the aboriginal support group 25th birthday · 2020. 5. 7. · spring 2004 1 elimatta spring 2004 an...

Spring 2004 1 ELIMATTA

Spring 2004

An invitation to jointhe ABORIGINAL SUPPORT GROUP

in celebrating its

25thBIRTHDAY

on SUNDAY NOVEMBER 21st at 3pmby the shore of Narrabeen Lakeat Narrabeen Scout Hall,

near the end of Goodwin Street –south of the Tramshed bus stop

Relive the Group’s long journey On The Road To Reconciliationthat started in 1979. Bring along any photographs andmemorabilia of interest that you have as there will be time toreminisce, meet old friends and make new acquaintances.

We will have a sausage sizzle after 5pm and a birthday cake.Your contribution of finger food and drinks of your choice wouldbe appreciated. We have the Scout Hall booked so we can partyin any weather but if a glorious evening no doubt we will end upsitting in our usual spot by the lake, so throw in a chair or blanketfor this purpose.

Nature Nature, the duo of didgeridoo and flute, will beperforming its musical magic during the afternoon. NatureNature feature an exciting blend of virtuoso didgeridoo playing byHenry Phineasa with flute, clarinet and percussion by DavidMcBurney. Their music is inspired by and infused with the sightsand sounds of nature, its magnificence and many moods. Henrycreates incredible bird and animal sounds on his didgeridoo.

David and Henry met many years ago through their links with theRoyal Blind Society – Henry as a client and David as the gardenerfor the Society.

Henry is an Indigenous Australian who from the age of sevenreceived didgeridoo lessons from his grandfather. This led to alifelong relationship with the didge. He was a formidablesportsman well before he lost his sight in his early teens and henow plays blind cricket.

Dave has also been playing music since he was young. Natureis a big part of his life and music, always drawing inspirationfrom his farm in Southern NSW.He is responsible for the fragrantgarden project created for theRoyal Blind Society.

We are very excited that NatureNature has agreed to play at our25th birthday celebrations.Be part of this special occasion!

And how did it all begin?

GENESIS OF A GROUPOnce…Many Years AgoPeople meet in many and different ways. Movements often beginthrough happenstance, from small and insignificant events. Thisis the story of a group of people living on the Northern Beachesof Sydney, who came together because they had a sharedpassion to see the right relationships forged between Indigenousand settler Australians.

Pam Beasley and Tom Gavranic were both travelling on the top ofa double-decker bus along Barrenjoey Road toward Narrabeen.Pam was reading about Aboriginal Australia. Tom was interestedin her book and papers – looking over her shoulder. It was acasual meeting between strangers, out of which a mutuallystimulating conversation ensued. At Narrabeen, Enid McIlraith, anold friend of Pam, joined the bus. Pam was delighted to introduceher to Tom. An even more interesting conversation flowed through-out the duration of the journey. A future meeting was suggestedand agreed to – the beginning of an ongoing commitment.

Pam had a deep interest in, and concern for, Indigenous people.A teacher, she had studied anthropology and history. One of herdaughters had married into the Mumballa family, a well-knownAboriginal family. Tom, a physician, was Medical Officer, atYirrkala and Groote Eylandt early in the 1970s. He wasenthusiastic about the Aboriginal Treaty Committee, which hadgained publicity and some support throughout Australia. Enid hadexperience in the Trade Union Movement and had also beenpersonal assistant to Rev Alf Clint, who had established TranbyAboriginal Cooperative College in Glebe.

Continued Page 2

www.asgmwp.net


Continued from Page 1

On that day in 1979, none of these threepeople would have thought that acommunity of people calling themselvesthe Aboriginal Support Group – ManlyWarringah Pittwater would in the year2000 be celebrating twenty-one years ofstriving for a more just Australia.

From A STORY TO TELL … ON A ROAD TOWARDRECONCILIATION 1979 to 2000

Copies of A STORY TO TELL will beavailable on Sunday November 21. Cost$30. If purchasing by mail please add $5for postage

SPINNING

THE WEB

I have wondered from time to time whetherthe hard work and effort our website Co-ordinator Vanessa Walsh puts in to herwork is justified.. Does anyone out thereaccess www.asgmwp.net? Well it seemsI have my answer and it is that they do.Here are a few examples.

One recent enquiry was from an Australianwho lives in France. He had bought aboomerang for his French girlfriend whenlast in Sydney and was trying to find outmore information about the Aboriginalartist. As it happened we could help him.I passed on the information to my Koorifriend who through her network was ableto give Louis in France his answer.

One obvious use of the information on theweb is for students seeking information forall sorts of assignments. From TrinityCollege, Dublin, came a request from aPHD student doing a thesis on politicalapologies – Why is it important forAboriginal people to have an apology?Closer to home a student from MacquarieUniversity is doing a Masters in WildlifeManagement and had a question which Icould pass on to the local AboriginalCommunity. Last month UTS studentsdoing Aboriginal studies as part of aprimary teaching assignment obviouslywere alerted to our website as I had noless than eight students asking for help.

Isn’t it great to know that connections arebeing made in different countries and fordifferent reasons. Oh,one last request thistime from a phone call. Jacqueline Martin(also known as Millane) was a student atNarrabeen High in 1986/7. Her best friendwas an Aboriginal girl, Christine Everett,who lived at the Lakeside Caravan Park atNarrabeen. They shared lots of secrets andgood times. Jacqueline has recently foundout that she is Aboriginal and would dearlylove to meet up with Christine again andshare this with her. Jacqueline can becontacted on 0403 513 756.

