NAIDOC Week a time to ‘keep the fire burning’

NAIDOC Week commemorations have begun in earnest, as Australia comes together to celebrate and recognise the history, culture and achievements of First Nations people.
 
Taking place this year from 7–14 July, the theme of ‘Keep the Fire Burning! Blak, Loud & Proud’ honours the enduring strength and vitality of First Nations culture, with fire a symbol of connection to Country, each other, and the rich tapestry of traditions that define Indigenous people.
 
RACGP Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Chair Dr Karen Nicholls told newsGP NAIDOC Week is a way to honour past generations by continuing to ‘keep the fire burning’.
 
‘In health we can do this by continuing to advocate for improving health and healthcare for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and communities,’ she said.
 
‘As doctors, understanding the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander concept of health is holistic and incorporates the principles of social and emotional wellbeing.
 
‘Also knowing that the cultural determinants of health help keep people and communities well,
NAIDOC is a time for mob to get together and celebrate.
 
‘For me it signifies our ongoing perseverance, strength and resilience as people and community.’
 
The RACGP has 137 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Fellows, including 20 new Fellows for 2023 – the largest cohort ever recorded. A further 63 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are currently GPs in training.
 
However, with the college aiming to achieve parity with the population percentage of 3.8%, work is needed to encourage prevocational doctors and medical students to consider GP as a specialty training program. 
 
To that end, RACGP Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health has developed the Yagila Wadamba Program (meaning ‘learn to heal’), an annual support program for Indigenous GP Registrars designed to help them connect, build relationships, support each other, enhance study and assessment preparation strategies to enable success, and partake in a cultural activity.
 
The faculty hosts two Yagila Wadamba programs each year, which have recently been provided alongside Indigenous General Practice Trainee Network (IGPTN) workshops. IGPTN is a peer and cultural support network for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander doctors undertaking rural generalist and GP training on all pathways.
 
The next Yagila Wadamba Key Feature Problem (KFP) and Applied Knowledge Test (AKT) exam preparation workshops will take place in Melbourne on 10–11 October, while the IGPTN will be hosting a concurrent face-to-face workshop from 11–14 October.
 
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Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health NAIDOC Week