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Welcome 

 

FIRDA was established in 2000 by three First Nations women from Queensland who saw a need for advocacy, development and recovery services for First Nations people alongside cultural education and competency training for non-First Nations people in service delivery to First Nations people.  

  • We worked in mental health, drug and alcohol services management, and therapeutic recovery programs in mainstream government services.  

  • We discovered the lack of cultural knowledge, engagement and understanding of Indigenous peoples by health professionals was endemic and affected outcomes

  • We saw the need for competent education, inquiry and research into the shared recovery work for Indigenous peoples with the dominant culture in families, children, adult and community programs for abuse, dependency, addiction, emotional, physical, psychological and sexual violence.  

  • We work with all mainstream services to enhance the competency and capability of all service provider individuals in their engagements and interactions with First Nations peoples 

 

Our Vision

The recovery and transformation of our communities so that all children grow up in healthy functional families that support their emotional, cultural, social and intellectual development with strong parents committed to breaking the cycles of dysfunction.

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OUR WORK

  • Provision of evidence through research

  • Provision of competent cultural education training to all professionals

  • Cultural services for First Nations peoples to revive and sustain cultural traditions

  • Advocacy to governments and policy makers

  • Encouraging the use of Traditional medicine and cultural knowledge in recovery

  • Therapeutic recovery services for those who have experience childhood abuse, violence or dysfunction in their families as children

  • Workshops on Aboriginal Women's Business, Story Circles, Working with Us Mob

  • Sacred Ceremonials for those wishing to create Birthing, Naming, Relationships ceremonies in the First Nations traditions 

 

 

​CONTACT​  Dr Tjanara Goreng Goreng

National Convenor

 

Email:  nationalconvenor@firda.online

 

​Phone:  0458239480

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OUR VISION & COMMITTMENT

FIRDA exists to provide recovery and development services for families and communities to sustain cultural self determination and cultural traditions.

We work with individuals, families and groups to transform the impacts of generational trauma, violence and acculturation to ensure happy and health living. 

IN PARTICULAR

Healing and Recovery from Chemical and process Dependencies e.g. alcohol and other drugs, gambling, love, sex and romance addictions, Healing Adult Children, Toxic Shame, Recovery from Trauma, PTSD and other Dissociative Mental Health issues

 

 TJUKURPA PULKA

 CULTURE LIVED IN ACTION

Tj BIO photo 2020.jpg

OUR PEOPLE

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OUR CIRCLE OF ELDERS - OUR NAVIGATORS - LEADERS

  • Ms Mary Graham Koombumerri Elder and Traditional Custodian Queensland Australia​

  • Judge Elizabeth Evatt - Australia

  • Mrs Maureen (Quinn/Stanley) Williams, Wakka Wakka/Wulli Wulli Elder and Traditiional Custodian ( now passed to the Tjukurpa - the other world)

  • Associate Professor, Dr Warwick Middleton, Brisbane Queensland

  • Kumuntjay Randall (Uncle Bob) Anangu Yunkuntjatjara/Pitjanjatjara Northern Territory Australia

  • Kummunarra Tjikatu (Barbara) AO Anangu Pitjanjatjara of the Umpiyara Homelands near Yulara, Northern Territory Australia

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We are First Nations people who have grown up in their cultural traditions for 50-60+ years in our clans on the eastern coast, western NSW, north West NSW, central west Queensland and Central Southern Queensland of what is now called Australia - Ngunynateea Our Mother Our Country

 

We are academic, public policy, therapists- psychotherapy & gestalt therapists, social workers, mental health workers and community based First Nations, government administrative  & public policy knowledge holders with 60+ years experience in the public, corporate, not for profit and First Nations community sectors people who have worked in mental health, dependency (drug & alcohol) recovery and community cultural development. 

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CO FOUNDERS & VISIONARIES OF FIRDA

Dr Tjanara Goreng Goreng   Traditional Custodian & Elder Wakka Wakka/Wulli Wulli Clans with kinship relationships to the Goreng Goreng clans of the Djwan Djumbe Nation, Central Queensland (Murrieland) Australia-Ngungynateea

Ms Debra Bennett, Malanjarli QLD

Ms Marj Droste Malanjarli and Wakka Wakka QLD

 

CURRENT PRACTITIONERS 

Ms Kerrie Shepherd Wyappa Movement-Practitioner, Kamilaroi NSW

Dr Paul Collis - Storyteller and Cultural leader for men Barkindji NSW

Trish Frail Nyemba Elder and Traditional Custodian

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PATRON

Aunty Mary Graham Koombemerri Elders Gold Coast Queensland

First Nations ways of Knowing Being and Doing



We are governed by a Circle of Elders and our Core Circle of Workers and Volunteers undertake our work of our mission, vision according to our values and within the knowledge systems of First Nations clans that we come from.

We teach and inspire others to follow their own cultural traditions and to engage in cultural and ceremonial spiritual life as a way of gaining strength and decolonising ourselves from the last 235 years of continued occupation and oppression of our ways of being.  We believe in the sovereignty of all First Nations people. 

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