Anna Bell

ELIMATTA

ONLINE

NATIONALLY

A request has been received through theAustralian Institute of Aboriginal and TorresStrait Islander Studies (AIATSIS) for theNational Library of Australia (NLA) toarchive Elimatta “because of thesignificance of the community service”it provides.

Elimatta will be included in the PANDORAArchive, Australia’s Web Archive, whichwas set up by the NLA in 1996. PANDORAenables the archiving and provision of

long-term access to online Australianpublications which are “considered to havenational significance” and are “of lastingcultural value”.

The NLA will catalogue Elimatta and addthe record to the National BibliographicDatabase (a database of catalogue recordsshared by over 1,100 Australian libraries)as well as to the AIATSIS online catalogue.This will encourage among the researchersusing libraries an increased awareness ofElimatta and the Aboriginal Support Group– Manly Warringah Pittwater.

All contributors to Elimatta need to beaware and in agreement that their workwill be archived by the NLA. Additionalinformation about PANDORA can be foundon the Library’s server at:http://pandora.gov.au/index.htm

In one Aboriginal languageElimatta means ‘our home’. In

naming our newsletter this way weexpress our dream for this country –

a real home both to Aboriginalpeople and later settlers. That

depends on us being ‘at home’ witheach other and to each other.

The Support Group’s first newsletterwas produced in March 1982. The1987 Winter edition was named

Elimatta for the first time.

www.asgmwp.net

Artwork by Lisa Buxton


The video Buried Country was shown atthe August Information Night.

Normally when we view videos we havethe pleasure of the big screen, and aprofessionally projected image. But not onthis occasion.

The screen was ‘homesize’ – aboutaverage for the normal lounge room. Butdespite its comparative smallness it had adistinct advantage. Perhaps because of itssmallness, it drew the 40 plus memberstogether as we might have been drawntogether around a campfire. And indeedthere were scenes of campfires on thevideo which no doubt inspired thisreflection.

It was in that warm, intimate atmospherethat we gathered to enter into thisimportant piece of history – Aboriginalcountry music.

The video starts in 1963 with Jimmy Littleand his Royal Telephone. Some of us withour modern agnostic intellects might havebaulked at the idea of praying to Jesus.Others of us with pseudo theologicalsensitivity might have found it improper forprayer to be put on the same level astelephone usage. But despite all that,everyone was pleasantly caught up in thememory of Jimmy Little and all werehappy to recall the time when we toomight have found the metaphor of thetelephone helpful.

A note that was jarring for me was hearingand seeing Aboriginal children sing in theirown language – O Come All Ye Faithful.I suppose that back in the 1970’s there

was some well-meaning Christianmissionary who was delighted to hear thisChristmas evergreen coming from the lipsof Aboriginal children. But on Monday nightit did nothing more than remind me ofmanipulation and the sad demise ofAboriginal culture through the imposition ofstrange European customs.

Although much of the Aboriginal culturewas lost, the spirit took hold of countrymusic style and told the stories throughthat medium. Names like Tex Morton, SlimDusty and Billy Bargo came to the screen.And we heard the ache in the heart thatlay behind titles like Give the Coloured Kida Chance and My Brown Skin Baby, Don’tTake Him Away.

And we heard the pleasant but sharp replyof Auriel Andrews to the woman whostupidly thought that she was passing acompliment by saying – ‘But you don’tlook Aboriginal. You are not dark enough.’Auriel replied with charm and cheekiness– ‘I wish I were darker’. And we heard ofBobby McLeod buying a guitar in BathurstGaol for two packets of Drum tobacco.

I would have liked to have heard more ofthe story of the ‘Club’ in Fairfield,Melbourne, organised by Harry and WilmaWilliams. Every Monday night for a coupleof years Aboriginal people gatheredtogether to learn and hone their skills forthe stage and recording studios. Onebeautiful melody still lingers in my mind asI write – Bluegums Calling Me Back Home.

I was a bit surprised that there was only apassing reference to Yothu Yindi and then I

realised that the story has moved on sincethe video was made. Then, Yothu Yindi, Iguess, only started to gain acknowledg-ment and would no doubt feature in asecond video.

When I came home on Monday night, Iplayed a couple of tracks from YothuYindi’s Tribal Voice. I found myself listeningin a way that would not have beenpossible when I first bought that disc. Thetrack Gapu from the Gumatj clan of northeastern Arnhem Land made me aware ofthe life-giving movement of the tides andthe importance of salt-water. I will think ofthat song when next I walk Dee WhyBeach.

Such is the power of music. That was thetheme of the video. It made us aware thata statement can be made and a story canbe told but there is a powerful additionwhen the story/statement is linked tomusic. With that addition we sense morethan just the blunt fact of history. Rather,the power of the words enters the heartand we are different people. That is truefor all of us who had the chance to see thevideo. You may be interested to know thatit is available from Warringah Library –Buried Country: The Story of AboriginalCountry Music IND 781.642 WAL.

And if you would like a regular update onwhat is happening with Aboriginal music,you could tune into Koori Radio 93.7 FM.

Graham Ellis

BURIED COUNTRY

The Story of Aboriginal Country Music


GURINGAI

AWARDS

Unfortunately the article in the last issue of Elimatta about the2004 GURINGAI AWARDS omitted to include details of the awardpresented on the night to Narrabeen artist Nikki McCarthy. Theaward acknowledged her ongoing contribution to Reconciliation,Aboriginal Rights and Issues. Nikki is a Wiradjuri woman from theDabee tribe and is a member of the Support Group.

Ku-ring-gai Council commissioned Nikki to create a seriesof bronze sculptures for instillation in the courtyard atGordon Library.

The totems were unveiled during the 2003 Guringai Festival.Entitled Tribal Metaphysics, they contain symbolic designs andcame from a need to create awareness of the many sacred sitesand tribal groups in the Ku-ring-gai area.

