Worimi woman Kat Hooper tells the story of Uncle Gungalung and his connection to country during end of life care.
Transcript
[Text on screen] Caring @home acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community.
We pay our respect to Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
[Text on screen] WARNING: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander viewers are warned that the following video tells the story of a deceased person, as told by the family. The person’s family has given permission for caring@home to share this story.
[Text on screen] Caring @home acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community.
We pay our respect to Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
[Music plays]
[Text on screen] Uncle Gungalung’s journey: palliative care in Country
>>Kat Hooper (female voice over): Bulka babulka, wanya. Welcome welcome all you mob.
My name is Kat Hooper and I am a really proud Worimi woman, a descendant.
I currently live, learn, and I work and I play on the lands of the Turrabul, Jagera, and Gubbi Gubbi people.
[Text on screen] Kay Hooper, Worimi and Gubbi Gubbi descendant
>>Kat Hooper (female voice over): I'm also a mum and a wife. And I wanted to come to you here today to have a little yarn and do some storytelling with you about an uncle that was able to return to his traditional country his home country. In amongst the arms of his loved ones and family to go on his end of life journey. Now uncle and his family have given us permission to share his story.
Uncle was a 64 year old man. And he lived in Far North desert country Queensland. Now, please sit back. Enjoy and listen as we embark on this journey.
>>Kat Hooper (female voice over): Dear Kat, sorry, Aunty, letting you know that Gungalung has been let out of hospital today, with them care and at home resources you've been harping on about and showing us all. You know, Gungalung's story will now be held in these walls of the hospital for a long time. His energy and voice will now be a part of these walls.
Maybe only for a short time his story will be fresh in the minds of these doctors and nurses. But I'm telling ya, in time, it will fade. But his story won't fade in our community and our family walls. Hey, Sis had a go at putting their medicines in the syringes and did real well. The first one took a bit of going, but those resources were awesome.
And in no time, she had it. Easy, eh? Anyway, I'll be seeing you sis.
>>Kat Hooper (female voice over): Hey there auntie, we're arriving home today. Wow, what a performance them cicadas put on for Gungalung. The roar of their voice was a welcome home. You know, like the roar of the local football stadium when those cowboys strut their stuff, eh? And most importantly, Aunty, the quiver on the ground on Gungalung's father's country that really meant the most.
That first step, planted on his country, knew it needed to be respected. And that footprint, that journey, comes with so much knowledge. Now for our young people, to gather, to listen, to listen, and to listen, to his wisdom. He has been brought back to country to share all of this wisdom. These cicadas, well, I tell you what.
They held silent as we smoked gungalung in his mother's and father's native bush. His medicine, his country's glue, connecting his spirits to these lands. He won't wash now. We need to know that his spirit knows these smells on his hair and his skin. And his spirit will flow from the smell and it will know exactly how to follow his country, his ancestors.
His sense back to his dreaming. And them sense will guide his spirit back to his dreaming place.
>>Kat Hooper (female voice over): Hey Kat, auntie, we gave that medicine, you know, the one for sickness in the gut. Sis did real well using them easy instructions and tips within the resources. Oh, and I tell you what, days of not eating, Gungalung smelt them rootails being smoked on the barbie. And a few hours after that sick medicine kicked in, well, Gungalung, you know, He hoovered them tails right down.
Gungalung says that that roo tail is a cultural symbolism used for balance and strength from the roo. And the roo tail is used to defend off harm and threats. And the roo tail gives us direction, propulsion, and speed. And I'm telling you what, we all know he could use these as he enters into the dreaming.
>>Kat Hooper (female voice over): Hey Kat, Gungalung and family sat by the fire tonight. At three, his spirit danced in the flames. His body, now at rest. The fire, it gave us the signs that his spirit was now on a journey to the Dreamtime. The fire, I tell ya, it has so much power for our community. It recognises will, determination, internal light, just like Gungalung.
The fire, it gave us light and warmth, just like he did. And I tell ya what, Gungalung's spirit is now like his fingerprint. Like the stars, the skies, the water and the sun. Now sis, you and your team really need to realise that when you look at these things in your country, these beautiful elements, the stars, the skies and the waterways, your eyes will actually be seeing the beauty of the lands.
And this will be your forever thank you, because you guys ensured that Gungalung got to rest in the definition of his own peace.
[Text on screen] caring @home www.caringathomeproject.com.au
[Music ends]
[Text on screen] caring@home resources can be used to support palliative care at home for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families. When care at home is preferred, it can be provided to help connect family, culture, community, Country and the spiritual wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and their families.
Caring @home www.caringathomeproject.com.au
End of transcript
