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AIMS: This study describes a program co-created with Aboriginal communities to strengthen cultural ties with the children. Food data are reported from two knowledge systems (lenses): Western and Aboriginal relational, focused on Country, community, and kinship. METHODS: A cultural program was undertaken with primary school children of Aboriginal heritage, on Yuin nation, over 10 weeks including culturally appropriate practices (painting, bushtucker, and dance). We report mixed method food outcomes framed by Western (quantitative) 24-h recall and Aboriginal relational methods (qualitative) captured by cultural images, yarning and continuous consultation methods to expose lessons from community and Country, to extend kinship. RESULTS: In total, 111 children (79 providing food data) across three regional communities commenced the program. A storying approach to food data collection and interpretation was preferred. The number of serves of seafood products, such as fish increased, vegetable consumption improved, intakes of dairy improved in quality and energy intakes from discretionary foods decreased across the programs. Qualitative data exposed six themes: Eating with family, competing agendas, food as medicine, applying cultural practices, food choices driven by 'post-invasion tradition' and community events, which deepened our understanding of the food data. Teaching the importance of the ocean and water saw participants engage with family in practices such as fishing to improve overall awareness of culture through food. CONCLUSION: The kinship system in a cultural context supported positive shifts towards accessible food choices driven by messages from Country. While the changes cannot be isolated to the program, cultural immersion drove change and strength-based reporting.
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BACKGROUND: Having a strong connection to culture and Country is fundamental to the health and wellbeing of Australian Aboriginal children. The aim of the research was to evaluate the feasibility of study methods and programme implementation of a co-created afterschool cultural programme, and identify areas for improvement. METHODS: Aboriginal Relational Research Methodology and mixed methods were applied to evaluate the feasibility of the implementation of the programme and study methods using a non-randomised single-group study design. Australian Aboriginal children and their siblings aged 5-13 years were recruited within regional New South Wales, Australia. The primary outcomes for feasibility included recruitment rates of children and Aboriginal programme mentors, compliance rates of outcome data collection and of the planned programme activities, programme attendance, retention rates and mean enjoyment scores. Follow-up yarning circles were conducted with the children, their parents/caregivers, programme mentors and teachers to explore aspects of feasibility, and areas for improvement. RESULTS: A total of 90 caregivers consented to their children (n = 111) being part of the research. Sixteen Aboriginal mentors were recruited to deliver the programmes across the communities. Overall, 74.4% of all health outcome measures were completed across baseline (86.5%) and follow-up (55.9%). Only 61.0% of the programme activities were delivered as originally planned. The average programme attendance rate was 70.0% with a 92.0% retention rate. Eighty-nine percent of children reported a high level of enjoyment with the programmes. Follow-up yarning identified the importance of relational methodologies and flexibility within the programme design and implementation to ensure programmes were adapted to the local community, conditions and differing age groups. Considerations for future programmes included the timing of the programme and identifying health outcome assessment tools and methods that acknowledge cultural protocols and experiences. CONCLUSIONS: Engaging the communities in the development, implementation and evaluation of the programmes were key to community support of the programme and conducting the feasibility study. Future programmes and evaluations need to be built on strong partnerships and embrace flexible and culturally embedded methodologies in order to be adaptive and responsive to research approaches, communities and to Country. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ACTRN12619001224112. Retrospectively registered on 05 September 2019.
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This article is told as a story about how a project, Strong culture, healthier lifestyles, took steps towards decolonisation as an evolving methodological journey with Country. The story is primarily about how our methodology moved from a Western model of 'doing' research, to the research team being part of the research process, as team members with Country and the participating local community members: a methodology of partnership. First, we provide a general overview of the initial project to set up how we came to understand its disconnection to community and Country. Second, we unpack the storying approach as methodology that is bound with the local Country: Yuin on the South Coast of New South Wales, Australia. Third, using the storying approach, we reflect through Country and the community to discover ways forward in Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal knowledge partnerships. We share our story in an attempt to limit colonial practice (decolonisation) and replace it with a re-culturalising approach; the re-connecting of Country as a source of interconnectedness into the research process. Country includes all the living communities of nature, and we explore how this relationship in the human element (community) impacted and developed our methodology of partnership.