In July, two of the totems were stolen and to date no informationabout the theft is known.

The ABC Radio National Encounter program Poor Churchwas broadcast on Sunday July 25. It dealt with the St. Vincentde Paul Catholic Church in Redfern which had been in theforefront of a social justice ministry. The Aboriginal communitydoes not own the church but it has been a refuge and home forthem the past thirty-five years. Right next door to the churchis the Aboriginal Medical Centre, which is on land handed overto the Aboriginal community by the Sisters of Mercy twentyears ago.

Until recently, the church and community had been served by anextraordinary parish priest Father Ted Kennedy. He came toRedfern in 1971 inspired by the reformist spirit of the SecondVatican Council and ministered to the poor and marginalised ofRedfern particularly its Aboriginal community. His ministryextended beyond St. Vincent’s Church – the congregation hasmembers living outside Redfern and even Sydney. Under FatherTed Kennedy the church became a community centre, everyTuesday and Friday morning putting on meals for whoeverwanted to come. Aboriginal people still talk of Father Ted’sservices to them, at funerals, christenings, marriages and caringfor those who needed help.

Rhonda Ansiewicz and Hilary Bone, who were active in theAboriginal Support Group – Manly Warringah Pittwater andinvolved with the St. Vincent’s Church in Redfern, took part in theABC Radio National Encounter program.

Rhonda Ansiewicz said The guidance Ted gave in what he woulddefer us – and himself – to the Aboriginal people.

If you wanted to work out something, or something was amiss,he’d say “ask Mum Shirl” or “go and ask Auntie Gladdie”. It kindof threw us all into this chaotic, unknown space, where you hadto work through it yourself, Ted wasn’t there to help. Like he’doffer you the space and you could take it, but he wasn’t thereholding your hand. And then relationships developed out of that.It drew you into that vortex of suffering, of celebration, of struggleof social justice and that for me encapsulates a lot aboutRedfern.

Hilary Bone commented: There was this total absence ofhierarchy. So when you walked into the church – Ted’s church,as it was and always will be I guess – you felt at home. And Ithink the irony now is that we have this hierarchical churchimposing power from the top down to the bottom. With Ted’schurch it was empowerment, rather than being subject to theimposition of power.

Hilary is referring to the recent changes which have occurredunder newly appointed priests who are followers of theNeocatechumenal Way, a conservative formation within theCatholic church. They disapprove of the community meals andwant to place more emphasis on formal worship and appropriateChurch decorations. They are failing to win over the Aboriginalcommunity which is unhappy with the changes in what has beentheir community church for so many decades.

Ruth Fink Latukefu

Indigenous News Summary, May - August 2004

Aboriginal Support Group website www.asgmwp.net

Tribal Metaphysics -Sculptures by Nikki McCarthy

POOR CHURCH


The fact that thirty four people werepresent when the Forum began indicatedthe level of interest in this topic. A questionand discussion session that lasted morethan an hour following the two present-ations was confirmation of the SupportGroup’s appreciation of the quality of thepresenters’ presentations and its sincerityin probing further into the issues involved.

Charles Davison, President of theAustralian Aboriginal EducationConsultative Group, presented someconfronting information about attitudes toAboriginality, the levels of literacy and ofhealth among Aboriginal children. He drewon his vast experience in working withcommunity organizations and governmentbodies such as the Department ofEducation and Training, the VocationalEducation and Training Accreditation Boardand the Board of Studies as well as hisown life experiences. The purpose of hiswork over the past several months, as co-chair of the Committee to review AboriginalStudies in New South Wales, has been tofinalise recommendations for changes toimprove outcomes and life opportunitiesfor Aboriginal students.

In last year’s NSW Basic Skills Test for Year3 students, Aboriginal children werenineteen months behind the State average.This was much the same for Year 5 Testresults and Charles pointed out the effectof this on children’s attitude to school, tolearning and non achievement (sometimesalso due to hearing problems) leading to avery high drop out rate by High Schoolage. While Charles’ work on the ReviewPanel was initially to look into the HSCAboriginal Studies course the Ministerbroadened the scope to review Kinder-garten to Post Compulsory education.

This Review has obviously been muchneeded and, if the recommendations (at an

estimated cost of $20 million per annum)are approved and acted upon, could resultin historical and significant reforms whichwill indeed let Aboriginality begin to have afair go in our education system.

One teacher who has already beenproactive in heightening the awareness ofher school to Aboriginal issues is LorelleSavage who is an English History teacherat St Catherine’s Anglican School for Girls,Waverley. Lorelle also works on the Councilof Churches in relation to the StolenGeneration. The three students (Years 8, 9and 10) whom she brought with her arefrom a group of ten students on boardingscholarships that the school has offeredover the last five years to Aboriginal andTorres Strait Islanders who otherwisewould have limited educationalopportunities. She believes that just thepresence of Aboriginal students gives theimpetus to raise in the other girls anawareness of others in the community.

At St. Catherine’s Lorelle has also includedsignificant activities during NAIDOC andSorry Week in an attempt to change theculture of the school to be more acceptingand approving of Aboriginality. It is crucialthat the Principal supports staff in suchattempts as well as in allowing coursessuch as Aboriginal Studies to be time-tabled despite low numbers and encouragesthe inservicing of all staff on Aboriginality.

Two reasons were offered by Lorelle as towhy Aboriginality is not given a fair go:firstly, that a vast majority of teachers don’tknow where Aboriginal children “are at” interms of their own diverse backgrounds intheir own Aboriginality. Secondly, the widersocial injustices result in Aboriginalchildren coming to school with a sorrowand worry that many Aboriginal peoplebring with them from the past.

