Aboriginal Health and Wellbeing Festival 2019: Waakal Moort Kaadadjiny
In recent years there have been a significant number of suicides of young Aboriginal people in the Perth metropolitan area. The Armadale community has been particularly affected by these deaths. In response, local elders and community members held a forum to discuss the issue and canvas solutions.
In response to feedback from the local community indicating a disconnect between service providers and the local Aboriginal community; local community members developed the idea of an Aboriginal health and wellbeing festival that would celebrate culture, connect community and engage with service providers.
The inaugural Aboriginal Health and Wellbeing Festival 2019: Waakal Moort Kaadadjiny (Rainbow Serpent Family Learning) was recently held in Aramadale and focused on building relationships between community members and service providers, empowering community members and creating stronger and more connected communities, thereby improving health and wellbeing among the community.
The festival promoted healthy eating, wellness and mental health, physical activity, preventing harm from alcohol and drug use, culture, language and community connection. Attendees were encouraged to engage with the stalls and activities through a Passport Concept - as community members engage with the stalls and activities, they received a stamp on their passport. A ‘completed’ Passport enabled access to food and entertainment area, encouraging engagement with service provider stalls and activities.
A strong coalition of service providers including lifeline WA, headspace Armadale, Palmerston, CAMHS, WAAMH, NEAMI, Wungening, Moorditj Koort, Arche Health, Save the Children, Hope services, the Champion Centre, WA Primary Health Alliance and the City of Armadale are involved in the planning and sponsorship of the festival.
