Promoting planetary health through culture

摘要

Land, culture, and health are inextricably entwined inmany Indigenous societies, but the intensity of depthof spiritual connection to land—colloquially calledcountry—is unique to Australia’s Aboriginal and TorresStrait Islander peoples.Relationship to country defines identity, kinship, andlanguage group, and permeates every aspect of healthand wellbeing. Historically, languages define familialrelationships through highly complex and variablestructures of kinship across more than 120 languagegroups, knowledge of foods, bush medicines, and craftskills. Oral history—encapsulating such culture—hasbeen passed through generations of Aboriginal andTorres Strait Islander people for over 65 000 years,elucidated through art, song, and storytelling.