Lorelle is very hopeful, however, that oneday Aboriginality will have a fair go throughour children and her students who may beable to bridge the gap better than wehave. Both Charles and Lorelle have aheightened sense of hope due to greatachievements being made with Aboriginalstudents in Ryde TAFE and schools inMount Druitt which have programs thatencourage the involvement of local Eldersin imparting some of their knowledge tothe students.

Sharon Esterman

ANNUAL

AECG

PRESENTATION

NIGHTThe Guringai Aboriginal EducationConsultative Group (AECG) holds an annualend of year presentation night forAboriginal students who attend schoolsthroughout Northern Sydney. For thesecond year the Support Group will bepresenting the Sue Osborn Memorial Prizeto a student who has shown outstandingaptitude in Computer Studies.

Sue Osborn was a dedicated andpassionate worker for the Support Group.She was responsible for the layout anddesign of ‘our’ history, A Story To Tell andwas Editor of Elimatta for many yearsbefore her death.

An invitation has been extended to theGroup to be part of this important event.

For details of date and venue pleasecontact Lara Rutley, Chairperson, GuringaiAECG, 9905 2200

IS ABORIGINALITY GETTING

A FAIR GO IN OUR SCHOOLS?Aboriginality = Aboriginal students, Aboriginal staff and Aboriginal

studies both as a curriculum strand and as a subject.


INDIGENOUS BOOK GROUPThe University of the Third Age (U3A) is one of the most enthusiasticand ever-growing groups in the ACT. Classes have waiting lists.When we first came to live here I was interested in an Indigenousstudy program but it did not continue into the next year.

I was exchanging Indigenous books with an old friend who has beenliving here for many years and very involved in U3A. One day overlunch I suggested that it would be great to have a book groupdiscussing works by Indigenous authors. U3A committee memberswere enthusiastic and on July 5 the first group came together. It willcontinue until December.

At the first meeting members introduced themselves and talked abouttheir expectations, choosing relevant autobiographies. Friends from theAustralian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies(AIATSIS) invited the group on a guided tour of their building to explaintheir work. The National Museum of Australia and AIATSIS are situatedclose to one anther on the Acton Peninsula on the shores of LakeBurley Griffin.

According to Aboriginal Studies Press (ASP) the Institute is the world’sleading centre for research into Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islandercultures and lifestyles – past and present. In addition to researchfacilities, the Institute houses community outreach and family historyservices, major archival collections, an extensive public library and apublishing arm.

When the Institute was opened in 2001 it was a wonderful eventblending the deeply cultural with contemporary symbolism andspeakers. One of the long-time supporters of such an Institute, and anenthusiastic speaker on that occasion was the Hon. W.C. Wentworth.Even as a very old man he spoke with passion, recalling something ofhis own commitment to justice for Aboriginal people over many years.I remembered him as a local Member of Parliament on the NorthernBeaches. I recalled how encouraging he was of the tentativebeginnings of the Support Group. He was surprised to learn it wasactive still.

To experience something of the work of the Institute and to be sowarmly welcomed and guided by the staff made the day a very specialone. There was an open invitation to visit. Back in the NationalMuseum to conclude the morning’s program there was an enthusiasticrequest that the course be continued into 2005!

The Tears of Strangers by Stan Grant was one of the books chosen tobe read and discussed by the group. Mr Stan Grant Senior, aNgunawal Elder, and a member of the Indigenous Education Unit, ACTSchools, was invited to speak to the group about his own life and workin this area. This was a good opportunity for the group to meet a localElder and to learn of his commitment.

Sally Morgan’s My Place, Leah Purcell’s Black Chicks Talking;Songman. The Story of an Aboriginal Elder of Uluru by Bob Randalland Connie Nungulla McDonald’s When you Grow Up are othervolumes chosen for the course.

In reflection, and thinking about the volume of autobiographicalmaterial available now, I realise how much has happened over theyears. The voices of Indigenous experience are helping us to learn,and to feel a history, that has been denied. Indigenous women andmen are being heard now as they tell their stories. Their books are onsale in big bookshops; they are being read on radio; they are inlibraries. “Sorry” may be a word the Prime Minister will not say but thewords that are strung into sentences, paragraphs, pages and books byIndigenous women and men are reaching the world. They are integralto our history.

NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AUSTRALIAHOSTS GROUND-BREAKING MEETING In August the National Museum of Australia was the scene of ameeting of overseas and Australian guest speakers and participants toan outstanding symposium – Narrating Frontier Families in Australiaand North America. This was a collaborative project with YaleUniversity, The Australian Centre for Indigenous History at theAustralian National University (ANU), The National Museum of Australia(NMA) and the Charles Darwin University. The U.S. Embassy inCanberra also collaborated.

Two long days were insufficient to cover the magnitude of the subject,however the presentations were impressive and very challenging.There was an excellent combination of Indigenous and Settlerspeakers from around Australia and North America. Some Australianspeakers included Professor Ann McGrath (ANU), Dr Tom Griffiths(ANU), Vicki Grieves (Wollotuka School of Aboriginal Studies, Universityof Newcastle), Dr Gordon Briscoe (ANU) who spoke movingly on Half-caste policy. Prof. Ann Curthoys (ANU) presented a paper onTheoretical Perspectives on Frontier and Nation.

Guest speakers from North America included Assoc. Prof. NancyShoemaker (University of Connecticut) whose topic was American‘Squaw Man’ on the Fiji Frontier. This was a very interesting history ofthe pushing of frontier white settlement into the Pacific. Dr MichaelKral (Yale Group for the Study of Native America) spoke on The Cry ofLove: Colonial Culture Change and Social Perturbation amongCanadian Inuit, 1953-2004. Listening to him was akin to hearingagain the story of this country’s Indigenous peoples. I learned that,despite the fact the Inuit have a pride of place in Nunavut, there arecountless problems still within the society.

