Babies welcomed to community in ceremony first

Up to forty Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander babies took part in West Moreton Health’s first Welcome Baby to Community ceremony, today at 11am.Welcome Baby to Community Ceremony

Born in the past year, the babies – ranging in age from 6 weeks to 12-months – were welcomed by community Elders at the West Moreton Health Ipswich Hospital Yarning Circle.

For thousands of years, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have held Welcome Baby to Country ceremonies to acknowledge an infant’s connection to the lands on which they are born.

The traditional ceremony has been given a modern twist that recognises there are many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people from many different areas living in the West Moreton region, with the health service’s ritual connecting children to community.

Queensland Minister for Health, Steven Miles said, “Activities such as West Moreton Health’s new Welcome Baby to Community ceremony place Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander individuals, families and communities at the centre of health services and programs while building the cultural capability of Queensland Health services”.

“They respond to the challenges highlighted in the Queensland Closing the Gap Performance Report 2018 and recognise that health is traditionally a holistic concept for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, encompassing the physical, social, emotional, spiritual and cultural wellbeing of the individual and of the whole community,” Mr Miles said.

Greeted by traditional dancers, the babies and their families took part in a smoking ceremony and were presented with small gifts from community Elders, including a child’s mobile featuring two emu feathers that represented choices in life.

West Moreton Health’s Coordinator Indigenous Hospital Liaison Service Cassandra Tratt, said most of the babies attending the outdoor ceremony would have been born at Ipswich Hospital, with others new to the health service region.

“We are working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander mums-to-be to come along to our community and hospital clinics so we can improve their care before and during pregnancy and support their children’s needs to provide the best start to life,” Ms Tratt said.

“Our Welcome Baby to Community ceremony recognises the important cultural need for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families to connect children to community, and for our health service, our midwives, nurses, doctors and support staff, it builds a strong cultural understanding and appreciation for the community we serve.”

West Moreton Health plans to hold Welcome Baby to Community ceremonies every six months following today’s event.

Welcome Baby to Community