In My Blood It Runs: Connections to Country

First Nations communities have powerful connections with Country. These connections are reflected in spiritual narratives (sometimes referred to as Dreaming stories), which connect humans, animals, plants and minerals back to the creative spiritual forces who made the lands, seas and skies. Connections to Country form the essence of identity for First Nations peoples. First Nations ways of knowing and being, and concepts of spirituality, cultures and Country, are inseparable and interlinked in powerful ways that the English language or colonial perspectives often cannot capture. Australia's history of colonisation; dispossession of and forced removal from traditional lands; and policies of cultural assimilation have impacted connections to Country and corresponding senses of personal and cultural identity for many First Nations peoples. The continent of Australia is made up of a great diversity of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Countries and geocultural communities. Connection to Country is important whether a person lives in the city or a rural area. This connection has been the core of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander existence in Australia from the time of the Dreaming, and it continues to be integral in their lives today, influencing spiritual, physical, cultural, social and emotional wellbeing. "Healthy Country, healthy people" is an intrinsic belief held by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Indigenous communities have always held a responsibility of caring for Country throughout Australia. How might non-Indigenous Australians be able to meaningfully learn from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives and practices pertaining to the lands, seas and skies among which one lives and learns?