In line with the conference theme, our presentation will highlight a transformative approach to healing that has been taking place in the small, remote community of Imanpa in the Northern Territory. This project has seen our NPYWC Walytjapiti team collaborating with the local primary school as well as the NPYWC Youth and Child Nutrition teams to build connection and community by centering the voice of young people and their stories. 

The work of our program aims to engage with families through an integrated lens that synergises trauma informed practices with principles of cultural safety and respect. This project is the perfect example of translating this theory into practice.  

The Anangu Superhero Project was developed to give young people an opportunity to take charge of the narrative surrounding Indigenous youth and showcase their ‘powers’ of wisdom, strength, safety, courage, love and culture. In doing so, the Imanpa superheroes were created and painted onto the Youth recreational hall as a mural during a weeklong program.  

Amplifying the voices and perspectives of Anangu, these narratives, through the mural have left behind a sense of pride, strength and resilience for the entire community. Our presentation explores the workshop process and the development of story lines for each character that allowed for authenticity to emerge through the recognition of the deep wisdom of the Anangu young people involved. 

The presentation will also highlight the critical role played by Anangu voices and service collaboration throughout the project which enhanced its impact and offered opportunities for extended learning through exploring superfoods for strength and connecting themes of ‘superpowers’ to everyday life.  

The ultimate power of the superheroes is the voice of the children who created them. This project shows the healing and connection that can be built within communities when Anangu voices are centered and heard.  

On a day of mourning in the remote Indigenous community of Yuendumu, tragedy struck again. A single bullet, fired by officer Zackery Ralph, claimed the life of a young Warlpiri man, kumanjayi walker, which sent shockwaves through the community and across the globe. This modern-day massacre took place as the community laid one of their own to rest, igniting a deep and widespread trauma.

Gan'na Healing, an organisation devoted to the well-being and healing of Indigenous communities, arrived just two days later, sitting with the Elders and community members to process the unspeakable loss. As fear, grief, and anger filled the air, fifty service providers gathered—many unfamiliar with the local cultural protocols, some even making racial judgments against the men whose lives were now overshadowed by violence. 

The community grappled with their pain, asking the essential questions: How does healing begin after such a horrific event? What steps must be taken to rebuild, and who will lead the way?

For years on end, Gan'na Healing worked tirelessly, living alongside the community, deeply listening to their stories and walking with them through their shared grief. It became clear that healing must begin where the fatal shooting occurred and trace back to another haunting chapter of history: the Coniston Massacre, which happened 100 years earlier. By revisiting this past, the community began to weave together their journey of healing, combining traditional Warlpiri practices with the support of Gan'na Healing.

In this powerful keynote address, you will hear firsthand accounts of how the community faced these traumas head-on, how they rebuilt their sense of unity and strength, and how the police officer’s acquittal added yet another layer of pain to an already devastated people. This presentation will challenge the way we understand healing in the face of violence and trauma.

This study examines the transformative potential of documentary filmmaking in addressing and transforming cultural trauma, with a specific focus on employing a decolonised lens. Recognising the historical context in which trauma is embedded, particularly within marginalised communities, this research aims to uncover how the process of documentary production can serve as a transformative conduit for the filmmakers, participants and audience. By adopting a decolonised approach, the study challenges conventional paradigms of storytelling and representation of the stories. Advocating for a shift towards more inclusive, equitable, and contextually sensitive narrative practices.

Methodologically, the research employs a qualitative framework, incorporating art based practice that have engaged with themes of trauma and transformation. Through semi-structured interviews with the filmmaker who holds the dual role of researcher and researched alongside participants, as well as an analysis of the documentary itself, the study seeks to understand the nuanced ways in which the act of documentary creation can facilitate personal and communal healing. The theoretical foundation of this research is rooted in trauma theory and decolonial methodologies, drawing upon scholars such as Cathy Caruth (1996) on trauma, Elliot Eisner (2011) on arts based research and Linda Tuhiwai Smith (2022) on decolonising methodologies, to critically analyse the intersection of trauma, healing, and decolonisation.

Preliminary findings suggest that documentary filmmaking, when approached through a decolonised lens, can significantly contribute to the process of trauma transformation by providing spaces for voice, recognition, empowerment and contribution. This research contributes to the broader discourse on decolonial methodologies in qualitative research and the arts, proposing documentary filmmaking as a powerful medium for social change and healing.