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Convergence of rebellious midwives

Writer's picture: Dr Sarah IrelandDr Sarah Ireland
Gadigal Country, New South Wales. 27 August, 2024

Where you at The Convergence of Rebellious Midwives Conference?? We were!!



Photocredit: Unknown conference photographer


Professor Maypilama and I were invited guests to the conference, but with the cool August winds still blowing, the Professor declined travel to the southern cold country. Instead, she delegated a special Yolŋu team to represent the project: senior community researcher Ms. Rosemary Gundjaraŋbuy and community researcher assistant turned djäkamirr extraordinaire, Ms. Helen Guyupul Wunungmurr.


We were honoured to be guests at The Convergence of Rebellious Midwives Conference on Gadigal lands, Sydney.



Photo credit: Sarah Ireland & unknown kind passer-by. Arriving to the Convergence of Rebellious Midwives Conference, Darling Harbour, Gadigal Country, New South Wales.

We made lots of new friends and many of whom signed up to our blog- so if that's you a special warm welcome!

We made lots of new friends and many of whom signed up to our blog- so if that's you a special warm welcome! Thanks also to the artists, including Sophie, who shared their beautiful art with us. Inspired by the conference name, Gundjarraŋbuy, me and Guyupul, had fascinating conversations around the concept of rebelling. We explored ideas about resisting and questioning systems, authority, convention and control. We concluded, that there is certainly a lot to question about Australia's colonised maternal health system, especially with the caesarean section rate now sitting close to 40%.


Photcredit: Sarah Ireland. Gundjarraŋbuy and Guyupul attending the conference and caring for the Breech birth demonstration baby and experiencing the crotched Nancy!

Alongside a 350+ crowd we listened to an amazing line-up of speakers questioning convention and encouraging critical big picture thinking. Some of the topics explored by speakers:

  • the ecosystem of maternity system change

  • oxytocin in physiological birth

  • publicly funded homebirth

  • care ethics and obstetric violence

  • physiological breech birth

  • midwifery care

  • increasing rates of induction of labour

  • evidence (or lack thereof) for CTG machines

  • vaginal birth after caesarean

  • working with pain in labour

  • breathwork

  • overcoming workplace trauma


On the second day, we were proud to represent Professor Maypilama and the djäkamirr in a screening of our award winning documentary DJÄKAMIRR. We followed lunch, with a panel presentation on the project achievements and aspirations. Gundjarraŋbuy and Guyupul spoke with passion, pride and confidence about gurrutu, the work of djäkamirr, community aspirations for a very remote birth centre and the need for skilled and perhaps somewhat rebellious midwives, to assist with staffing the centre. The presentation moved audience members to extremes of laughter and tears.

Do you know what is meant by gurrutu?

Do you know what is meant by gurrutu? Gundjarraṉbuy explained that gurrutu is a complex Yolŋu system of kinship connections between humans and extending to the natural world such as trees, animals, water and seas. Gurrutu determines the caring relationships between djäkamirr and pregnant women, and is the foundation of the Yolŋu world.


Our hostess Mel the midwife concluded the presentation by auctioning Yolŋu handmade pandanus earrings. The generosity of the audience warmed our hearts raising enough money to pay the fibre artist alongside funds to train a djakamirr! Much gratitude to those five special people who have invested in supporting Yolngu-led maternity care. Thanks also to Dan for assisting us with the management of the donations and earing collection. One off or regular tax deductible donations to our project can be made at Charles Darwin University: Support DJÄKAMIRR


Photo credit: Sarah Ireland. Thanks to Dan for helping us with the donations and earing management.


Our Sydney trip was an adventure of many first time experiences

Our Sydney trip was an adventure of many first time experiences, especially for Guyupul marking her first time speaking in front of a big crowd. Her speech was so brave and heartfelt. Guyupul and Gundjarraŋbuy also enjoyed their first time travelling on a train (underground no less) and by Ferry on Sydney Harbour.


Photocredit: Sarah Ireland. Gundjarraŋbuy and Guyupul exploring Gadigal Country and big city living.


Much gratitude to Mel the midwife, Dan and Julia for your hospitality and making us feel so welcome.


Learn more with these links:

Mel the midwife- conference host

Australian Mothers and Babies- mode of birth

Tax deductible project donations at Support DJÄKAMIRR


Conference speaker highlights

Dr Elizabeth Newnham - care ethics and obstetrical violence

Dr Stuart Fischbein - breech births

Dr Sarah Buckley - oxytocin

Dr Hazel Keedle- vaginal birth after caesarean

Professor Hannah Dahlen- induction of labour

Dr Kirsten Small- evidence for CTG use

Rhea Dempsey- working with queen oxytocin and pain in labour

Elenor Mann- breathwork

Dr Athena Hammond- overcoming workplace trauma





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Misafir
29 Ağu 2024
5 üzerinden 5 yıldız

love this blog SO MUCH! thank you for sharing your experiences and all the links from the conference, so generous!

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Misafir
28 Ağu 2024

I love this post, Dr Sarah you are a beautiful writer.

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Misafir
28 Ağu 2024
5 üzerinden 5 yıldız

Absolutely loved hearing your stories and the amazing work of the djakamirr

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Misafir
28 Ağu 2024
5 üzerinden 5 yıldız

Go team djäkamirr- so great to hear your stories and support you.

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Misafir
28 Ağu 2024

Yeah!

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