Principal speaker
Marianne Wobcke
It has been a great privilege to work with first time, urban Indigenous mums one on one, as part of an innovative, strength and relationship-based program connected to Birthing on Country and the Brisbane Southside, Mums and Bubs clinic. Our program was voluntary, so all the mothers that signed up were highly motivated.
A small percentage of the young women who were my clients, understood childbirth to be an initiation process and believed if they become aware of how they were now contributing to ongoing cycles of stress and suffering, they would prevent their babies inheriting this compounded trauma. All were victims of intergenerational, pre/perinatal and ongoing biographical trauma. They had observed the effects of chronic stress and trauma, in their parents, grandparents, siblings, across their families and communities, throughout childhood. They didn't resonate with the information being provided from the endless experts in the medical system and were frustrated by the lack of appropriate support for their own often overwhelming mental, physical, social, emotional, ill-health issues.
These mother's felt they had embarked on a spiritual quest, ignited by a yearning for a deeper connection to Country, Elders, ceremony and traditional wisdom. Seeking to discover what their unique contribution to their baby and community could be. They imagined more holistic way of living, in an environment where they could flourish in harmony with their baby.
My research is focused on validating the importance of investing in promoting the respect and spiritual skills required to appreciate the importance of Kanyini - relationship to all things, interconnectedness and Dadirri - deep listening and inner, quiet awareness and waiting. Gifted to us by NT Elders: Uncle Bob Randall and Aunty Miriam-Rose Ungunmerr-Baumann.
When these mothers ignited that ancestral programming, they tapped into a lineage of Women's Business and wellbeing that profoundly transformed them from chronically struggling alone to survive, into confident, creative thought leaders. Instead of repeating toxic patterns from the past, they are proactively creating a future full of unlimited potentia