Australia's first music therapy songbook for Aboriginal people in health care has launched, aiming to strengthen cultural connection and support clinical outcomes.
'The Health Song Book Project' includes 20 original songs from 14 Indigenous language groups and artists.
It is freely available online, with recordings, sheet music, lyric sheets and composer notes to assist music therapists working in hospitals and communities.
The project was led by University of Adelaide Centre for Aboriginal Studies in Music (CASM) co-director, Bundjalung man Grayson Rotumah, alongside Associate Professor Luke Dollman, Dr John Baranoff and Associate Professor Clemence Due with
It was supported by the Women's and Children's Hospital Foundation and the Global Arts and Health Alliance.
Mr Rotumah said the absence of culturally safe music resources had limited the ability of therapists to connect with First Nations patients.
"Before this, music therapists had no culturally appropriate resources to draw on when engaging with First Nations patients," he said.
"This often made it difficult to build trust and understanding.
"This new resource provides music, language, and stories that can act as a bridge to Aboriginal patients, who are statistically over-represented in our hospital system."
Mr Rotumah produced and composed several tracks himself, working with Aboriginal artists to create music that supports patients from a range of cultural and linguistic backgrounds.
"Most of the music was newly composed specifically for the project, offering a rare and meaningful combination of contemporary therapeutic practice with Indigenous language and cultural expression," he said.
"We see the resource as a starting point and look forward to growing it and expanding its reach in the future."
Languages featured include Kaurna, Ngarrindjeri, Gunditjmara, Nukunu, Torres Strait Islander languages, Kala Lagaw Ya (Western Torres Strait), Wanman (Pilbara region), Bundjalung, Wiradjuri, Pitjantjatjara/Yankunytjatjara, and Barkindji/Paakantyi.
Associate Professor Dollman said music therapists across South Australia had already shown strong interest.
"Our team has already received strong feedback from therapists who are excited to take their practice to the next level using the songbook," he said.
The University of Adelaide's Mobile Language Team also contributed to the development of the resource.