Professor Clara Sue Kidwell, Director, Native American StudiesProgram, University of Oklahoma, was the Keynote Speaker at anenthusiastic public meeting. She was welcomed to the podium and toAustralia by Dr. Mick Dodson. Her topic was Native American Womenas Cultural Mediators. As a woman whose tribal affiliations areChoctaw and Chippewa, she spoke of the role of Indian women –including Pocahontas, the Algonquin woman whom we havemythologised. Many of these Indian woman were strong and able toplay major roles in their own tribes, between tribes, and among thewhite invaders of their lands.

Continued on Page 7

NEWS FROM NGUNAWAL COUNTRY


Continued from Page 6Professor Jay Gitlin, Deputy Director, Howard R Lamar Centre for thestudy of Frontiers and Borders, Yale University, presented a fascinatingaudio visual titled Images of Indigenous People in Nineteenth CenturyAmerican and Australian Landscape Painting. It was especially tellingseeing how the land was seen by those early settlers and thetechniques used to paint it.

Margo Neale, the Program Director, Aboriginal and Torres Strait IslanderPrograms (ATSIP), National Museum. whose creativity and boundlessenthusiasm fashions so much that is the life of the Museum, talkedabout Museum Frontiers. I find the NMA a compelling place to visit.I am hoping that all that was achieved under the directorship of DawnCasey will remain. I hope, too, that relevant ‘frontiers’ will ever be apart of the life of the NMA.

A highlight among many was the presentation by Amanda Reynolds whois currently a Curator, ATSIP, NMA. . For the past 18 months she hasbeen working with communities from Southeast Australia to build theNational Historic Collection and develop two new exhibitions TooloynKoortakay: Squaring Skins for Rugs and We’re Here: TasmanianAboriginal Communities. The exhibitions were officially launched onAugust 9. They were wonderful!

Jill Perkins

NORTHERN SYDNEYABORIGINAL SERVICES DIRECTORY

The Northern Sydney Aboriginal Social Plan was launched inSeptember 2000 and was endorsed by the Metropolitan LocalAboriginal Land Council. The plan was a project of the NorthernSydney Planning Co-ordination Forum (NorthPlan) and was co-ordinated by a working group consisting of local Councils and anumber of State and Commonwealth Government Departments.The plan covers the 11 local government areas in Northern Sydney(Willoughby, Lane Cove, Hornsby, Ryde, Warringah, Manly, Pittwater,North Sydney, Ku-ring-gai, Mosman and Hunters Hill).

One of the projects identified in the Aboriginal Social Plan was thedevelopment of an Aboriginal Services Directory. Funding wasmade available by the Department of Community Services for thecompilation of the Directory and DOCS has undertaken tocontinue this funding for three more years.

Hornsby Shire Council which auspiced the project has undertakento update this Service Directory electronically on an annual basis.This ensures that Recommendation 6.1 of the social plan ‘that astrategy be developed to ensure that the database of services andnetworks is maintained on an ongoing basis’ is carried out.

The Service Directory has been made available in hard copy toensure that it is accessible to its target group – the Aboriginaland Torres Strait Islander community in Northern Sydney. Thevibrant artwork on the cover of the publication is from a paintingby Aboriginal artist Jessica Birk of Cromer. It was created byJessica especially for the project.

The Directory was launched by Hornsby Shire Council onWednesday July 7 during NAIDOC Week in the presence ofDharug Elders Aunty Mavis Halvorson and Aunty Edna Watson. Asmoking ceremony also took place.

Contact Larry Trudgett, Department of Community Services on43238941, if you would like to obtain a hard copy of the ServiceDirectory.

Cover Artwork by Jessica Birk


KAY-YE-MY POINT,

FAIRLIGHTOn Friday September 17 a ceremony was held to name one ofManly’s most beautiful lookouts – Kay-ye-my Point – inrecognition of the traditional owners. Manly Council’s Heritageand Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Committees, withrepresentatives of the Metropolitan Local Aboriginal Land Counciland the Aboriginal community, reinvested the site with the spiritof the Kay-ye-my people. Allen Madden, Metro Education Officer,acknowledged Country. Rick Shafter , Aboriginal Heritage Officerfor Manly Council, spoke honouring the memory of the traditionalowners and describing the site as part of the cultural landscape,one of a series of significant places in the district.The Mayor of Manly, Dr. Peter Macdonald, officiated at theunveiling of a plaque commemorating the Kay-ye-my people.

The plaque also outlines for visitors the historical and culturalsignificance of the renamed point. Dr. Macdonald said that duringhis term of office he hoped Manly Council would continue tosupport the restoration of traditional names.

Kay-ye-my Point with its panoramic views across SydneyHarbour to the Heads, is located on the Manly Scenic Walkwayabove Fairlight pool and below Margaret Street. It is an easy walkfrom Manly wharf suitable for wheelchairs and strollers.

The Mayor of Manlywith committeemembers and guests atthe commemoration.Photo: Manly Council

New Life BaptistChurch - Cross

ConnectingGreg Stigter, the Pastor at the NEW LIFEBaptist Church, Dee Why, has been afriend and supporter of the ASG for manyyears. We have enjoyed his music atseveral Journey of Healingcommemorations.

Greg has invited Aboriginal Pastors tospeak at evening services at the BaptistChurch during the year. I heard PastorYowandi Clancy speaking when he wasvisiting Sydney with his wife Nooni.Yowandi and Nooni are a unique ApostolicAboriginal Ministry in the WesternKimberley and Pilbara Region of Australia.

