The Queensland Mental Health Drug and Alcohol Advisory Council yesterday applauded the release of a new book by prominent Aboriginal leader Professor Gracelyn Smallwood.
Professor Smallwood, who is a member of the Advisory Council, has devoted her career to advocating for the empowerment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities through education, health and economic sustainability.
Her book Indigenist Critical Realism: Human Rights and First Australians' Wellbeing is the culmination of her PhD thesis and consists of a defence of what is popularly known as the Human Rights Agenda in Indigenous Affairs in Australia.
It also includes her own story and that of her family, with moving personal insights into her life growing up in Queensland.
It includes her story as a young primary school girl, fascinated by language, proudly and boldly writing a new word on the blackboard to share with her class. The word was “Condemned”. She had studied it on a sign outside her family home, in Townsville.
“One morning a council worker came by our house, and put up a signpost. We children gathered around to see what he was doing. He stuck a notice on the post with the solitary word ‘Condemned’. I did not understand the meaning of the word, and in some ways I still don’t.”
The turning point for young Gracelyn came in Grade 5 when a young Aboriginal teacher from Palm Island walked into her classroom and told her that Captain Cook did not discover Australia.
“From that day, my life changed in terms of wanting to study harder. This amazing man called all the Aboriginal and Islander students together for a meeting, and said, ‘You Aboriginal kids are great at sport, but sports alone will not get you a good job. You have to be good at the 3 Rs, and have a balance in life, as racism is a fact of life and I have experienced it myself’. Within three months, after intensive tutoring from Mr Stewart, I was one of the top students in the class.”
She went on to become a nurse, midwife, human rights activist, a Master of Science in Public Health and was conferred with a PhD by James Cook University in 2011. She has received national and international recognition for her work in public health.
Queensland Mental Health Commissioner Dr Lesley van Schoubroeck said the book provided personal insights into Professor Smallwood’s life, including her very early commitment to helping others in her community.
“Her contribution and perspective on culturally appropriate mental health service for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities has added great value to the work of the Commission,” Dr van Schoubroeck said.
“We congratulate Professor Smallwood on this personal achievement and the contribution it will no doubt provide to future students and scholars.”
Book details:
Format Hardback
Publisher Taylor & Francis Ltd
Country United Kingdom
Published 8 May 2015
Pages 218
ISBN 9781138810365
*Photos of the book launch at the Queensland Mental Health and Drug Advisory Council are available.
