Traditional foods or “bush tucker” have seen a resurgence in popularity in recent years. In this episode of Noongar Wellbeing, Ballardong and Whadjuk Elder and author Vivienne ‘Binyaarn’ Hansen shares how Noongar people view food as medicine.

Vivienne Hansen is a Balladong Wadjuk Yorga woman from the Bibbulmun Nation. She's the author of two books, 'Noongar Bush Medicine' and 'Noongar Bush Tucker', and runs

Binyaarns Bush Medicine

. Vivienne is renowned for her knowledge of Noongar bush medicine and tucker, but initially wrote these books because of her desire to preserve knowledge for her family. 

Vivienne spent her childhood learning about traditional medicine then went on to study Bush and Western Herbal Medicine, and became the first Indigenous member of the National Herbalist Association of Australia. 

There has been a resurgence in going back to eating traditional foods or “bush tucker”. Especially foods that are gaining wider recognition for their health benefits and medicinal uses - like the kakadu plum, which contains fifty times more vitamin C than an orange. She even has a top secret bush medicine rub that is used by players for the West Coast Eagles.

Vivienne discusses how walking in the bush is beneficial to your health, taking note of the plants and animals around you, and how Noongar people would use animal fat as medicine.

LISTEN TO

Vivienne Hansen on Noongar Bush Tucker and medicine

SBS NITV Radio

04/07/202226:32

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Noongar Wellbeing is hosted by Ballardong Whadjuk Noongar woman Brooke Collard. Produced by Lucy Torvaldsen at Envelope Audio.

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