Indigenous Menstruation: Listening With Respect

Content note: This article discusses menstruation and cultural knowledge. It is written with respect and care.

Before we begin, it’s important to be clear and transparent: I am not Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander. I do not hold cultural authority, and this blog does not speak for First Nations peoples.

What I can do, and what I aim to do here, is to respectfully share what has been written, spoken, and gifted by Aboriginal women, Elders, educators, and researchers, and encourage readers to learn directly from First Nations voices.

Aboriginal cultures across Australia are diverse, with hundreds of Nations, languages, and traditions. There is no single “Indigenous view” of menstruation. The perspectives shared here reflect themes found in published resources and community-led storytelling, not universal truths.

Menstruation as Knowledge, Not Shame

In many Aboriginal cultures, menstruation has historically been understood as a time of power, transition, and knowledge, not something to be hidden or feared. Some communities describe menstruation as:

• A period of heightened intuition or spiritual awareness

• A time for rest, reflection, or separation

• A marker of life stages and womanhood

• Connected to the land, moon cycles, and ancestral knowledge

Rather than being framed as “dirty” or embarrassing, menstruation was often respected as part of the natural rhythms of life.

Women’s Business and Cultural Safety

In Aboriginal communities, topics relating to menstruation are often considered women’s business, knowledge traditionally passed down through Elders, aunties, mothers, and grandmothers. This meant:

• Young people learned in safe, trusted spaces

• Education was relational, not clinical

• Stories and teachings were shared at the right time, in the right way

Colonisation, forced removal, and systemic disruption have significantly impacted the passing down of this knowledge. Many Aboriginal women and girls today are reclaiming cultural teachings and rebuilding those intergenerational connections.

The Impact of Colonisation on Menstrual Shame

The shame and stigma many people associate with periods today are not universal or ancient, they are often the result of colonial attitudes, Christian morality, and Western medical frameworks. For Aboriginal peoples, colonisation brought:

• Disruption of cultural education

• Loss of language and ceremony

• Imposed silence around bodies and sexuality

• Ongoing barriers to culturally safe health care

Understanding this context is essential when talking about menstruation in Australia today.

Learning by Listening, Not Speaking Over

As non-Indigenous people, our role is not to interpret, simplify, or retell sacred knowledge but to:

• Listen

• Acknowledge

• Amplify

• Make space

This means seeking out Aboriginal-led resources, respecting cultural boundaries, and recognising that some knowledge is not meant to be shared publicly.

Aboriginal-Led Resources to Learn More

If you would like to learn directly from First Nations voices, here are some respected, Aboriginal-led resources and organisations:

Education & Storytelling

• Secret Women’s Business – Podcast series by ABC Radio National

• Common Ground – Education platform led by First Nations people https://www.commonground.org.au

• The Lowitja Institute – Australia’s national institute for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health research https://www.lowitja.org.au

Health & Wellbeing

• Aboriginal Health Council of Western Australia (AHCWA)

• Derbarl Yerrigan Health Service (Noongar country)

A Final Reflection

Talking about menstruation through an Indigenous lens reminds us that periods were not always something to fear or hide. By listening with humility and respect, we can:

• Unlearn shame

• Honour ancient wisdom

• Support cultural resurgence

• Teach young people that bodies are powerful, not problematic

If you are Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander and feel this article could be improved, corrected, or expanded, I welcome your guidance. This space is always open to learning.

Acknowledgement of Country

New Moon Essentials acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we live and work - Whadjuk Noongar booja, and pays respect to Elders past and present. We recognise that sovereignty was never ceded and that culture, knowledge, and stories continue to this day.