Gwandalan National Palliative Care Project | Torres Strait Islander Palliative Care Webinar

Gwandalan: Supporting Palliative Care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Communities

Spirituality plays an important role in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture with many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people possessing strong beliefs about the existence of life beyond the physical realm. Life and death are viewed as a continuous cycle from birth to death to re-birth; the life, death, life pattern.

In some Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Communities, speaking of death is considered taboo. Given the cultural sensitivities surrounding death, it is important that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural beliefs and practices are acknowledged and accommodated during the palliative and end-of-life care journey.

‘Gwandalan’ is a word from the Darkinjung and Awaba language meaning rest, peace or resting place. For this project, the Gwandalan word represents the spiritual aspect of the palliative and end-of-life journey, with the hope that the spirit is at rest and peace as a result of good palliative care and a ‘good death’.