Yowandi was born and raised in the desertcountry of Western Australia and until hewas a youth had made no contact withEuropeans. In the early 1990s he took onan assistant role in the Looma Church andlater decided with Nooni to undertake anoutreach program in the community. Atpresent they are based at Newman andvisit many surrounding communitiesincluding the area near Jingalong, madefamous by the film Rabbit Proof Fence.Though already speaking a number ofAboriginal languages and dialects,

Nooni and Yowandi are learning the locallanguage to be able to communicateeffectively in the heart language of thepeople in this region.

I also heard Pastor Ella Gordon speak. Ellais an Aboriginal Elder from Brisbane,whose people come from the desertcountry near Uluru. She is the mother ofeight children, has thirty six grandchildrenand seven great-grandchildren. It waswhen she was pregnant with her eighthchild that she made the decision to join theministry.

Ella, who was in Sydney for a conference,has a delightful sense of humour andseems tireless - this was the fourth timeshe had spoken that Sunday. She wasaccompanied by family members andfriends and amongst them was NoeleneDempsey from Toowoomba. Noelene is ahealth worker, who with her brother isplanning a program to support Indigenousstudents at several Toowoomba highschools. She spoke of the need for signageand resource materials such as brochuresto be culturally appropriate especially whenworking with young people.

Yowandi and Ella are gifted and passionatespeakers, committed to their ministriesand to spreading the message of love,understanding and peace across thenation.

The NEW LIFE Baptist Church is in theheart of Dee Why at 28 Fisher Road. Aparking area at the rear of the Church isaccessible from Francis Street. GregStigter can be contacted on 9971 5209 ormobile 0401 274 636 if you would like toknow more about the Church and itsoutreach program – Cross Connecting.

Pat Frater

REGIONAL

METRO OFFICE

A new neighbour of the Baptist Churchis the Metropolitan Local Aboriginal Land

Council. Metro has opened its first regionaloffice at Suite 203,

30 Fisher Road,Dee Why.Margaret Sutherland is the Office Manager.

Telephone 99841877 or mobile 0413 242 272.


On Saturday 14 August I attended theOxford Falls Peace Park to be part of theAnniversary Event. There was a very goodcrowd of people and it was evident thatthe mixture of people was very diverse,there being many different nationalitiesamong the large group.

Paul Couvret from the Peace Park AdvisoryCommittee was MC and Susan MoylanCoombs, Project Officer of the NorthernSydney Aboriginal Social Plan,acknowledged Country. StephenBlackadder, Warringah Council GeneralManager, welcomed the community and amessage from the Mayor of Chichibu,Warringah’s sister city in Japan, was read.

The guest speaker was Mr. Abdullah Eissafrom the Islamic Society of ManlyWarringah who gave a very inspiringaddress on his ideas of peace for ourworld and also how different religions orcultural groups had very similar ideasshowing that in many ways the majority ofpeople in this world do agree.

We were then inspired by variousperformances. The Thullii DreamtimeDancers were really wonderful to see.Cassie Davis’ two little children, Kalina andJordan (Jackie O’Hare-Ferguson’sgrandchildren) joined in the dancing, thisbeing only their second performance withthis group. They were a real delight towatch as they joined in with the otherdancers – they are learning quickly.

There was a song from students fromChichibu who are currently on anexchange visit to our community. A groupof Tibetan dancers, in their very beautifultraditional costumes, performed twotraditional dances. Then a quartet ofwomen singers, Eloquence Quartet, sangthree songs in their accapella style – whata wondrous sound they made.

We were all invited to make a peace flagfrom a piece of fabric with Jizo (a Buddhistsymbol of compassion, optimism andcourage) images and a message for peace,either painted or drawn onto the fabric.

These peace flags which are being madeall over the world will be collected togetherat a Buddhist Monastery in America andmade into special banners to be displayedin the cities of Nagasaki and Hiroshima,Japan, during the 60th anniversary, inAugust 2005, of the horrific atomicbombing of these cities. It is hoped to getenough Jizo flags for each of the peoplewho died in or as a result of thesebombings, approximately 270,000 people.

The whole event was very moving and thePeace Park itself is a beautiful place with areally good atmosphere and feeling about it.

Carol Ritchie

OXFORD FALLS

PEACE PARKA park that inspires peace and

preserves our heritage

In 1986 Oxford Falls Public School closed.This last one teacher school inmetropolitan Sydney had been animportant part of the Oxford Fallscommunity. The present building,constructed in 1930, provided a meetinghall for locals and was the site of a WarMemorial built by World War II veteransfrom the local area.

The Oxford Falls Progress Associationapproached Warringah Council to helpsave the site and in 1995 the school andsurrounds came under Council’s care andmanagement.

During this time many suggestions hadbeen made as to how the school andgrounds should be used. Paul Couvret,Warringah Councillor and World War IIveteran, proposed that the school andgrounds become a Peace Park. Thisproposal would ensure that the historicalaspects of the school site were celebratedas well as giving the site an important andinspirational new role.

A series of workshops with the localcommunity were conducted. Two of theaims emerging from the workshops wereto celebrate peace and to acknowledgelocal and regional heritage -both Aboriginaland recent.

An olive tree was planted to commemoratethe opening on the 19th August 1995. Inearly 1996 the concept designs werecomplete and 3 stages were planned.

1. War Memorial, prunus grove andrestoration of schoolhouse.

2. Recreational area of grass terraces.

3. The still centre surrounded by afrieze wall.

The frieze wall surrounding thecontemplative still centre is constructedfrom sandstone. The wall pulls togetherthe strands of heritage evident in thehistory of the school and its site -geological, Aboriginal, environmental andsocial.

