ANTaR (Australians for Native Title and Reconciliation)

Campbelltown Arts Centre
ISBN: 978-1-875199-55-6

“Stories of resilience and inspiration” is how I would sum up this collection of oral histories with 15 local Aboriginal women residing in the Campbelltown District. They are stories that resolve issues for each of these women, and help the younger generations understand the lives we are fortunate to have today.

Many stories revolve around the history of the local areas these women have come from across the State and even Victoria, and life under the Protection Act including mission life, as well the negative effects of alcohol and domestic violence on the family. But most stories end with life today in Campbelltown and the roles the women play in community activities such as the street patrols Gladys Lock is part of.

The stories are about reconciling the past for these women. Marnie Williamson says, “Reconciliation must begin within ourselves. As elders, we must strive to reconcile our own past, somehow make sense of it, or we’ll always live in this voice, shadows in our own land.” And in trying to reconcile such stories of hardship, the women also recall the funnier side of life and growing up, such as the first time Verna Barker saw a plane and how she screamed thinking it was aliens coming to get her.

I was astounded at the size of the families that some of these women raised and continue to raise. Jenny Brown had four kids of her own but raised another 600 foster kids, while Christina Craig has 93 grand kids.

Some stories were also interesting local histories such as Glenda Chalker’s entry about living at Pheasant’s Nest, which is named PN because it’s the first place lyrebirds were recorded at. The Lyrebird is also Glenda’s totem, so she feels especially at home at Pheasant’s Nest. I’ll remember that when next I drive to Canberra along the M5.

Most women had key messages for their children and for all young people. Sue Davis’ message was that we should respect one another, respect culture and respect ourselves. In line with that Kylie Dickson believes that “to earn respect, you’ve got to give respect”. Artist and painter Sue Grant advises that you should follow your spirit and your dreams and be proud. And Julie Hoffmanbeck’s words to her children and other parents are “The most important thing is protecting you and your kids.”

Judy McKay recommends taking one day at a time, enjoying a sunset or a sunrise, the birds chirping, and the smells around you. And to never lose the little child inside.

Some of the stories are about achievement for these women, and that is measured in different ways. For Norma Layt her greatest achievements in life were going to uni, buying her own home and bringing up seven children. I would’ve thought one of those would be enough!

The book is really about the role of the mother and other key women in our lives and Alana Moffatt talks about the guidance and knowledge she got from her Mimi (grandmother) and how that’s where her drive stems from.

Each short autobiographical narrative is complimented by a beautiful black and white portrait by Mervyn Bishop.

Finally, Ruby Langford Ginibi says she tells her stories to make things change and to make people wake up. And this collection of truly hard lives lived, by women who are not bitter or twisted, but who are full of love and compassion should really make some of our young people wake up to themselves and see that what they enjoy today is a far cry from what our old people had to endure.

This is an inspirational read about women, many whom were born in dire conditions and raised without the basic human right we enjoy today. Show them you appreciate their generosity of spirit to tell their stories by reading them, and in turn you will show and that they deserve a place, as Mona Porter says, “My philosophy is that in the world, it doesn’t matter who you are, where you are or where you are from, you deserve your place in this world.”

This small volume is a gift to the Campbelltown community by these women, through the Campbelltown Arts Centre who coordinate the Campbelltown Intergenerational Aboriginal Project, through which this book was completed.

TO ORDER CONTACT:
Campbelltown Arts Centre
PO Box 57
Campbelltown NSW 2560
Email: artscentre@campbelltown.nsw.gov.au
Phone: 02 46454111
Drop in to the Cnr of Camden and Appin Roads Campbelltown

January 26 - celebrating the survival of the First Australians

As dance groups from the four corners of NSW welcomed us through corrroboree at Victoria Park in Sydney yesterday, I stood alongside the Minister for Local Government, Aboriginal Affairs and Mental Health Mr Paul Lynch, and I smiled. The sun was streaming down upon us as the sounds of the didgeridoo and clapsticks echoed across the park. I even felt momentarily maternal as I watched a young Koori boy of no more than five years of age dancing for the crowds. He was so cute. And he was the future of our people in front of us. We had survived the past 220 years since the point of first contact, and we would survive another.

