Walking Together: UDRH SW Cultural Orientation Deepens Student Understanding of Wadandi Country

Image Credit: Josh “Koomal” Whiteland and UDRH SW Students on the Koomal Dreaming Tour at Ngilgi Cave

Every student on placement with the University Department of Rural Health South West (UDRH SW) has the unique opportunity to participate in a meaningful cultural orientation experience, delivered in partnership with the South West Aboriginal Medical Service (SWAMS). This initiative introduces future health professionals to the rich cultural heritage of the Wadandi people, the Traditional Custodians of the South West region of Western Australia.

Throughout the year, UDRH SW offers a range of cultural orientation experiences, each shaped by the local knowledge and traditions of different custodians. While some student groups visit Ngilgi Cave for the Koomal Dreaming tour, others may participate in on-Country walks, bush medicine workshops, or cultural talks in different areas of the South West.

Each orientation day begins with an engaging and informative session hosted by SWAMS. Here, students from allied health, nursing, and midwifery disciplines are introduced to Aboriginal health priorities, community-led care models, and the importance of culturally safe practice. Delivered in a relaxed format, this session provides a valuable opportunity for students to connect directly with SWAMS staff member Leandra Healy. These informal interactions are invaluable, as they not only foster interdisciplinary networking but also give students early insight into how best to support Aboriginal patients throughout their placement journey.

Following the session with SWAMS, students on placement in June 2025 had the opportunity to tour Ngilgi Cave, a place of deep cultural significance to the Wadandi people. There, they took part in the Koomal Dreaming Cultural Tour, led by Wadandi custodian Josh “Koomal” Whiteland. Through immersive storytelling, a didgeridoo performance inside the cave, and guided bushland exploration, students were introduced to the six Noongar seasons and the traditional ecological knowledge that underpins Aboriginal land management, including cultural burning, foraging, and seasonal food practices. By connecting these concepts to modern health care delivery, students were encouraged to consider how Country, culture, and community are deeply intertwined and how this connection shapes health outcomes.

This experience is more than a one-day excursion. It is a powerful step toward cultural responsiveness in rural health care. Students come away with a stronger appreciation for respectful relationships, intergenerational trauma, and the need to deliver care that acknowledges and honours Aboriginal perspectives.

As one student reflected:
“I have come away with a greater understanding of trauma occurring to previous generations and how I must consider this with patients going forward.”

Many students echoed similar sentiments, highlighting their appreciation of local cultural knowledge, the meaning embedded in places like Yallingup, and the enduring significance of Country in Aboriginal health and wellbeing.

The day concluded with a bush-tucker inspired lunch featuring kangaroo, lamb, and local snapper, providing time for reflection, conversation, and connection between students and facilitators.

The UDRH SW cultural orientation is designed to equip students with the knowledge, awareness, and empathy they need to deliver culturally safe, effective care in rural and remote communities. It deepens their understanding of the lived experience of Aboriginal people and gives them the tools to integrate cultural knowledge into their future clinical practice.

UDRH SW Students on the Koomal Dreaming Tour, June 2025.