MEN’S TJILIRRA MOVEMENT CHANGING MINDS – SAVING LIVES Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Suicide Prevention Conference Alice Springs, May 2016 Presented by CASSE and RFDS

Men’s Tjilirra Movement: Strengthening Cultural Transmission, Cultural Identity & Generational Connections Presented by: Pamela Nathan - Director, Aboriginal Australian Relations Program, Creating A Safe Supportive Environment (CASSE) Martin Jugadai - Ngangkari, Cultural Consultant, Remote Mental Health Team, Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) Nathan Brown - Cultural Consultant & Interpreter, CASSE David Beveridge – Senior Mental Health Clinician, Remote Mental Health Team, Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) Jamie Millier Tjupurrulla - Program Manager, Men’s Tjilirra Movement, CASSE Men's Tjilirra Movement

Psychoanalytic Insight Pamela Nathan, CASSE Suicide has touched every community in central Australia. The CASSE/RFDS team has been deeply affected by suicides – they have often known victims over many years, and they, too, experience the system failures and the lacerating grief of family and community. And suicide rarely happens in isolation. There are frequently attempted suicides in the same community, both before and after a death by suicide. There is no word in Luritja for suicide. Some say it is the "featherman" and that suicide is a "whitefellah thing". There is, however, haemorrhaging pain and a rolling, volcanic rage which can be carried unknowingly, silently underground, colonising, and finally exploding, into molten action and lethal death. Men's Tjilirra Movement

Psychoanalytic Insight CASSE (Creating A Safe and Supportive Environment) – Psychoanalytic organisation – Facilitated and primarily funded The Men’s Tjilirra Movement – Working with five communities out west: Kiwirrkurra, Walunguru, Papunya, Watyiwanyu, Ikuntji – Partnership with Community Development Program – Collaboration with Royal Flying Doctor Service CASSE is about Changing Minds and Saving Lives Men's Tjilirra Movement

Psychoanalytic Insight The Men’s Tjilirra Movement promotes: – Prevention – Meeting people where they are at – Talking about what is on the mind – Self-determination – Cultural revival, transmissions and continuity – Existential experiences – Emerging articulations – Understandings – Generational connections – Stories – Empowerment – Transformations – Living Tools Men's Tjilirra Movement

Psychoanalytic Insight We are collecting stories out west about the meaning of suicide, the how and why of suicide and its prevention. We have developed a presentation on The Mentalisation of Suicide. It is my great privilege to now hand over to the dedicated team who are living the MTM out west with the men. Men's Tjilirra Movement

Introduction Martin Jugadai – Ngangkari (traditional Healer), RFDS Founder of the Men's Tjilirra Project in 2012 Making Tjilirra ‘made me feel ‘strong and proud’ In the beginning… – trauma, loss of culture Connection to ancestors Working with David and RFDS Talking to the men about making tjilirra Strengthening generational connections Meeting Jamie Drawing in the sand CASSE Men's Tjilirra Movement

Men's Tjilirra Movement

Introduction (interpretation) Nathan Brown, CASSE CASSE Men's Tjilirra Movement

Men's Tjilirra Movement

RFDS Clinical Mental Health Framework David Beveridge, RFDS Founder of the Men's Tjilirra Project in 2012 Began a collaborative working arrangement between RFDS/ CASSE in 2014 Working in a cross culturally, culturally sensitive mental health service with Martin Jugadai for eight years Co facilitator along with Martin, men’s group sessions conducted in Luritja language. Reconnections of the hierarchical position of Aboriginal men, thus strengthening generational connections. Using Tjilirra as a metaphor for “Ways to stay strong when life is tough”. Develop tools for living. Conversations around suicide/suicide prevention, grief, mental health issues, stress, impulsivity, violence, emotions etc. Men's Tjilirra Movement

Men’s Tjilirra Movement – The Program Jamie Millier Tjupurrulla, CASSE A story of trauma and substance abuse Living on country Learning Tjilirra The healing process Working with the young men – suicide – violence – trauma – sorry business Talking Sharing Opening ears Lightening the load CASSE Men's Tjilirra Movement

Men’s Tjilirra Movement – The Program Last year over 360 men participated in the making of tjilirra – many spears and boomerangs made, sold and used in ceremony business In the last two weeks over 60 men have participated in meetings and the making of tjilirra Organised and held a community pulapa (ceremony) following a serious suicide attempt of a young man. – pulapa strengthened the spirits of the people – first time that this community has had a pulapa in ten years The men become happy and alive. They say they “feel strong and proud” making tjilirra Men's Tjilirra Movement

Men’s Tjilirra Movement – The Program In closing, we leave the final words of this presentation with the Men of the Tjilirra Movement… Men's Tjilirra Movement

Men’s Tjilirra Movement – The Program Men's Tjilirra Movement

CHANGING MINDS – SAVING LIVES