WEBVTT - NAIDOC Week Is Upon Us: Here's What You Need To Know 0:00:00.200 --> 0:00:02.880 I record this podcast on Gadigul Country. I'd like to 0:00:02.880 --> 0:00:04.800 pay my respect to the traditional. 0:00:04.400 --> 0:00:07.560 Custodians and I'm recording o Urando Country, part of the 0:00:07.600 --> 0:00:09.240 Cooler Nation. Let's go. 0:00:11.000 --> 0:00:15.160 I know you're going to dig this. It's like I've 0:00:15.200 --> 0:00:19.279 been given like an extra sprinkle of something. 0:00:19.400 --> 0:00:22.600 You've got layers, Yeah, I got layers. I was just thinking, 0:00:22.640 --> 0:00:25.599 I'm like, we're just such beautiful storytellers. 0:00:25.880 --> 0:00:29.560 You're making a lot of sense to that girl. No, 0:00:29.800 --> 0:00:30.440 I'm done. 0:00:30.840 --> 0:00:36.400 Let's been too honest to go. What's your earliest childhood 0:00:36.560 --> 0:00:37.599 of Nadoc. 0:00:37.440 --> 0:00:40.400 Maddie Well, I have a memory of Nadock when I 0:00:40.520 --> 0:00:42.879 went to live with my dad, and that's probably as 0:00:42.920 --> 0:00:44.519 far as I can go back when it comes to 0:00:45.040 --> 0:00:48.960 memories of Nadock Week. And there was this celebration in 0:00:49.000 --> 0:00:52.320 the local park of the community of Temworth and know 0:00:52.440 --> 0:00:57.520 the Paris Beau de la Cruz and I think Nathan Merritt, 0:00:57.800 --> 0:01:02.920 so you know, famous first name sporting icons came to 0:01:02.960 --> 0:01:04.800 the town and they put on this big day with 0:01:04.800 --> 0:01:07.959 the barbecue and the whole community came out to meet 0:01:08.000 --> 0:01:11.039 them and connect with them, and it was like, I 0:01:11.080 --> 0:01:15.120 think the weeks the Natoc Week's major event in Tenworth 0:01:15.120 --> 0:01:16.800 and it was in my community of cold Au, So 0:01:16.840 --> 0:01:20.959 that's I think one of the first memories I had 0:01:20.959 --> 0:01:24.040 that is a clear memory of what NATO Week felt 0:01:24.080 --> 0:01:27.520 like because it was, you know, very much in community. 0:01:27.560 --> 0:01:31.000 I was around ten, eleven years old and it was 0:01:31.040 --> 0:01:33.560 a beautiful, beautiful time. It's a core memory of mine 0:01:33.600 --> 0:01:37.679 because it does flash back into my memory every year 0:01:37.680 --> 0:01:38.720 that Nadok rolls around. 0:01:38.800 --> 0:01:42.880 Did you know like historically what Natok was at that time? 0:01:43.600 --> 0:01:45.600 No, I think because I was a young kid. I 0:01:45.680 --> 0:01:48.240 just felt like it was a week where black fellows 0:01:48.280 --> 0:01:51.480 celebrated who we are and what our community is about, 0:01:51.640 --> 0:01:55.760 especially that community aspect to it. And I remember there 0:01:55.800 --> 0:02:00.360 was a lot of like music and sport and these 0:02:00.360 --> 0:02:04.560 sort of modern interpretations of our culture. Yeah, that we're 0:02:04.640 --> 0:02:07.600 so connected with. You know, black fellows love their footy 0:02:07.720 --> 0:02:10.359 and they love to perform and dance, and I think 0:02:10.360 --> 0:02:12.800 that's at the core of our culture. So it's, you know, 0:02:12.880 --> 0:02:16.519 that continuation of culture. And I remember the feeling and 0:02:17.080 --> 0:02:20.920 the community aspect to this day, but I don't remember thinking, oh, yeah, 0:02:20.919 --> 0:02:24.280 this is a protest for our community. I never remember 0:02:24.320 --> 0:02:25.560 that feeling. What about you? 0:02:25.600 --> 0:02:29.160 No, same like I don't remember it being I just 0:02:29.200 --> 0:02:33.080 do remember it being a celebration. I remember similar age, 0:02:33.120 --> 0:02:36.200 Like I think my earliest childhood is again that ten 0:02:36.280 --> 0:02:40.200 eleven year old self, and I think like I was 0:02:40.240 --> 0:02:47.640 at Canarv East Canarvan Primary School and it was I 0:02:47.680 --> 0:02:49.600 think I made a bit No, I think I might 0:02:49.600 --> 0:02:51.880 have been a bit a bit younger, because I do 0:02:52.000 --> 0:02:56.080 remember the time that I was kind of taken from school, 0:02:56.240 --> 0:02:57.799 or me and my brother were taken from school was 0:02:57.840 --> 0:03:01.040 sort of like that nine years old kind of stage. 