SWAN Hill District Health’s Aboriginal health unit has been given a new name that reflects the intertwining of local waterways and healing in indigenous culture.
A new logo was announced alongside the name change, with the unit to now be called Kapel Telkuna.
The unit’s manager Charmain Anton said the name translated to “through water we heal” in the local Wamba Wamba language.
“When I started here it was just always known as the Aboriginal Health Unit,” Ms Anton said.
“I wanted to really give it more of a localised touch and make it a more welcoming gesture to the community.
“At our community’s Aboriginal reference group I put forward the idea of naming the unit.
“Everyone was very happy with Kapel Telkuna.
“In Wamba language Kapel means river and Telkuna means to cure and to heal.”
Ms Anton said the connection with the Murray River and other waterways was something that linked those who used the unit’s services.
“Rivers and waterways are at the core of everything that we hold dear to us,” she said.
“We are all connected along the river so it really means through water we heal.
“We have people coming here from various towns, as well as people travelling out to those towns as well to get heale,d and we are right here on the river.
“I think the name really symbolises the first nations and traditional owners who we have here at Swan Hill District Health.
“Within the hospital, everyone’s been very happy with the change.
“The only challenge, with both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people, is helping them be able to pronounce the name.”
Ms Anton said the name-change was another step in the rapid growth of the unit.
“It’s been really engaging and encouraging for the Aboriginal community,” she said.
“The unit has grown pretty vastly, very quickly.
“We have a lot of ideas about the things we can put in place and what we can do to ensure this is a place that supports the community.”
Part of those ideas was the design of possum-skin rugs and a coolamon that will be used when Aboriginal babies are born.
Ms Anton said that as Kapel Telkuna continued to grow, she hoped to see more indigenous representation among the hospital’s staff.
“I would love to see more Aboriginal professionals within the hospital, whether that’s in allied health service or just anyone who wants to take on any kind of positions here at the hospital.”
