“Among our many valued partnerships are those with local Aboriginal communities,” Mandy said.
“Currently, we partner with Bendigo and District Aboriginal Co-operative in our shared aim to deliver quality healthcare services, and actively support the annual Bendigo Reconciliation and NAIDOC Week activities.
“This RAP will help us translate our principles into action. By embedding these principles into policies and operational paradigms, we will continue to build strong and respectful partnerships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, organisations and communities. We are prepared to be informed, stand together and work through the challenges ahead in good faith.”
As part of the RAP design, BCHS commissioned artist Paige Charles-Morgan, a proud Yorta Yorta/Dja Dja Wurung/Palawa woman, to create a painting.
The work, titled Healing a Community, not only features within the RAP pages, but will remain a fixture of BCHS sites.
Paige explained the people around the campfire in the centre of the work were BCHS employees coming together, providing health support services to the local community while working towards closing the gap in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’s health. Each colour represents a different program.
The painting captures the story of Dja Dja Wurrung Dreamtime, in which people regarded the Eagle (Bunjil) as the Lord of the Forest and Mountains, the Crow as the Lord of the Plains, and the Bat as a friendly spirit who watched over the weary traveller, warning them of dangers and guiding them to safety.
“These totems of the Dja Dja Wurrung community capture each spirit animal’s strength and how they can help with the healing of our people,” Paige said.
“The painting draws on the land, the healing that comes from the connection to our land and animal spirits, the openness of the plains, the feeling of freedom that comes from being on country and the wellbeing that is restored to the spirit as we go through the healing process.”
Paige has been an exhibiting artist for the past seven years and has been the recipient of the NAIDOC Art Exhibition People’s Choice Award for several consecutive years. She paints on different mediums using acrylic and watercolour, and also enjoys digital art.
Paige has worked in health administration with the Anagu community in a remote Aboriginal South Australian region. She has recently returned home to Dja Dja wurrung country, after studying at Swinburne University, and is currently working at Bendigo District and Aboriginal Co-operative, where she is dedicating herself to her arts practice and working with children within the community, showing them healing through creation.
