Replanting the Birthing Trees: A Call to Transform Intergenerational Trauma into Cycles of Healing and Nurturing

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ways of knowing, being and doing have fostered physical, social, and emotional wellbeing for millenia, forming a foundation of strength and resilience. However, colonisation, systemic violence and discrimination—including the forced removal of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, which continues today—have disrupted this foundation, leading to compounding cycles of intergenerational and complex trauma.

Citation:
Chamberlain C, Krakouer J, Gray P, …….. Stanley F, Cameron D, et al. Replanting the Birthing Trees: A Call to Transform Intergenerational Trauma into Cycles of Healing and Nurturing. Geneal. 2025;9(2).

Keywords:
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander; trauma; child protection; youth justice; equity

Abstract:
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ways of knowing, being and doing have fostered physical, social, and emotional wellbeing for millenia, forming a foundation of strength and resilience. However, colonisation, systemic violence and discrimination—including the forced removal of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, which continues today—have disrupted this foundation, leading to compounding cycles of intergenerational and complex trauma.