0:03:01.960 --> 0:03:04.119 So yeah, it would have been a bit earlier. And 0:03:05.200 --> 0:03:07.880 I have two memories. I have one memory of being 0:03:07.960 --> 0:03:12.000 in like the assembly area and being at you know, 0:03:12.120 --> 0:03:14.880 primary school and then having like these you know, trustle 0:03:14.960 --> 0:03:17.720 tables lined up and they had like kangaroo stew, like 0:03:17.919 --> 0:03:19.760 one of the aunties had come in and made like 0:03:19.880 --> 0:03:23.520 stew and really fresh damper, and we'd all line up 0:03:23.600 --> 0:03:26.720 every like every year, and we'd all like move through 0:03:26.760 --> 0:03:29.000 and we would all sit in the whole school would 0:03:29.000 --> 0:03:31.919 sit in the assembly area. We had like maybe four 0:03:32.000 --> 0:03:34.720 hundred less than that students at my school I think 0:03:34.760 --> 0:03:36.680 maybe even yeah, maybe even a bit less than that, 0:03:36.760 --> 0:03:39.360 like two hundred maybe, Okay, and we'd all sit in 0:03:39.400 --> 0:03:44.320 the assembly area, Black white, Asian, you know, all of 0:03:44.360 --> 0:03:47.760 the kids like all different cultures would all sit and 0:03:47.800 --> 0:03:51.640 we would all eat damper and kangaroo stew that some 0:03:51.680 --> 0:03:53.600 of the aunties had come in and it made, and 0:03:53.640 --> 0:03:57.600 like the canteen would also like give us free Milo's 0:03:57.640 --> 0:03:59.520 that day and stuff as well. So you know, it 0:03:59.560 --> 0:04:02.320 was like a like you know, as a kid, you think, oh, 0:04:02.360 --> 0:04:05.320 this is amazing, Like you're like yeah, and you know, 0:04:05.360 --> 0:04:08.000 it was like during class. It wasn't just like lunchtime. 0:04:08.040 --> 0:04:09.480 It was like, yeah, you're getting out of class to 0:04:09.520 --> 0:04:11.760 have a feed, like which is the best. But I 0:04:11.800 --> 0:04:14.320 don't remember it again like it coming off a protests. 0:04:14.360 --> 0:04:17.400 I do remember it being like a celebration, and you know, 0:04:17.600 --> 0:04:21.760 I was like, you know, most of the little Nonga 0:04:21.880 --> 0:04:24.520 kids or the Yamagi kids there would all sort of 0:04:24.520 --> 0:04:28.000 congregate together and like we would know all the families there. 0:04:29.120 --> 0:04:32.880 It was nice. I really like enjoyed that memory. The 0:04:33.000 --> 0:04:35.120 other memory that kind of comes with that, which is 0:04:35.200 --> 0:04:40.280 very unique and I've actually never told this story, was 0:04:40.560 --> 0:04:46.960 when Australia the film was being filmed. Yes, they came 0:04:47.240 --> 0:04:49.960 to all these rural schools and I didn't know it 0:04:50.000 --> 0:04:54.440 at the time, but my brother was auditioned for it. 0:04:55.080 --> 0:04:55.320 Wow. 0:04:55.400 --> 0:04:58.080 And I had to wait after school because he was 0:04:58.120 --> 0:04:59.680 auditioning for it because they wanted a. 0:04:59.600 --> 0:05:02.800 Little kid, yeah Nullah. 