Colonization, Cultural Diversity, and Aboriginal Health Outcomes

This essay explores the complex relationship between colonization, cultural diversity, and Aboriginal health outcomes, using Kate Grenville's 'The Secret River' as a focal point. It examines the historical context of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in Australia, highlighting the challenges they have faced due to colonization, including the loss of land, culture, and the resulting impact on their health and well-being. The essay delves into the power dynamics and social hierarchies depicted in the film, illustrating how these factors have influenced access to healthcare and the provision of culturally safe care. Furthermore, the essay discusses the importance of understanding cultural differences and the need for nurses and healthcare professionals to address the historical trauma and systemic disadvantages experienced by Aboriginal communities. The essay concludes by emphasizing the need for improved communication, cultural sensitivity, and the implementation of strategies to promote better health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, including the development of culturally appropriate healthcare practices and policies.

Running head: COMMUNICATION AND DIVERSITY
Communication and Diversity
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
Author Note:

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Introduction
The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders are originally belong to Australia and they are
occupying the traditional lands through the mainland parts of Australia. They hold the
significance of the rich traditional aspects within their community (Gone 2013). However, it has
been observed that they have faced enormous challenges due to the emergence of the
colonization. In spite of facing the significant challenges due to the distinctive cultural
background, the Aboriginal Group has significantly controlled their health outcomes in the future
(Gracey 2014). The study would explore the issues collaborated with the privilege and power
portrayed in the film, The Secret River. The story highlights the rough phase experienced by him
on the first night of the convict settlement in Australia. The overview of the concept would
demonstrate the impact of colonization upon the health factor of the Aboriginal and Torres
Islanders. Moreover, the essay would present the clear understanding of such phenomenon,
which can contribute to the nurses while offering the culturally safer care.
Discussion
The Secret River, a film series created by Kate Grenville, describes the life of the
Aboriginal and Torres Islanders. The story unfolds the life of William Thornhill who was a poor
waterman, deported from London to New South Wales along with his family (Nolan and Clarke
2014). The story highlights the rough phase experienced by him on the first night of the convict
settlement in Australia. The stage is set out with conflict in the centralized plot. The effects of
the power and privilege of the white settlers over the Aborigines are featured in this series
(Parker and Milroy 2014). It was portrayed that in spite of having no business with each other,
both the groups wanted other to go away. The movie explores the plot containing the clashes of

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civilization that began when Australia was first found by Captain Cook (Reynolds 2013). The
entire novel reflects the understanding of the significant social concertos of Aboriginal Group.
Such of these social concepts are clothing, personal property, family relationships, hunting and
farming, and relationship to the nature. On the contrary, the movie juxtaposes the societal state of
the British as well.
The film illustrates the theme of the social hierarchy and the power level discussed
throughout the entire series. Grenville has significantly explored the social ranking on the
individual development in Australia. It has been specified that the humiliating experience of
William as a waterman signifies his character for the life and it is reflected in every choice he
makes throughout the series (Dalley 2014). The current advancements in the world are providing
the significant facilities to people from Torres Island. The play reflects his unstoppable craving
for wielding power over another person. The treatment towards the Aboriginal clearly portrayed
the behaviour to a racial and social inferior (Parker and Milroy 2014). However, the movie is
also highlighting the sequence of self-creation. At the beginning the convicts received the full
pardon and sent from England and permitted to start the lives in Australia. In the meanwhile,
William Thornhill arrived in New South Wales as a convict who wished to place himself in the
incipient ruling class of Australia. The movie explores the harshness of the British Class system
during 18th and 19th century (Paradies 2016). People were condemned to a life of a criminal. The
exposure of the harshness and rough life of the Aboriginal people is presented in this movie.
The impact of the colonization or settlement brought changes in the policy even after
addressing the problems the history indicates that many thousands of children received shelter in
tin the institutions (Sherwood 2013). However, the remaining loss of culture and land depicts
that the Aboriginal people are still experiencing disadvantages in today’s world. In many of the

