星空视频

I grew up in public housing all my life, born and bred. My family lived in Redfern, on the original Block. From my childhood, I was surrounded with strong role models and elders.

I am fifth generation of Gadigal – the Moran generation. My family has strong community ties, and our name is known in the Aboriginal community_ My DNA also comes from Barada, Barna, Western Kangoulu, Yuin, Worimi, Biripi, Dhanggati, and Cammeraygal -who are the traditional owners of where I now live.

My mother and my grandmother are both part of the Stolen Generations. My grandmother Doreen never returned to Country, nor did she ever know where she came from. Mum made it home at 71. It took me five years to find where home was.

My Journey of identity started in 2019. You would not believe it all if I told you. It has also been a journey for me, in working out who I am, what I want, and having the patience and determination to put everything I have into getting there. At every stop and turn, I have felt my ancestors guiding my path.

I was visiting Adelaide for the first time and my mother reminded me to stop in at the Museum where they have a special collection and section of Aboriginal artefacts and history On my last day I went there, and found the section was closed. But the lovely young woman took my number and said she would try and contact Uncle Alf, the person who manages this space, and unbelievably he came in and took us through. He asked for a name and he put my grandmother’s name ‘Cherbourg’ into the system. And then he said, ‘I’ve got her’.

In the collection were a strand of her hair, a crayon drawing she did and an original photograph of my grandmother Doreen with her little sister, collected by Norman Tindale, the famous Australian anthropologist. This was the missing linkin my family tree, which linked my grandmother to her country in Nebo-Mackay. I was completely overcome.

From my research following this discovery, I found a book, written by descendants of the Shannon family, who were Irish pastoralists that lived on Saltbush near McKay, since 1872. This book marked 150 years of their family life as cattle people in that place,with details of their world, their journals and letters. It is also the story of their shared life with the Aboriginal people who also lived there, on Beeblee country. It’s a family album of photographs and stories about the relationship between the Shannons and the family of King Boca – which included my grandmother.

In my view, this book describes an early colonial relationship of respect and reconciliation, in which each family relied equally on the other to survive.

King Boca was my great grandfather He lived the first part of his life on country, before the colony existed. He was later recognised by the colonial authorities, who gave him a brass plaque – a neckplate which he is wearing in one of the photographs in the Shannons’ book.He was thought to be 100 years old in that photograph, taken around 1875.What this means to my family today is that it connects my people to that Country, without question, according to the common law of Australia.

This led to making contact with the Shannon family, who were gob颅 smacked to hear from me – they were overjoyed and my family were invited to attend their150 years’ celebration earlier this year, which was a big local event. My mother came with me, and we stayed for a week. It was extremely emotional and healing, to be completing my grandmother’s journey to the home she never knew

My mother presented a gift to the Shannon family, of some ceramics she had made. On the last day of our visit, the elder Shannon brothers presented my mother with King Boca’s brass plaque,which they had kept for all of these years. They’d had it mounted and framed, with the picture of my Great Grandfather and his family. We were all overcome with feeling in that moment – the past and the present, the two families still sharing mutual respect in that place. It meant so much to us

This journey has been a profound settling of spirit, past and present. My mum has four siblings left, of nine; I did it for them. Going home is about Being, Belonging, Becoming.

I was a single mother, and I raised four children. I have been 30 years in this house and 32 years on the North Shore I found it hard coming over here at first, coming from a Black community to a North Shore community. My kids were the only Aboriginal kids in this neighbourhood. But laying those foundations gives stability. That’s where we are now.

I am grandmother of ten children. For the past three years, I have looked after my five grandchildren, aged six to 14, who live with me. This house was built in1912; it is a Federation house so its design and structure, and some of the hardware, are well over 100 years old.

There was a small existing kitchen at the back of the house, and one bathroom. Neither was in good repair. I had the same stove for the first 30 years I lived here, it had four burners, and it was tricky to manage the family cooking in the tiny space.

Although I dreamed of a perfect kitchen, it took a lot of time. I was determined that with these kids living here, the kitchen needed to be renovated. This house is managed by Link Wentworth, but it is owned by the Council, and it is also Heritage listed. I had to ‘talk up’ a lot; there were three layers of permission I had to work through, to register the problems and the need for upgrades.

I took photos of the issues – the damp, the run-down cupboards and stove, the worn-out fittings, the leakage in the roof – and I reached out to the Link Wentworth case workers.

At the same time, I had to bring it to the attention of North Sydney Council. So, I ended up writing to the Mayor. I said: I need help and I’m in your property All the way through this process, I made sure that I was informed and that I fitted in with the policies and the law. As tenants, we have certain rights as well as responsibilities. If you want something to happen, you have to educate and advocate for yourself. We all have a voice, and we have human rights. Express your voice Speak up, because no one else will do it for you.

As a Heritage-listed Federation house, there were restrictions on the kind of materials that could be used to make any changes I had the opportunity to seek what I wanted, in terms of finishes and colours. I got inspiration from my next-door neighbour – she even let the renovations team come through her home to get the idea.

While I was picking out materials and handles, I thought This is the feeling people get when they own their own home.They have choices. I am thankful to Link Wentworth: I have my dream kitchen and am so content. This is my castle. It’s where I gather and restore my energy for the outer world, and my kids are so much better off.

I seem to have been constantly juggling -with my identity, who I am, searching for my grandmother Doreen’s story, gaining legal custody of the kids, taking care of them. This Christmas, I know it is going to feel different. Even if I had to fight for it, it is my birthday and Christmas present all in one. Dreams come true, with patience and determination. And there’s more dreams coming.