Yuwinbir - this way! Going beyond meeting points between Indigenous knowledges and health sociology.

Abstract

We acknowledge the Gadigal and Wangal people of the Eora Nation, Dabee people of the Wiradjuri Nation, and Wurundgeri Woi Wurrung and Bunurong Boon Wurrung peoples of the Kulin Nation, whose lands have supported the leadership of this Yuwinbir Special Issue of Health Sociology Review. We acknowledge their ancestors, spirits and knowledges, Elders of the past, and Elders of the present. We acknowledge Indigenous people who shaped each article and extend our thanks to their collaborators in exploring meeting points between health sociology and Indigenous knowledges. While ‘meeting points’ is the theme of this issue, we offer a critique of it in the editorial below. We respectfully use the Wiradjuri word ‘Yuwinbir’ to name this special issue, signalling ‘this way’ (Grant & Rudder, 2010) health sociology: this is the way Indigenous authors cited here say we must go. While our editorial names some distressing knowledge and research practice traps to dismantle along the way, it also outlines the way that conscious, critically reflective enquiry about self and sovereignty could transform relationships between Indigenous people and health sociology. The development of the Yuwinbir special issue grew from guest co-editor MeganWilliams’ experience as an associate editor of Health Sociology Review and related to Megan’s role as Chief Investigator of the Centre for Research Excellence – Strengthening systems for InDigenous health care Equity (CRE-STRIDE). CRE-STRIDE builds on 15 years of efforts from a large number of collaborators to improve the quality of health research particularly in partnership with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community controlled health organisations. CRE-STRIDE was established to address health inequity using Indigenous knowledges. It has Indigenous people’s leadership across multi-level project governance structures. An Indigenous Research Framework guides community engagement in research and research on wellbeing, health systems and service quality improvement processes. Relationality and relationships are central, with supportive project structures, and an ‘all teach, all learn’ capacity strengthening commitment that is continuous, reciprocal and reflexive (CRESTRIDE, 2020). The applied health research for health equity that CRE-STRIDE progresses has much to do with health sociology. Some CRE-STRIDE collaborators are trained in social sciences and sociology and for Megan this combines with training in Indigenous knowledges and public health. Belonging to Wiradjuri and palawa peoples and with Anglo-Celtic heritage, Megan’s work is multi-disciplinary across health and justice fields, focusing on the health of Aboriginal people in prison and reforms (Finlay, Williams, Sweet, McInerney, & Ward, 2016; Williams, 2021a). Co-editor Dr Demelza Marlin was trained in sociology and developed experience in health from her research on the intersections between culture, community, sports leadership and physical activity in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander contexts (Marlin, Apoifis, & Bennie, 2020). She has also investigated the relationship between wellbeing and everyday ritual and connections to place in non-Indigenous contexts (Game, Metcalfe, & Marlin,