Rural and Remote Primary Health Care Research Fellow

Sylvia Lockyer
Bacheolor of Nursing Student
Curtin University
Port Hedland

July to December 2004

Title

Teenage pregnancies in Aboriginal communities; making the transition

Biography and project update

My name is Sylvia Lockyer; I am a local Karriyarra woman from Port Hedland, although I was born in Broome where my mothers’ family comes from. I spent my childhood in between Broome in the Kimberley on school holidays and lived in Port Hedland in the Pilbara. This has prepared me for the love of travel and wide-open spaces. The country is wonderful and so are the people.

I have been blessed with 6 children, beautiful in spirit and nature. I love the bush, the rivers and country, but really I am a saltwater person and can’t leave the ocean for too long. I love fishing, it is a wonderful way to relax and unwind, especially when there is a campfire to cook on and keep warm by.

I worked in communities several years ago as a TAFE lecturer doing health workshops and interactive learning designed especially for the environment and circumstances.
I enjoy travelling to remote communities; I am fortunate that my children don’t mind too much. I am passionate about Aboriginal Health and enjoy working with all people; it is good to see them again after long breaks.

The research project is very exciting and opens up the doors for other topics to be researched. Not only have issues of young teenage pregnancies been talked about, there has been interest in sexual health including contraception. The elders in the communities we have visited have all voiced the same concern in regard to the young parents, particularly the young mothers.

Elaine Kite and I have some adventures and great laughs; the people in most communities have welcomed us warmly. The shyness surrounding the people is to be expected and we are finding that the topic chosen for research is one of shyness and is a “happening thing not a talking thing”.

We are planning to have an interim report prepared in October and a community seminar soon afterwards. For more information on this project click here.