The Indigenous Peoples of Australia are the oldest continuing living cultures in the world, with knowledge systems surviving at least 60,000 years. Indigenous culture, knowledge and use of natural resources for nourishment and medicine have been vital for the survival of Aboriginal People. Extensive knowledge of bush foods, environmental management, and how this translated to health and wellbeing have been passed down through generations with a deep connection to Country.

This presentation will explore the food, nutrition and health challenges in remote Indigenous Communities from a different perspective to the one found in most academic papers. Preventable chronic conditions such as obesity, diabetes, heart and kidney diseases account for roughly 80% of the gap in mortality between Indigenous and non- Indigenous Australians. However, the narrative in this space has historically used a deficit approach, blaming the individual and communities. Public policies and health promotion programs have focused on behavioural changes and continue to privilege the settlers’ foods, knowledge and lifestyle. These programs fail to consider the importance of Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS) and diets and the effect of social and cultural determinants of health. Furthermore, these programs have proven to be largely ineffective, are a significant cost to the public system and further disrupt Indigenous ways of being, knowing, teaching and learning. This exacerbates culture loss, dispossession and social determinants of health and wellbeing.

The solution to these challenges must track back to where the problem has originated: the transition away from traditional foods, culture and IKS. The answers for the problems affecting community must come from community, promoting self-determination and ensuring the sustainability of programs. For this to happen, IKS and methods, such as storytelling and art, as well as Indigenous ways of learning and teaching, must be elevated, prioritised and moved past tokenism.