Yaka+Ngarali.+No+Smoke.

=Yaka Ngarali (No Smoke) =

Jessica Davidson-Pennell n8581762 Michelle Cornford media type="custom" key="24294402"

The Artefact
Five anti-smoking advertisements were released by the Miwatj Aboriginal Health Corporation in 2009 in hope that their message would spread like wildfire via mobile devices. “Not many Yolngu homes have computers, but everybody’s got a mobile phone,” Ric Browne, the corporation's Tobacco Control Project coordinator has said, the key is making a message and finding the best way to distribute it. Shot at the healthy living festival on Echo Island, five campaign videos were produced, one video in particular ‘Bolypingu’ displays a fusion of Bollywood and rap with indigenous dance choreographed by Nigel Yunupingu. Mr. Browne hoped to extinguish the rates of indigenous smoking and said the smoking rates had to be understood in the context of culture and history (Betts, 2009).

Public health Issue
Indigenous young people are far more likely to be disadvantaged across a range of community health and socioeconomic indicators. Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander youth are 2-3 times more likely to be daily smokers (Australian Institute of Health and welfare, 2011). Australia’s Indigenous health risk behaviours are currently at higher rates than those of non-indigenous Australians. Smoking and more specifically youth and adolescent smoking within indigenous communities is a health risk behaviour that needs abrupt response. Should the government take this situation into their hands? Should it be their elders’ responsibility?

Literature Review
Majority of the information gathered about aboriginal people’s ill-health comes from two sources: hospitalisation rates and causes of death. The leading cause in the hospitalisation of Aboriginal people is respiratory disease while the major causes of death for aboriginals are circulatory system, and diseases of the respiratory system. Aboriginal births show a much higher percentage of low weight births compared to non-indigenous births. It can be seen clearly that a high prevalence of smoking in aboriginal people and communities is having major impacts on the health of their culture, if the risk behaviours are not addressed, it can be expected that smoking related illnesses and deaths will increase (Aboriginal and Islander Health Worker Journal, 2013).

2% of the Australian community is of aboriginal decent. Many health risk behaviours are encountered when we observe the socioeconomic status of this culture their practices, educational outcomes, employment, health and medical access. Indigenous adolescents are 2 to 3 times more likely than non-indigenous people to be or become a daily smoker (AIHW, 2011). Those who start smoking in early years of development are more likely to smoke heavily increasing their individual chances of smoking related illnesses and death. While becoming a smoker at a young age dependency on nicotine is at an all-time high (ABS, 2006).

Within the indigenous population as recorded in 2008, 39% of males aged 15 – 24 years were daily smokers and 40% of females for the same age group were also recorded as daily smokers, in comparison 14% of non-indigenous females were daily smokers and 16% of non-indigenous males were daily smokers, this is a substantial variance (AIHW, 2011).

It can be shown that a great determinant of the percentages for indigenous youth and levels of daily smokers run back to their past and present exposure and education. Within the age bracket of 12-17 years 33% of indigenous homes have at least one person that smokes inside the home, this exposure is to tobacco smoking can not only influence the youth but also cause harm before they have the chance to make a choice of their own. Exposure to tobacco smoke increases the risk of poor health and educational outcomes. Passive smoke is now firmly established as harmful, it increases a non-smokers risk of lung cancer, respiratory disease and ischaemic heart disease (Australian Health Ministers’ Advisory Council, 2011). Environmental tobacco smoke can also lead to harmful health effects in unborn children, ear infections, bronchitis, pneumonia, asthma and other serious chest conditions in children (ABS, 2010). There is no safe level of exposure to environmental tobacco smoke adolescents often have involuntary circumstances in enclosed space in which they cannot escape environmental smoking example of this would be cars and homes these situations leave limited options for avoiding exposure (AIHW,2011). The theory of ‘monkey see monkey do’ comes largely into play youth with exposure to tobacco smoke are more likely to adapt to the habit themselves and mostly throughout the stages of adolescents (AIHW, 2011).

Adolescences are in the ‘experimental’ stages of their lives; by experimenting with cigarettes they are already putting themselves in harm’s way of future and immediate health risks. A study by Passey et al. (2011) found that girls in particular start smoking within a social context; they are trying to find “a way to belonging, not of rebelling.” Within this context they use it as a key to social network, maintaining relationships within extended family, to attain status and as a way to asserting Aboriginal identity and group membership. The Australian Government announced a new Indigenous Tobacco Control Initiative in May 2008, which aims to address the high rates of smoking in the indigenous population, investing $14.5 million over a four year comprehensive national approach. The initiative was to compliment the National Partnership Agreement on Closing the Gap in Indigenous Health Outcomes. The high portion of children who were exposed to environmental tobacco smoking would reduce for a successful program ([|AHMAC, 2011).]

In relation to the health of Indigenous Australians, the National Tobacco Strategy 2004–2009 noted that ‘encouraging and finding ways to support smokers to quit successfully is probably the single most effective thing that could be done to improve child and maternal health, to reduce chronic diseases and some communicable diseases and to reduce financial stress’([|AHMAC,] 2011).