Tina GrahamLocal Studies Librarian

Warringah Library Service

Reference: Oxford Falls Peace Park – a park thatinspires peace and preserves our heritage.

Report by Warringah Council.

2004 OXFORD FALLS PEACE PARKANNIVERSARY EVENT


You thought there were four seasons,right? Wrong, says an Aboriginalteacher who turns European conceptsof weather on their head.Did you notice that the cicadas were latethis year? So were the blooming of thewaratahs and the mating dance of theeagles. Perhaps you noticed that thejacarandas were purple way past universityexam time and the roses were slow.

All of this means the bushfire season willalso be late, says Frances Bodkin, aD’harawal Aborigine on her mother’s side,a knowledge-holder about weather andtime, and a part-time education officer atMount Annan Botanic Garden. Bushfireswere unlikely at Christmas time, shesays, with problems more likely to ariseduring February.

When Bodkin and I met late last year, thenews was full of dire warnings about theimminent impact of global warming.The international insurance industry wastelling the world to expect premium hikesto cover the costs of natural disasters, andthe temperature had jumped 20 degrees ina matter of days.

None of this had come as a surprise toBodkin. She says she saw the signs oftempestuous weather a long time ago. Thethree different cycles that in localAboriginal lore describe the weather havecome together in a dangerous collision.The hot, dry season of the small annualcycle is matching up with the hot, dryseason of the 12-year “Life” cycle and,worse, both are meeting up with the hotdry season of the much longer 10,000-year “Dreaming” cycle.

“With these cycles coinciding we canexpect extremes,” says Bodkin. “It willswing from cold to hot and as we movetowards the end of February it will keepswinging but everything will get hotter. Anyrain that comes will only come as storms.”

Many of the Aboriginal Dreamtime legendswere born in other times, long past, whenthe hot, dry periods of the three seasonalcycles coincided. For example, one legendsays that many thousands of years ago

there was a terrible bushfire after tworainless years. The beloved Wiritjiribin – a wise woman who gave advice tomothers, lovers, children and even warriors– tried to save the people from the fire.She hid the children in potholes in the river,for example. But when the fire had passed,no one could find Wiritjiribin. They calledher name and it was echoed by a creaturehidden in unburned ferns. A strange birdstepped out, regarded the people with itshead to one side, just as Wiritjiribin haddone, danced and laughed like she did,and then spread its tail over its headshowing a necklace of gold and brown inits feathers, just like Wiritjiribin’s favouritenecklace. As the lyrebird danced it beganto rain.

If you’ve ever thought the concept of fourseasons, one imported from the northernhemisphere, doesn’t fit your experience ofliving in Sydney, you’re in goodcompany. Spring, summer,autumn and winter haveonly the most tenuouslinks to ourenvironment.

The Aboriginal people who lived in theSydney area for tens of thousands of yearsbefore the arrival of the Europeans had adifferent way of seeing the seasonalchange. They saw six seasons in a cyclebased on the blooming of plants and thebehaviour of insects and animals ratherthan on a counting of days.

In the D’harawal calendar, the year beginswith the Murrai’yunggoray, signalled by theflowering of the waratah, Telopeaspeciosissima. The new year is celebratedwith ceremonies involving a drink madefrom its nectar. Frances Bodkin has somein the fridge and brings me a glass. It’spale pink, sweetly delicious and knee-meltingly alcoholic.

This is also the season that the dew onemerging flannel flowers can be collectedto make a potent treatment for emotionalstress and grieving.

Continued on Page 11

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED

Artwork by Nikki McCarthy


Youth Drama for

Child At Risk ForumThe 2004 Northern Beaches Child At Risk Forum – ConnectingFamilies: Creating Communities – was held on Thursday 9September at the Manly Warringah Rugby Leagues Club inBrookvale. One hundred workers from various government andnon-government agencies working with children and adolescentsattended. The day began with an Acknowledgment of Country bySusan Moylan Coombs.

After morning tea there was a Service Integration Forum Theatre.This presentation involved young people from the Manly andWarringah Youth Councils and four students from Biala AboriginalGirls Hostel, Allambie Heights – Marissa Barker, Larka Cutmore,Carmel Vale and Eliza Williams. They were trained at NIDA, at twoweekend workshops given by NIDA acting coach NicholasFlanagan. The young people interpreted scenarios around childprotection issues and acted them out on stage. The role of theForum Theatre was to allow workers to explore with each otherways in which organisations respond to clients needs and theimpact this has on both users and other service providers. It gavea chance for service providers to look at ways in which theirservices could be more responsive in supporting clientseffectively around child protection issues.

As a participant of the Forum day, I would like to thank the youngpeople involved for doing such a fantastic job in really bringingalive issues of such significance within our community. THANKS!

Angela HallStudent, University of NSW

VALE

Lynn

POLLACK

1940 - 26.9.2004

Lynn was a truly wonderful person whomade a vast contribution to the People’s

Movement for Reconciliation.

She travelled with the Sea of Hands roundAustralia Tour in 1998, installing the

hundred thousand ‘hands’ at places fromUluru to Broome to Perth.

Lynn’s work in establishing and sustainingthe valuable online contact throughReconnect was another wonderful

contribution and linked up, at least in part,with her driving of the Older Women’s

Network diary ‘What’s On’.

Lynn has been an inspiration to those whoknew and worked with her and will be

sadly missed.Frennie Beytagh.

Continued from Page 10

The correa is alsoflowering, giving lovers

an opportunity to presenteach other with a bunchto form their marriage.

If all doesn’t go well,explains Bodkin, they can divorce at thesame time the following year by handingback a bunch of flowers from the sameplant.Bodkin’s mother drew circles in the dirt toshow how the annual seasons fit intolarger cycles, the largest being theTalara’gandi. The word means ice and fireand it covers the geological time span thathas seen ice ages, the forming of desertsand dramatic coastline change.

