On 4th of September 2025 the Kathleen Fitzpatrick Fellowship held an event to launch the ‘Centring Journal’, a well-being journal embedded with Indigenous ways of Knowing, Being and Doing curated and led by the cultural resilience hub members, Pauline Clague and Ash Little, with support from Aunty Sherwood and Gemma Sentance. The launch took place on level 6 at Jumbunna where our cohort gathered together to share and celebrate in this exciting occasion.
The ‘Centring Journal’, builds on the wider KFF body of work and story that seeks to nurture a culturally safe space within the academy, towards our long-term Laureate vision for “[a] First Nations Sovereign Approach to Decolonising Colonial Institutions” (Behrendt). The journal’s purpose is to ‘facilitate deeper connections with our individual and collective social and emotional well-being through empowering us to take responsibility to ensure we are aligned and balanced’ (Sherwood & Sentance, Journal). Adopting an ‘Indigenising’ approach to the space of journaling it provides an opportunity for our cohort to take five minutes out of their day over 21 days to re-centre and align to our aunty’s teachings, connecting to country, mob and self.
The journal draws on the languages of the Wiradjuri, Yaegl and Gamilaroi Nations and seeks to honour our Ancestral practices of care. Underpinned by the principles of respect, sharing, reciprocity, healing, listening, safety, restoration and learning (Centring Journal, 2025), this journal is a continuation of the well-being care package shared with the cohort in 2024. Building on this work, the ‘Centring Journal’ is accompanied by a care package that includes 7 key gifts – Women’s Business Tea[1], Wattleseed Herbs[2], Rosella Seedling[3], Body Scrub and Lip Balm[4], Gift Cards[5] and Possum Skin Keyring[6] – inviting the cohort to connect deeper with their senses and engage with the activities shared in the journal. The journal’s features the unique artwork undertaken by cohort member, and Muruwari woman, Kirsten Gray.
References
Gee, G., Dudgeon, P., Schultz, C., Hart, A. & Kelly, K. 2014, ‘Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social and Emotional Wellbeing’, in P. Dudgeon, H. Milroy & R. Walker (eds), Working together:
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander mental health and wellbeing principles and practice, 2nd edn,
Kulunga Research Network, West Perth, WA, pp. 55–68.
[1] Indigiearth, Women’s Business Tea
[2] Blak Markets, Ground Wattle Seed, Bush Food
[3] IndigiGrow, Seedling Starter Kit, Rosella Hibiscus Sabdariffa
[4] Baagi Milaygiin, Gamilaraay Dreaming Body Scrub and Gradmother’s Spirit lip balm
[5] Gwiyaala art, Bronwen Smith and Gavin Chatfield
[6] Hand-made Possumskin keyring, Cultural Resilience Hub, Pauline Clague & Ashley Little
Jumbunna Research 