Blekbala Fathawan Health Summit 2009 Sunrise, Katherine East

Blekbala Fathawan Health Summit 2009 Sunrise, Katherine East

Great Shot 2

23 August 2009

 Photo/text from Colin Cowell Project Manager (3 Months)

Sunrise Health Service Aboriginal Corporation has recently held an Aboriginal Male Health Summit at Banatjarl near Katherine NT.  Over 100 Aboriginal men from the region spent three days and nights to talk about issues affecting on their lives and the future. Sunrise President, David Lane said ‘Key recommendations arising from the Summit reflect the wisdom of those involved. The voices of Aboriginal males must be expressed, heard and listened to, to enable the steps to be taken, to move forward towards reconciliation, heal and build positive futures.’

The Summit was a big event for the region, building on a strong history and marks the twenty first anniversary of the Barunga Statement. Warren Camfoo and Justin Miller composed and read the central theme of the Blekbela Fathawan Helth Summit statement, which read: ‘We are proud Aboriginal men, proud of our culture and to achieve our vision we call on the Australian Government and the NT Government to reform the intervention, reinstate The Racial Discrimination Act and reduce the barrage of complex and contradictory changes that are disempowering Aboriginal males, resulting in ‘widening the gap’ in Aboriginal male health and severely impacting on the lives of our children, families and the communities in which we live.

‘We resent that the government has allowed the media to portray all Aboriginal men as paedophiles, and subjected us to unwarranted suspicion – we love our children and our families – we are human. We call on the Australian and NT Government to join us in the outright rejection of this practice. We feel fearful that we are misunderstood in our natural loving actions, and this stops us fulfilling our roles as fathers, uncles, brothers, grandfathers and carers.

‘We have developed strategies, networks and recommendations to ensure our future roles as men in caring for children in a safe family environment that will lead to a happier, longer and healthier life that reflects opportunities experienced by the wider community.’ Photo/text from Colin Cowell. Contact: shane.wing@sunrise.org.au Full report ia available from www.sunrise.org.au

23 August 2009

Sunrise Health Service Aboriginal Corporation has recently held an Aboriginal Male Health Summit at Banatjarl near Katherine NT.  Over 100 Aboriginal men from the region spent three days and nights to talk about issues affecting on their lives and the future. Sunrise President, David Lane said ‘Key recommendations arising from the Summit reflect the wisdom of those involved. The voices of Aboriginal males must be expressed, heard and listened to, to enable the steps to be taken, to move forward towards reconciliation, heal and build positive futures.’

The Summit was a big event for the region, building on a strong history and marks the twenty first anniversary of the Barunga Statement. Warren Camfoo and Justin Miller composed and read the central theme of the Blekbela Fathawan Helth Summit statement, which read: ‘We are proud Aboriginal men, proud of our culture and to achieve our vision we call on the Australian Government and the NT Government to reform the intervention, reinstate The Racial Discrimination Act and reduce the barrage of complex and contradictory changes that are disempowering Aboriginal males, resulting in ‘widening the gap’ in Aboriginal male health and severely impacting on the lives of our children, families and the communities in which we live.

‘We resent that the government has allowed the media to portray all Aboriginal men as paedophiles, and subjected us to unwarranted suspicion – we love our children and our families – we are human. We call on the Australian and NT Government to join us in the outright rejection of this practice. We feel fearful that we are misunderstood in our natural loving actions, and this stops us fulfilling our roles as fathers, uncles, brothers, grandfathers and carers.

‘We have developed strategies, networks and recommendations to ensure our future roles as men in caring for children in a safe family environment that will lead to a happier, longer and healthier life that reflects opportunities experienced by the wider community.’

Photo/text from Colin Cowell. Contact: Full report ia available from www.sunrise.org.au

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