The Ngangkari Program

The Ngangkari Program was developed in 1998 by the Ngaanyatjarra Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Women’s Council (NPYWC). The program supports ngangkari, Anangu traditional healers of the Ngaanyatjarra, Pitjantjatjara and Yankunytjatjara lands, to practice their healing traditions in communities, clinics, hospitals and other healthcare settings.

Ngangkari healers have cultural authority and traditional healing knowledge passed down from generation to generation. They have looked after people’s physical and emotional health for thousands of years.

The Ngangkari Program:

• provides Anangu from the NPY region with traditional healing
• promotes the value of the work and skills of ngangkari to make sure their work is respected in the mainstream mental health and public health system
• educates health and mental health workers about the role and work of ngangkari
• provides direction for the development of culturally appropriate mental health services in the region.