0:05:02.360 --> 0:05:05.919 Yeah, And my brother got picked up to do like 0:05:06.080 --> 0:05:09.400 to audition and I was waiting outside. I don't know 0:05:09.400 --> 0:05:11.520 if I actually auditioned myself. I think I have been 0:05:11.520 --> 0:05:13.719 a bit too old for it, okay, but I remember 0:05:13.839 --> 0:05:16.560 waiting outside the music room, which is where they did 0:05:16.600 --> 0:05:20.360 the audition at that it's kind of those twas there 0:05:21.279 --> 0:05:23.760 that's kind of weird, Like when I think about it, like, 0:05:24.000 --> 0:05:24.920 no was he. 0:05:25.080 --> 0:05:27.040 I think maybe what would have happened is they would 0:05:27.040 --> 0:05:29.120 have got a shortlist together and put them in front. 0:05:28.880 --> 0:05:30.800 Of bas But isn't that crazy? 0:05:31.000 --> 0:05:32.840 I mean it's such a bit of a tangent. But 0:05:32.839 --> 0:05:34.719 what did you think of the film Australia? 0:05:34.760 --> 0:05:37.839 You know, I actually don't remember it. I need to think. 0:05:37.920 --> 0:05:40.640 I think I need to rewatch it because there's Nicole Kidman. 0:05:40.400 --> 0:05:44.320 Right, it's Nicole Kidman's few Jackman. But also you know 0:05:44.960 --> 0:05:48.280 Ershley Yovic is in it, and there's also the young 0:05:48.400 --> 0:05:52.320 Nullah who's Brendan. Brendan. I want to say his last name. 0:05:52.360 --> 0:05:54.479 I don't know his last name, but deadly little actor. 0:05:54.520 --> 0:05:56.359 He really held that film together. But you want to 0:05:56.360 --> 0:06:00.000 know a secret about Australia, it's bas Lherman's least favorite 0:06:00.120 --> 0:06:05.320 film he's done. He told me that he didn't love it. 0:06:05.400 --> 0:06:06.480 Why did he shoot it? Then? 0:06:06.880 --> 0:06:10.240 Well, he had great aspirations, but I think there were 0:06:10.400 --> 0:06:13.600 problems with the production and the studio side of things 0:06:13.640 --> 0:06:15.440 that wanted it to be more Hollywood, and he wanted 0:06:15.520 --> 0:06:19.400 to be more grounded of Australia. And I think that 0:06:19.800 --> 0:06:23.200 it just became too much of a dramatized Hollywood film 0:06:23.600 --> 0:06:27.240 rather than the truth of the story. And yeah, he 0:06:27.320 --> 0:06:29.120 told me that, and I thought, Oh, I wonder how 0:06:29.160 --> 0:06:30.600 many people he said that too. 0:06:31.080 --> 0:06:33.280 But anyway, watch it. Yeah, yeah, yeah. 0:06:33.320 --> 0:06:38.080 But I don't remember many conversations with family about Nadoc 0:06:38.160 --> 0:06:40.640 Day though. You know, it was never something that was 0:06:40.640 --> 0:06:42.520 brought up to me by my white mum when I 0:06:42.560 --> 0:06:45.960 was younger, before I moved to back home to community 0:06:46.000 --> 0:06:48.599 in Little Dad. So there's not a lot of young 0:06:48.680 --> 0:06:51.480 memories of Nadok. But now that I've gotten older, and 0:06:51.560 --> 0:06:54.240 you know, I'm so much more aware of where this 0:06:54.360 --> 0:06:56.440 day came from. It came from a protest, you know, 0:06:56.480 --> 0:07:00.719 the day of Morning in nineteen thirty eight. NADOK stands 0:07:00.760 --> 0:07:03.480 for the National Aborigines, which we don't say anymore, but 0:07:03.920 --> 0:07:08.400 it stands for the National Aborigines and Irelander's Day Observance Committee. 0:07:08.520 --> 0:07:11.160 I wonder how many people know that. I don't. 0:07:11.320 --> 0:07:13.800 I don't know. Maybe MOB know that. I think like 0:07:13.840 --> 0:07:16.480 when you get older and you start like getting more 0:07:16.600 --> 0:07:21.760 education around the you know the history of so called Australia, 0:07:22.080 --> 0:07:24.480 you do know that, But I don't think they know 0:07:24.520 --> 0:07:26.720 it's an observance committee. I think a lot of people 0:07:26.760 --> 0:07:30.200 think like day of Celebration, which is kind of what 0:07:30.280 --> 0:07:33.120 we see it as and what it's turned into and 0:07:33.160 --> 0:07:35.560 what it turned into. Yeah, and I think like that, 0:07:36.120 --> 0:07:38.240 you know what, I think that encompasses what MOB are like. 0:07:38.320 --> 0:07:41.160 You know, there's sometimes I think, you know, we can 0:07:41.240 --> 0:07:46.000 often constantly play in that discourse, but we are very celebratory, 0:07:46.960 --> 0:07:51.680 you know, MOB like, we we love celebrations who we are. 0:07:51.800 --> 0:07:54.800 And I think, like I love NATOK because of that reason, 0:07:54.840 --> 0:07:58.080 because I think it highlights all the good things. There 0:07:58.120 --> 0:08:00.800 obviously are some pretty like negative things, you know, we 0:08:00.840 --> 0:08:03.440 know that. Actually I was having not to go on 0:08:03.440 --> 0:08:08.040 another tangent. But I was having this yarn with mim Mia. Yeah, 0:08:08.400 --> 0:08:12.720 and I feel like I've got this like desensitization to 0:08:13.080 --> 0:08:17.600 death unfortunately, you know, grief, et cetera. But I said 0:08:17.600 --> 0:08:19.880 to her, well, you know, I've got a lower life 0:08:19.920 --> 0:08:22.400 expectancy to you, and she was like, yeah, but like 0:08:22.440 --> 0:08:26.080 you're healthy. I'm like no, but like I do, Like 0:08:26.160 --> 0:08:28.640 that's the reality and the fact. So you know, there's 0:08:28.960 --> 0:08:32.680 those horrible statistics of you know, life expectancy gap obviously. 0:08:32.800 --> 0:08:36.920 But I feel like this week and the theme this 0:08:37.040 --> 0:08:40.560 year is the next generation, Strength, Vision and legacy. 0:08:40.880 --> 0:08:42.280 Yeah, what do you think about the theme when you 0:08:42.320 --> 0:08:44.280 heard it announced? Did you resonate with this? 0:08:44.440 --> 0:08:46.880 I love every single theme that we've ever had to 0:08:50.080 --> 0:08:53.600 It was the one where it was about the elders 0:08:53.640 --> 0:08:56.600 women elders. Because of her, Because of her, we can, 0:08:56.720 --> 0:09:02.040 That is my favorite because obviously, like yeah, because of her. 0:09:02.240 --> 0:09:05.920 That one really rang true to so many people, Like 0:09:05.960 --> 0:09:08.000 that is a theme that is stuck with a lot 0:09:08.000 --> 0:09:10.720 of people because of her, we can. That phrase is 0:09:10.760 --> 0:09:14.800 so powerful And I remember really celebrating you know, First 0:09:14.880 --> 0:09:17.560 Nations women that year, and I think that's that's such 0:09:17.559 --> 0:09:18.320 a powerful theme. 0:09:18.600 --> 0:09:20.800 What do you think of, you know, the next generation, 0:09:21.160 --> 0:09:22.760 what kind of legacy would you like? 0:09:23.000 --> 0:09:26.920 You know, I love this theme. I think it is 0:09:27.000 --> 0:09:30.120 about our future. So many of the conversations in our 0:09:30.160 --> 0:09:32.959 community and outside of our community about our communities is 0:09:33.000 --> 0:09:36.920 about our past, and I think that that is super 0:09:36.960 --> 0:09:40.440 important to recognize and for there to be truth telling 0:09:40.480 --> 0:09:43.319 and accountability when it comes to the past of our 0:09:43.400 --> 0:09:48.079 experiences as a community. But there's also the idea of 0:09:48.080 --> 0:09:51.880 hope when looking forward, and there is this idea of 0:09:53.080 --> 0:09:56.839 the next generation taking leadership and being in spaces that 0:09:57.520 --> 0:10:00.679 not necessarily in the past have been open for us 0:10:00.840 --> 0:10:03.679 or we've been invited to be a part of. So 0:10:04.080 --> 0:10:08.640 for me, the next generation, in the future generations, it's 0:10:08.679 --> 0:10:12.120 an exciting time for