ABORIGINAL and Torres Strait Islander babies born at Grampians Health in 2022, and their families, took part in a smoking ceremony last week.<\/p>\n
Organised by Aboriginal hospital liaison officers, and conducted by Wadawurrung traditional owner Tammy Gilson, the ceremony was about welcoming the children to country and celebrating their entry from the Dreaming.<\/p>\n
It was held in the gardens of Federation University\u2019s Mount Helen campus due to the redevelopment of the Ballarat Base Hospital.<\/p>\n
\u201cSmoking ceremonies serve all different purposes,\u201d said Grampians Health AHLO Renee Bosworth. \u201cWe can use them for healing, spiritual renewal, strengthening, birth, and sorry business, when someone passes away.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe like to have a welcome to country smoking ceremony for our babies because it helps protect them.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have one when our babies are born, and then when they pass away, we also have a smoking ceremony to help them move on into the dreamtime.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ninety-one Indigenous babies were born at Grampians Health in 2022, and seven of them attended the ceremony with their families last week.<\/p>\n
Ms Bosworth said the AHLO group involved were proud to be part of the meaningful moment.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s good to see old traditions being brought back,\u201d she said. \u201cWhen my kids were younger, there was nothing like that at all, but my grandson was part of the smoking ceremony last year.\u201d<\/p>\n
The first event of its kind was held at the hospital in 2017, and due to the pandemic, three years\u2019 worth of babies were welcomed to country at last year\u2019s ceremony.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
ABORIGINAL and Torres Strait Islander babies born at Grampians Health in 2022, and their families, took part in a smoking ceremony last week. Organised by Aboriginal hospital liaison officers, and conducted by Wadawurrung traditional owner Tammy Gilson, the ceremony was about welcoming the children to country and celebrating their entry from the Dreaming. It was […]<\/p>\n