Kanyininpa (Holding): A Way of Nurturing Children in Aboriginal Australia

Abstract

This paper discusses aspects of traditional Australian Aboriginal nurturance of infants, children, and young people through an exploration of the meaning of certain words selected from Central and Western Desert Aboriginal languages. Connections are drawn between this traditional form of child rearing and Bowlby's theory of attachment. Aspects of traditional Aboriginal methods of nurturing infants, children, and young people, which have been retained in contemporary Aboriginal child-rearing practices, are also explored. Practitioners, policy makers, and researchers in child protection are encouraged to listen to Aboriginal people, and through listening and reflecting on their own practice, to identify and work with the strengths in Aboriginal child-rearing models, values, and practices.

Keywords:

• Australian Aboriginal
• Attachment Theory
• Child Protection
• Cultural Competence
• Assessment

Notes

¹I have used the Pintupi word “kanyininpa’ as used by Myers (1986) in most headings unless directly referring to a particular author's use of the word, such as in the case of McCoy's (2007) reference to Balgo Mission using the Kukatja word “kanyinirpa”. In my explanation of these terms I have referred to the Pintupi word “kanyininpa”, the Kukatja word “kanyirninpa”, and the Pitjantjatjara word “kanyini” strictly according to the word use of the authors I have cited. These words have similar meanings in each language. A number of other Indigenous words from these languages have also been used; the spelling of these words in this paper varies according to which language is being used as well as the cited author's use of spelling. Some spelling has changed over time, such as the use of “jukkurpa”, where the “j” has more recently been replaced with “tj”. However, one of the authors cited in this paper used the former spelling of this word.

²The Waltja Tjutangku Palyapayi Aboriginal Organisation is a community-based organisation working with families in Central Australia.