ABA acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as the traditional custodians of the land on which we work and live, and upon which ABA's offices are based and our services operate.
We acknowledge that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women have been birthing and breastfeeding on Country in Australia for more than 60,000 years.
ABA commenced work on our first Reflect Reflect Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) in 2024. In developing our RAP we are aiming to ensure that our community and its services are accessible, appropriate, affordable and acceptable to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander mothers, babies, families and health professionals.
The ABA RAP Working Group meets every 6 weeks and is proud to include two First Nations members. ABA's draft Reflect RAP currently has conditional approval from Reconciliation Australia (RA). We are now making the final edits with RA's guidance and creating the graphic designed draft. We are hopeful that we will be able to launch our RAP in August this year.
As part of the development process, we undertook a mapping exercise to identify the partnerships, collaborations and connections that ABA has had with First Nations people and communities during the course of our 60+ year history.
This page tells some of the story of what was discovered through that mapping activity.
ABA's current collaborations and services designed to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander mums, parents and families
Deadly Dads - a workshop for Aboriginal men, run by Aboriginal men
The Deadly Dads workshop provides a space for Aboriginal men to yarn and learn about being a deadly dad and how to support their breastfeeding partner.
Community Breastfeeding Mentoring course
The 10961NAT Course in Community Breastfeeding Mentoring is a nationally recognised short course, designed to teach mentoring skills and basic breastfeeding information to people who support breastfeeding in the community including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health workers.
Katherine, NT Kriol breastfeeding support cards
ABA Kathrine group have produced two postcards to connect local Aboriginal families to ABA's breastfeeding support and information. The postcards were made possible by grant funding and the translation was generously provided by the amazing Miliwanga Wernben.
For further details please contact ABA Katherine group ntregionoffice@breastfeeding.asn.au
Partnerships and collaborations with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and communities during ABA's 60+ year history
The Marri Gudjaga Project
The Marri Gudjaga team is based on Dharawal country at the University of Wollongong and in Aboriginal maternal and child health services across New South Wales.
From 2020 to 2025, The Marri Gudjaga Project explored and evaluated how to effectively support Aboriginal women with breastfeeding. The project included training and evaluating Aboriginal Peer Support Workers as well as yarning with women and health professionals about ways to support breastfeeding. Through the collaborative effectos of an Aboriginal videography team in, one of the participating services (Gadhu) and the Australian Breastfeeding Association, these breastfeeding videos were developed.
The Marri Gudjaga Project was funded by the Medical Research Future Fund.
'Connecting through Country' Victoria Branch conference - 2022
The conference opened with a smoking ceremony conducted by Wadawurrung woman Stephanie Skinner (and the Vic branch has continued to open all our branch conferences since then with smoking ceremonies or other Welcome to Country ceremonies). A panel of three indigenous speakers talked about experiences of birth and breastfeeding, and Indigenous midwife Skye Stewart gave a keynote presentation titled 'Our Families, Our Country: Supporting us to Thrive'. Victorian volunteers appreciated the opportunity to learn how to be more inclusive in our volunteer work.
Song and stories with Gambirra Mob, ACT/NSW Branch conference - 2018
'Heartfelt thanks to the Australian Women’s Breastfeeding Association for inviting us on Saturday at Myuna Bay. A beautiful experience as we shared stories and experiences through music with the theme “My Story - My People - My Knowledge”. Powerful connections with a room full of women and children - and some fabulous dancers! ❤️' - Gambirra
West Pilbara Communities for Children (C4C) Breastfeeding and Early Nutrition Project - 2007-2009
This project targeted pregnant mothers and those with children in the 0-2 age group and encompassed the delivery of breastfeeding and early nutrition information across the entire West Pilbara including outlying Indigenous communities, families living remotely on stations, CALD and young mothers.
Letter from Nhulunbuy - 1999
Heather White describes her experiences organising and attending the Northern Territory NMAA Branch Conference.
Babies of the Dreamtime Video - 1985
The video was produced by the NMAA Aboriginal Outreach team in conjuntion with the NSW Department of Health at Lismore. The video explored the reasons why breastfeeding, for countless generations the birthright of Aboriginal babies, was no longer available to most Koorie jarjums.
Nursing Mothers' Aboriginal Outreach Program - 1983
This NSW Branch pilot program commenced in December 1983 and supported Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander mothers to reach out to their own communities to promote the benefits of breastfeeding and and provide support to health workers as appropriate.
