Indigenous peoples value deep, spiritual connections to Country (land, water, sky), emphasizing interconnectedness, reciprocity, community (kinship, elders), cultural continuity (stories, language, traditions), and holistic wellbeing, viewing humans as part of nature, not above it, fostering responsibility for future generations and a strong sense of identity and belonging.
Respect, Relevance, Reciprocity, Responsibility
Despite where the teachings may have originated, they share the same concepts of abiding by a moral respect for all living things.
These mandates include advancing First Nations health, economies, the environment, education, languages, clean water, social development, infrastructure, among others.
First Nations and Higher Education: The Four R's - Respect, Relevance, Reciprocity, Responsibility. In Knowledge Across Cultures: A Contribution to Dialogue Among Civilizations.
Healing Centered Engagement: Compassion, Connection, Community, Curiosity, and Ceremony. (Applying ancestral knowledge to plant seeds of resilience, hope, and wellness.)
The six core values (see Figure 1) – spirit and integrity, cultural continuity, equity, reciprocity, respect, and responsibility – are important to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples.
Rather than viewing Country, or land, as a physical environment, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people consider Country as a deeply symbolic and spiritual place [1]. The connection between person and Country reinforces Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples' identity and sense of belonging [5].
Indigenous people are more likely to live in extreme poverty and suffer higher rates of landlessness, malnutrition and internal displacement than other groups. They often rank highest for prison inmates, illiteracy and unemployment, while their life expectancy is up to 20 years lower compared to non-Indigenous people.
The standard three-part test for Aboriginality in Australia requires a person to meet three criteria: descent (biological ancestry), self-identification (identifying as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander), and community acceptance (being recognized as such by their Indigenous community). This definition, adopted by the Commonwealth government, is used for many government programs and services, although the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) uses a simpler two-part test (descent and self-identification) for general data collection.
The other colors are black, white, and red. Four is an important number because it represents the circle of life in many areas: Four Directions: East, South, West, North. Four Seasons: Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter.
The seven phases of life are: the good life, the fast life, the wandering and wondering life, the stages of truth, planting and planning, doing, the elder and giving back life (Best Start Resource Centre, 2010).
The Sabe teaches us HONESTY.
Long ago, there was a giant called Kitch-Sabe. Kitch-Sabe walked among the people to remind them to be honest to the laws of the creator and honest to each other. The highest honor that could be bestowed upon an individual was the saying "There walks an honest man.
The Seven Grandfathers instructed the Messenger to take the baby around the Earth for seven years to learn the Anishinaabe way of life. After their return, the Grandfathers gave the baby, now a young boy, seven teachings to share with the Anishinaabe people; love, respect, bravery, truth, honesty, humility, and wisdom.
While there is much diversity among Indigenous Peoples and Nations overall, Indigenous ethics resonate with the values of honour, trust, honesty, and humility; they reflect commitment to the collective and embody a respectful relationship with the land.
Indigenous heritage values are the values of places of significance which arise from Aboriginal practice, observances, customs, traditions, beliefs and history.
Seven ways to support Indigenous Peoples
Indigenous Knowledge is a body of observations, oral and written knowledge, innovations, practices, and beliefs developed by Tribes and Indigenous Peoples through interaction and experience with the environment. 11 It is applied to phenomena across biological, physical, social, cultural, and spiritual systems.
As a higher proportion of Indigenous people live in remote areas and are on low incomes, they are at greater risk of poverty due to poor service delivery and lack of opportunities.
The six values are Spirit and Integrity, Cultural continuity, Equity, Reciprocity, Respect, and Responsibility. 'Ethical conduct in research with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and communities' guidelines document provides further detail.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people's strong connection to family, land, language, and culture forms the foundation for social, economic, and individual wellbeing.
“Australian society values respect for the freedom and dignity of the individual, freedom of religion, commitment to the rule of law, Parliamentary democracy, equality of men and women and a spirit of egalitarianism that embraces mutual respect, tolerance, fair play and compassion for those in need and pursuit of the ...
These teachings stressed Wisdom, Love, Respect, Bravery, Honesty, Humility and Truth as the values that enable people to live in a way that promotes harmony and balance with everyone and everything in creation.
The APS Values are:
The National Strategic Framework for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples' Mental Health and Social and Emotional Wellbeing 2017–2023 proposes a model of social and emotional wellbeing with seven overlapping domains comprising: body; mind and emotions; family and kin; community; culture; country; and ...