Keywords:
Aboriginal language; healthy skin; culture; practical policies
Abstract:
Language is significant for communicating knowledge across cultures and generations and has the power to attribute meanings and alter our worldviews. More than 250 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders languages were spoken in 1788. This number has diminished to approximately 110 languages spoken in 2016, of which 90% were considered endangered in 2019. Language custodians and speakers across Australia are working to preserve and ensure languages are strongly spoken into the future. Language revitalisation initiatives can facilitate (re)connection to Country, cultures and communities and be recognised as acts of reconciliation for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. In a health context, recent evidence indicates that connection to language and culture is important in promoting overall health and wellbeing for Indigenous people. Embedding culture and language into health resources is now a key strategy for public health to reduce the existing health inequities experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. With the increased demand for Indigenous language health promotion resources, practical policies and guidelines on development and distribution are required. Furthermore, investigation is warranted into the effectiveness and impact of local community context and how end users perceive and may apply these resources.