samia goudie
Fulbright Postgraduate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Award sponsored by the Office of Indigenous Policy Coordination
Media Profile
“Indigenous story telling (narrative) is a culturally preferred way of relating and learning, as well as a powerful tool of healing and renewal. A documentary film, exploring the recovery from inter-generational trauma in Australia and American indigenous communities will train practitioners in promoting cultural, community and individual wellness and engage individuals towards resilience, renewal and recovery.”
Samia Goudie has received the 2006 Fulbright Postgraduate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Award sponsored by the Office of Indigenous Policy Coordination (OIPC). Samia is a member of the Bundjalung Mununjali Nation/clan from northern New South Wales. She is currently undertaking a PhD at the Ginibi Indigenous Peoples College, at Southern Cross University and is a recipient of an Indigenous Australian Film Commission (ACF) Mentor Fellowship and postgraduate scholarship.
Through her Fulbright Award, Samia will undertake a comparative research study, between the USA and Australia, focusing on facilitating recovery from inter-generational trauma from a First Nation Peoples and Indigenous Australian perspective. She plans to conduct her research at various institutions including; the University of Arizona, Tucson with the American Indian Studies Program; the Center for Media, Culture and History at New York University in New York City; The Ogal Lakota Sioux College and the Cultural and Social Anthropology Department at the California College of integral Studies in San Francisco.
“The experience of inter-generational trauma is similar between our two nations. The findings of this comparative study will enable me to improve Australian resilience and recovery programs and contribute to the learning and knowledge base of both countries. Through direct access to U.S. programs, practitioners, individuals, organizations, training and research programs, relating to trauma recovery, I will be able to advance the level of knowledge in Australia,” Samia explained.
“I expect to develop new ideas and best practices that will broaden my experiential skill-base in the future projects I design and direct in Australia.”
“I will document my research findings utilizing new media and film along with Indigenous narrative to further develop cultural, community and individual resilience. My research methodology will model creative applications to building social, spiritual and community capacity for wellness in First Nation and Indigenous communities.”
Samia hopes to share her project through cross-cultural forums to explore the issues in indigenous contexts, as well as workshops and lectures to facilitate renewal of culture and community and ‘give a voice’ to survivors of inter-generational trauma.
Samia is a part-time lecturer and tutor of Aboriginal General Education at the North Coast Institute of TAFE and an independent film maker and consultant.
Her wide ranging studies include a Master of Applied Science (Social Ecology) from the University of Western Sydney and a Diploma in Sexual Health Counselling from the Australasian College of Sexual Health Physicians (ACSHP). She has worked extensively in a range of Indigenous health and youth programs. Samia’s work and study has been previously recognised with a wide range of honours including Merit listing for her studies at the University of Western Sydney; Student of the Year in the Diploma in Sexual Health Counselling (ACSHP); an Illawarra Area Health Service Quality Consumer Project Award,1998, (IAHS); best Australasian paper: “Healing our sprit worldwide” presented at the 3rd Indigenous Health Conference (1998) in New Zealand.