Local Aboriginal stories tell of a time whenwhat is now Sydney was a three-day walkfrom the coast. So now the hot, dry partsof each cycle have come together.“Unusual things are happening,” saysBodkin. “The ironbarks, which only produceviable seed every four to six years on theirown individual program, all seem to haveviable seed this year. You can tell becauseas they come into heavy flower, the plantsgrowing underneath the trees all die,leaving the ground bare. When thishappens you can’t eat the seed.”

At the same time, Bodkin notes, thepersoonias (or geebungs) are fruiting andflowering together; the parrots have hadtwo separate layings; baby eels made ahuge escape from the Botanic Gardens in

Sydney and held up river dredging atMenangle; and a grey box at MountAnnan, which was described by WilliamHowe in 1810 as being dead, hasproduced new growth. It all points to badweather. And, says Bodkin, global warmingwill only exacerbate an already volatilesituation. She’s predicting extreme weatherfor at least 200 years. That’s the long-range forecast, but for something closer,she says to keep an eye out for theCootamundra wattle Acacia baileyana.If it flowers well just after Easter, we’ll bein for a pleasant season of mild days. Butuntil then, prepare for headline-grabbingweather.

Robin Powellreprinted with permission from

The Sydney Morning Herald


Photo: Margaret Berckelman

One of the least assuming sites in the ManlyCemetery is a simple sandstone block with ametal plaque. It marks the burial site of ayoung Aboriginal man who died in 1891 atthe age of seventeen. He was known locallyas Trinity Bay, named after his birthplace ofTrinity Bay in North Queesnland. When ababy he had been found abandoned on abeach near Cairns by Dr. Sachs of Manlywho reared and educated him.

Trinity was well known and respectedwithin the Manly District. He played cornetin the Town Band and took an active partin the local sport as a cricketer andfootballer. It was folllowing a game offootball that he contracted a chill and diedof pneumonia. Trinity was buried in ManlyCemetery and for many years his body layin an unmarked grave. In 1956 the ManlyWarringah and Pittwater Historical Societyinstalled the headstone and plaque on thesite. The Society also planted a WestAustralian Weeping Myrtle tree on thegrave which is close to the western fenceof the cemetery, plot B281.

Information is from an article inThe Manly Daily, issue dated 7.1.71,

courtesy of Manly Library’sWellings Local Studies Collection

COMMUNITY

SUPPORTThe ASG-MWP greatly appreciates the financialassistance it has received recently. RegisteredClubs, under the Community DevelopmentSupport Expenditure (CDSE),are required todistribute to the community 0.75% of all gamingmachine profits that the club makes over $1million. The following clubs on the NorthernBeaches have made CDSE grants to theAboriginal Support Group.

• Dee Why RSL Club towards the publishing ofthe 2004 Winter and Spring issues of Elimatta

• Pittwater RSL Club to cover cost for guestspeakers for Information Nights

• Manly Fishing and Sporting Association toassist with expenses for the ASG websitewww.asgmwup.net

A grant has also been received from WarringahCouncil for the 2005 Summer issue of Elimatta.Under the auspices of Warringah Council theSupport Group applied successfully to theCommonwealth Department of Family andCommunity Services for a Volunteers SmallEquipment Grant. The funding has purchased aprojection screen for Information Nights, aphotocopier and a small filing cabinet.

The 2003 Cultural Development Grant fromPittwater Council was used to purchase eightvideos to be screened at the Support Group’sInformation Nights and for loan to the community.These were purchased from ANTaR (Australiansfor Native Title and Reconciliation), Film Australiaand the ABC.

The titles are:

Sorry Proof Country From Sand to CelluloidMr. Patterns Buried CountryBlack Chicks Talking Bush MechanicsBabakiueria Blood Brothers

These are available for loan at no cost tocommunity organisations, schools and churcheswhere there is an interest in learning more aboutIndigenous issues.Contact Lizzie Landers, 9918 2594, if you wouldlike to borrow from our video library.

☎ For further information ☎Aboriginal Support Group

– Manly Warringah Pittwater.P.O. Box 129 NARRABEEN NSW 2101

Phone (02) 9913 7940 (02) 9982 1685Website www.asgmwp.net

Elimatta is the newsletter of the Aboriginal Support Group – Manly Warringah Pittwater.Articles are welcome with the understanding that editorial changes may be made and that contributors agreethat the material will be archived by the National Library of Australia.

Contributors to Elimatta are from many different cultures and backgrounds. The views expressed are notnecessarily those of the Editors or members of the ASG.

If you use any of the material it would be appreciated if the extract is set incontext and the source acknowledged.

Editorial Committee: Anna Bell and Pat Frater

Layout/Design: Mark Ansiewicz - (02) 9979- 9112

Distribution: Jackie O’Hare, Anna Bell, Rob Osborn, Brylee Todd,Don and Pat Frater

AN INVITATION TO JOIN US...AN INVITATION TO JOIN US...

The Aboriginal Support Group – Manly Warringah Pittwatermeets on the third Monday of each month at 7.30 pm.

On the first Monday of each month we usually have an Information Night at 7.30pm.

Venue: Angophora Room,Nelson Heather Centre, Cnr Pittwater & Jacksons Roads,

North Narrabeen.Entrance to the centre’s carpark is from Boondah Road off Jacksons Road

BURIAL SITE OF TRINITY BAY

Please note next Informtion Night is not until March 7 2005✎

the aboriginal support group 25th birthday · 2020. 5. 7. · spring 2004 1 elimatta spring 2004 an...

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