The crowd had gathered at the annual Yabun Festival hosted by Gadigal Information Service, the home of Koori Radio 93.7FM. They came along in droves to help us celebrate not only the survival of Aboriginal peoples and cultures in the city of Sydney, but also across the state of NSW and around the country.

Collectively our non-Indigenous friends, international visitors and officials such as the Lord Mayor Clover Moore, Councillor Marcelle Hoff, the Governor of NSW Her Excellency Marie Bashir and local MP Tanya Plibersek, validated for us what we already knew; that January 26 marks a significant moment for Aboriginal peoples in recognising the consequences of invasion and colonisation, and how they continue to impact upon us as Australian citizens.

Indeed, January 26, 2008 marked the 70th anniversary of the 1938-Day of Mourning Protest and Conference in Sydney, and the beginning of the civil rights movement in Australia. So it was important that while celebrating we also took the opportunity to acknowledge those warriors who have fought for human rights for our people until now, but also to discuss the current state of affairs for our people including the NT legislation, the issue of an apology, the road to reconciliation and so on.

12,000-plus festival goers made it clear that we weren’t on this journey alone, and as I strolled the park in my capacity as Chair of Gadigal I knew that the tide had turned, that 2008 was going to be a positive year on many fronts for Aboriginal Australia. I knew this because I’d just heard award-winning authors Tara June Winch and Romaine Moreton talking about their books, and I saw Kutcha Edwards, Shelley Morris and Whitehouse among other top quality musicians on stage. I knew we were going to thrive because I watched people in the AIATSIS tent talking about their family histories, and I saw a visual dsipaly by photographer Mervyn Bishop documenting the history of Yabun Festival’s to date.

I joked with the Minister in the funny hat, and offered to pay the $2 so he could have his face painted. He declined. I shared stories with the Governor about the Black Armband’s performance at the Sydney Opera House earlier in the week. I don’t know one person - accept perhaps an ignorant reviewer - who wasn’t in awe of their show. For what it’s worth, I believe it was the best musical performance of any kind that I had ever seen, and I had never seen the Concert Hall so rocking.

Back to Yabun (sorry this is my first blog post and I’m not really sure what I’m supposed to do!), and I sat under a tree with Wiradjuri author, poet and photographer Kerry Reed-Gilbert, who was there to launch her sister Minmia’s book Under the Quandong Tree. We just caught up as people do when they go to Yabun.

I yahooed (because I can’t whistle) as I watched young kids on the dance stage learning to breakdance. I had a helmet, tracksuit pants and a piece of cardboard myself ready to go, but didn’t think the 39 year old Chair should embarrass herself.

I spent most of the day with a dreadful headache because I didn’t drink enough water (to be honest I hate porta-loos so was lessening the need to go!). But I was filled with the spirit of unity that marks every Yabun Festival, and I felt so much alive.

The sense of unity that most Kooris feel at Yabun comes from not only all the blackfellas that travel across country to be part of the day, but because of all our supporters there as well. What I saw was a diverse crowd that spoke volumes about the way in which Australians think about and choose to celebrate January 26 in Australia today.

Gone are the days when Aboriginal festivals such as Yabun are considered fringe activities. We have asserted our rightful place in the calendar of events that make up what some term Australia Day.

We are a vibrant, talented and passionate people with much to offer when we are given the opportunity to be heard. Please come join us on January 26 2009, because the party will be even bigger.

Yours in peace and unity,

Dr Anita Heiss
Wiradjuri Nation
(www.anitaheiss.com)

ANTaR is about to launch our long-awaited blog.

ANTaR’s blog aims to facilitate Indigenous opinion online. The common thread between blog posts from contributors is that they will be written by people with a commitment to Indigenous rights.

ANTaR encourages a diversity of perspectives. The blog posts from contributors will be interspersed by a staff commentary (by me!) summarising recent news found on other blogs about current Australian Indigenous issues, to add some perspective to contributors’ posts.