adults and 3 in 4 (75%) children participated in selected cultural events, ceremonies or organisations in the previous year.
- 38% of surveyed Indigenous adults (aged 15 years and over) and 34% of surveyed Indigenous children (aged 4–14 years) spoke an Australian Indigenous language or some words of the language.
- 44% of Indigenous children had spent time with an Indigenous Elder or leader in the previous week (ABS 2016).