headspace Bunbury -Acknowledgement PlaquePrint Page

Headspace Bunbury has unveiled an Acknowledgement of Country plaque as the latest addition to their office. The stunning plaque and its accompanying artwork, painted by Riki Salam, was presented in the Bunbury centre on Tuesday morning, coinciding with NAIDOC Week.

All headspaces across the country received the plaques in their local Aboriginal language as an acknowledgement of the land the office sits on and it’s elders, past and present.

Bunbury’s plaque, written in the local Noongar language, read “Nidja Noongar moort Wardandi boodjar-ak gadook ngalak kaadatj” meaning “headspace Bunbury acknowledges the Noongar people as the Traditional Custodians of this land”.

Community elder Melba Wallam did the Welcome to Country before guests had morning tea and a yarn about NAIDOC Week and the importance of the new plaque.
Bunbury Mail (WA), July 4 2017.

During 2016–17, headspace commissioned we are 27 creative an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander design agency and Positive Social Solutions, to develop a bespoke artwork that captures the essence of headspace and its service offerings that are specific to the wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people and communities. In consultation with the headspace Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Advisory committee members and headspace centre staff, the artwork • Mind • Body • Spirit • Culture • Country was created and launched during Reconciliation Week in May 2017. The artwork also provides the backdrop to the headspace Acknowledgement of Country plaques. Each headspace centre developed wording for their plaque, specific and relevant to their local community. This was a targeted engagement initiative to encourage collaborative work with local Elders and community members to acknowledge the Traditional Owners, First Nation Peoples and country where the centre is located. This initiative was driven by the organisation recognising the importance of fostering ongoing respectful relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, and to open dialogue around the mental health and wellbeing needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people in communities.
headspace, Year in Review, 2016-2017.