"We want to grow our business from a small seed to a giant tree, so it can stay strong, just like our culture." - Gayangwa Lalara OAM, Bush Medijina Deputy Chair
Empowering First Nations Women
Bush Medijina is a First Nations-led skincare social enterprise based in Groote Eylandt, Northern Territory. The business was created from the desire of Warningakalina Elders to help support and empower local women in the Groote Eylandt community, to preserve and engage with traditional cultural knowledge.
Led by an all-female board, 80% of the Bush Medijina team are First Nations women. The women say that going to work helps give them a break from the challenges their community faces such as family violence, poor physical and mental health, lack of education and other social issues.
One of the biggest concerns for the community is their young people, so Bush Medijina runs a work experience program for school-aged girls. Profits from product sales help fund advocacy and social change initiatives for the workers and their community.
"Our traditional knowledge comes from our connection to our land, native botanicals, our ancestors, and our stories. We have been using our bush knowledge and medicines to heal ourselves for generations. We want to lift our indigenous people and others up so that we can be stronger and healthier together."
Native Botanicals
Bush medicine has been used by Indigenous people for generations to treat ailments such as congestion and muscle aches. Bush Medijina balms contain a number of different native plants including Dumburumba (Native Sandalwood), Mamarra (Small Leaved Paperbark), Mawilyaburna (Liniment Tree), Merrika (Broad Leaved Wattle) and Mamaburra (Wild Peach Tree). The botanicals are hand-harvested by the women in Groote Eylandt and then made into beautiful balms in the Bush Medijina work room, a humble set up described by Chairperson, Serena Bara as "a little shed with a big heart."
You can support these makers by purchasing Bush Medijina skincare here.