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cases, the aboriginals are left with lesser choices. However, the availability of the western
education, medical skills, and technology helped in increasing the contacts with the Anglo-
Australians and outside world. The traditional scenario indicates that the Aboriginal people had
the limited access to the education and health facilities (Smylie and Firestone 2016). Especially,
in the remote areas, this problem still persists. They lack adequate sanitation and water supplies
in the areas. It is even quite necessary to improve the means of communication. Even, due to the
colonization effects, people from remote areas were not receiving the proper educational
facilities. While many were fighting with the difficulties, some people chose to leave the
community for schooling and migrated to other cities.
The health aspects among the Aboriginals and Torres Islanders are not limited to the
physical health of a specific person. It also includes the emotional, social, and spiritual wellbeing
of the entire community (Sweet et al., 2014). The Torres Islanders and the Aboriginals signify
the strong bond with the land and make personal connection with the owner of the lands. Their
sense of identity and the mental health are the greater priorities to be considered. The report
follows that the admission in the hospitals and attendance at the health services for the
Aboriginals are literally very poor. The cultural factors had the significant influence on the
decisions. In fact the perception about the medical service and health also play the significant
role in such aspects (Parker and Milroy 2014).
Following such phenomenon, the nurses in present days are much focusing on educating
people about the cultural factors. It is necessary to eliminate the feeling of inferiority that was
generated through the ill-treatment experienced by the Aboriginal People. The current
advancements in the world are providing the significant facilities to people from Torres Island.
The development of the cultural wellbeing is necessary for the nurses while providing the safer

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cultural care to the people (Sweet et al., 2014). It has been observed that due to the cultural and
gender differences, people may not speak about their health issues to a health worker. This gap
should be eliminated and they should receive the proper medical facilities as the treatment.
Conclusion
The file, The Secret River portrays the position of the Aboriginal and Torres Islanders in
Australia during colonization. the movie is also highlighting the sequence of self-creation. The
story highlights the rough phase experienced by him on the first night of the convict settlement in
Australia. The play reflects his unstoppable craving for wielding power over another person. The
availability of the western education, medical skills, and technology helped in increasing the
contacts with the Anglo-Australians and outside world. The treatment towards the Aboriginal
clearly portrayed the behaviour to a racial and social inferior. The remaining loss of culture and
land depicts that the Aboriginal people are still experiencing disadvantages in today’s world. The
report follows that the admission in the hospitals and attendance at the health services for the
Aboriginals are literally very poor. The uneasiness felt while expressing the health issues to the
health workers also signified as the social determinants experienced by the Aboriginals and
Torres Islanders. The availability of the medical facilities is indeed necessary to ensure growth in
the means of communication. Hence, the future nurses should take the initiative to make the
people well educated about the cultural diversity and the accessibility to the health related
facilities.

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References
Nolan, M. and Clarke, R.G.H., 2014. Reading Groups and Reconciliation: Kate Grenville’s The
Secret River and the Ordinary Reader. Australian Literary Studies, 29(4), pp.19-35.
Dalley, H., 2014. The Postcolonial Historical Novel: Realism, Allegory, and the Representation
of Contested Pasts. Springer.
Paradies, Y., 2016. Colonisation, racism and indigenous health. Journal of population
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Sherwood, J., 2013. Colonisation–It’s bad for your health: The context of Aboriginal
health. Contemporary nurse, 46(1), pp.28-40.
Smylie, J. and Firestone, M., 2016. The health of indigenous peoples. D. Raphael (3rd ed.)
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Sweet, M.A., Dudgeon, P., McCallum, K. and Ricketson, M.D., 2014. Decolonising practices:
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Parker, R. and Milroy, H., 2014. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander mental health: an
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principles and practice, 2, pp.25-38.
Gracey, M., 2014. Why closing the Aboriginal health gap is so elusive. Internal medicine
journal, 44(11), pp.1141-1143.

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Gone, J.P., 2013. Redressing First Nations historical trauma: Theorizing mechanisms for
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Reynolds, H., 2013. Noted: The secret river. Monthly, The, (May 2013), p.57.