Today's post is from Tina Haywood, an author and proud Aboriginal woman. In her new book, We are Warriors: An Aboriginal Woman's Life, Tina documents lessons from her own life to encourage other women to make brave decisions, and to build broader understanding of the experiences of Aboriginal women and families navigating individual and intergenerational trauma.

I am a proud Yupungathi and Gangalidda woman; descended from ancestors who have walked this earth for 65,000 years. They are my strength, and they have given me the resilience to fight through my darkest moments.

I've had many setbacks in my life. Growing up poor, I didn’t understand why this world was so hard to live in. I grew up in a home with parents who were dealing with their own pain, so I had no choice but to grow up at a very young age. Early on in life, I knew that I had to break the cycle of intergenerational trauma.

I've written a book about my journey; about never losing sight of the bigger picture. It is about my self-taught passage to ‘codeswitch’ between the way the world sees me as an Aboriginal woman, and the way I want to be seen and what my place is in this world. This account is also about my fight through the adversity of poverty, sexual assault, child abuse, domestic violence, alcohol abuse, and racism to having a successful career in the Australian Defence force and becoming a mother, mentor, and survivor.

My book, We are Warriors: An Aboriginal Woman's Life, is about healing, resilience, courage, and letting go of the trauma. It will take you through the rollercoaster of emotions from sadness and shock to triumph and overwhelming healing. My story has a deep emphasis on cultural understanding in aboriginal families and the achievements they can create for themselves and those around them. The image on the front cover of my book is me holding the hands of my twins; a symbol of the support we need to give to the next generation and to help us all heal.

I've written the book to share my experiences with academics and students in universities, people working in mental health, domestic violence, defence, law and social work, teachers, psychologists and politicians, to build understanding about the strength of Aboriginal people, and especially Aboriginal women, as we live through individual and intergenerational trauma.

As I continue to grow and gather new life tools to be content and live a happy life, I want to share this message; I hope my book can help others on their journey of self-discovery and happiness.

With my head held high, I now proudly walk this earth, just as my ancestors once walked before me. My work is not only for me, but for my beautiful kids.

Tina's book can be purchased online at https://www.haywoodauthor.com/book-we-are-warriors for $24.99AUD. Content Warning: the book discusses child sexual abuse and domestic violence.

Moderator: Sue Olney