Between 2009 and 2013 the Australian Government had said they were investing $100.6 million toward Closing the Gap. This money was to recruit and train a Tackling Smoking Workforce which would expand across 57 regions nationally, working with communities to design and deliver smoking campaigns and it would aim to provide more culturally sensitive service.

The National Health Reform includes $27.8 million over four years from 2010, this, aiming to reduce smoking rates among people in disadvantage groups. The expectation accumulated by these verifications was to reduce the number of smokers by 2% (AHMAC, 2011).

Despite the fact that Australian tobacco control efforts have made significant inroads in reducing mainstream smoking rates over recent decades, smoking rates are still at high risk levels and within the aboriginal culture it could be said that it is socially expected. There is a social context for the uptake and maintenance of smoking, especially among disadvantaged groups associated with unemployment, poor education and stress.

History acknowledges the arrival and settlement of Europeans to Australia. The sub sequential breakdown of traditional lifestyles was reported by participants in a study by Johnston and Thomas to coincide with the rise of ‘problem smoking’ in their community. It is apparent in the study that the establishment of white settlements brought with it access to commercial tobacco overtime.

<span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">Handed down by generations smoking is now behaviour of participants, and now recognised with in aboriginal culture as family practices. Children have observed generations of their extended families who often lived all in the same home, being role models to this behaviour as rewarding and acceptable. These children and youth are at increased risk of becoming smokers themselves, most of them having to retrieve, purchase or roll smokes for others in efforts to please them.

<span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">Also used as a commodity for reciprocal social exchange tobacco was reinforced as behaviour that was acceptable. Commonly exchange within families for ceremonial duties and cultural ceremonies, however the trading of cigarettes is not limited to ceremonies sharing cigarettes is an everyday practise. Sharing is a large part of indigenous societies whether it be money tobacco or even food and not only is it accepted within the community it is expected, it is a cultural practise. Within context the sharing and passing around of cigarettes is part of the social fabric of the community. Sharing of cigarettes nurtures a sense of belonging within the community without the behaviour an individual would experience a sense of isolation (Johnston & Thomas, 2008).

<span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">It is evident that aboriginal adolescents and children need to be educated on the effect of smoking and future challenges they can face if they choose to join themselves with the activity. It is the government’s job as the leaders of Australia to support and enhance their health, behaviour and knowledge. Not only is it the children that need education and information about these health risk behaviours but their families and communities if knowledgeable can agree, enhance and support the movement within education and campaigns about decrease the rates of smoking. Yaka Ngarali. No Smoke.

<span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">The Miwatj Health Corporation launched five anti-smoking videos in hope to spread the message of Yaka Ngarali like wild fire. The one video clip that has drawn a lot of attention from children and adolescents is a fusion of Bollywood music; rap and “deadly” indigenous moves being used in the mobile phone campaign to convince aborigines to Butt Out. The video director Tim Wood along with Skinnyfish Music said the clip entitled ‘Bolypingu’ choreographed by Nigel Yunupingu, involved eight young boys. “We screened the videos on a big screen at the festival and children up to 13 years old would come screaming and running down to the video screen." The aim was to use Bluetooth to transfer the videos via mobile phones (Betts, 2009).

<span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">This issue can clearly be seen as an issue within the aboriginal communities. As a nation we need to control the future with education today, I Believe the best way to implement the education about this health risk behaviour is throughout schools and aboriginal communities, if guardians have the knowledge to assist with the transition then it is an achievable task.

<span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">Working through this assessment has enhanced my research and analysis skills while influencing my views on smoking and its control on our communities within Australia. My learning process with this assessment was very rough around the edges as I would stop and start over and over changing ideas and mix topics, with that being said my future thinking process will be more thought out and structured.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">References
<span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">Australian Health Ministers’ Advisory Council (2011). Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance. Retrieved from []

<span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">Betts, A. (2009, October 3). Groovy Moves Fire up Message. NT News. Retrieved from []

<span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">Johnston, V. & Thomas, D. (2008). Social Science and Medicine. Smoking behaviours in a remote Australian Indigenous community: The influence of family and other factors. 67, 11, 1708-1716. Retrieved from []

<span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">Passey, M., Gale, J., & Sanson-Fisher, R. (2011). BMC Womens Health. "It's almost expected": rural Australian Aboriginal women's reflections on smoking initiation and maintenance. 11, Doi: 10.1186/1472-6874-11-55

<span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">(2006). Australian Burea of Statistics. Tobacco Smoking in Australia: A Snapshot, 2004-05. Retrieved from []

<span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">(2010). Australian Bureau of Statistics. The Health and Welfare of Australia's Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples. Retrieved from []

<span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">(2011). Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. Young Australians: Health and Wellbeing. Retrieved from []

<span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">(2013). Aboriginal and Islander Health Worker Journal. 16, 6. Retrieved from []

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">Reflections
<span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">1. http://healthcultureandsociety2013.wikispaces.com/%27Rape+Culture+or+Cultural+Rape%27

2. __http://healthcultureandsociety2013.wikispaces.com/ATTENTION+shoppers%21+Beware+of+that+bargain__..