our people. I think that our 0:10:12.559 --> 0:10:16.760 ancestors would be so proud of the change that has 0:10:16.800 --> 0:10:20.800 been created, the people that have been the trailblazers that 0:10:20.880 --> 0:10:24.920 have pushed down the barriers to some of the parts 0:10:24.920 --> 0:10:27.240 of our society that we just weren't always a part 0:10:27.280 --> 0:10:29.720 of or welcomed in. And I think that there's been 0:10:29.760 --> 0:10:33.040 a lot of change. I truly believe that small conversations 0:10:33.080 --> 0:10:35.760 over a long period of time is a really great 0:10:35.800 --> 0:10:38.160 way to create change because there's learning that can be 0:10:38.240 --> 0:10:42.120 done between these conversations. And so when things take a 0:10:42.120 --> 0:10:46.400 little while and the conversation is continuous, I don't see 0:10:46.440 --> 0:10:50.920 it as a bad thing. I actually encourage these conversations 0:10:50.960 --> 0:10:53.080 that take a little bit of time and depth, because 0:10:53.160 --> 0:10:57.800 sometimes when you have moments of extremism and things change quickly, 0:10:57.960 --> 0:11:01.880 the learning and the key moments throughout the journey of 0:11:02.280 --> 0:11:04.880 you hate that word throughout the journey of learning. 0:11:08.280 --> 0:11:11.000 Well, yeah, but it's been a journey like for a mob, 0:11:11.160 --> 0:11:14.200 like you know, constantly having to go up against a 0:11:14.240 --> 0:11:17.679 system that wasn't built for you, like, and you know, 0:11:18.320 --> 0:11:21.880 being a black woman as well, like having to kind 0:11:21.960 --> 0:11:25.760 of navigate that being a part of a minority group, 0:11:25.960 --> 0:11:28.840 being a woman, being a black woman, It's like there's 0:11:28.960 --> 0:11:33.439 already something already obstructing, and I'm like, no, well, why 0:11:33.440 --> 0:11:36.040 don't we just like start making our own little tables. 0:11:36.360 --> 0:11:38.760 Yeah. I think a lot of you can see that happening. 0:11:38.960 --> 0:11:41.719 You can absolutely see it. And I think one of 0:11:41.720 --> 0:11:44.200 the people that really inspires me is Leah Purcell, Like 0:11:44.320 --> 0:11:47.280 she is one of those black inspiring women that just 0:11:47.400 --> 0:11:52.199 goes and like just trojects forward and has no apology 0:11:52.240 --> 0:11:54.640 about it, and I'm just speaking on behalf of women, 0:11:54.679 --> 0:11:56.920 but I think there are so many beautiful black men 0:11:57.080 --> 0:12:00.280 out there as well that are like like yourself, like 0:12:00.360 --> 0:12:05.200 thriving in spaces and not asking for permission, like just 0:12:05.280 --> 0:12:09.120 going being like, well you don't have it, so I'm here, 0:12:09.600 --> 0:12:10.840 so let's do it, you know. 0:12:10.920 --> 0:12:13.680 I think that's the exciting part about this theme. It's 0:12:13.720 --> 0:12:17.600 the next generation. We have built such a strength within 0:12:17.640 --> 0:12:19.760 our community because of what we've been through in our 0:12:19.800 --> 0:12:23.760 lived experiences. That the strength, the vision, and legacy part 0:12:23.800 --> 0:12:27.520 of this theme I think resonates with so many of 0:12:27.600 --> 0:12:31.199 us because, as you know, our people are very resilient. 0:12:31.800 --> 0:12:35.559 I think that resilience isn't always something that I think 0:12:37.000 --> 0:12:40.360 you should strive to be because I don't know that 0:12:40.720 --> 0:12:43.800 having to push through barriers and challenges your whole life 0:12:43.840 --> 0:12:47.120 to be resilient is the goal. But it does provide 0:12:47.160 --> 0:12:49.960 you with a strength, and it provides you with this 0:12:50.120 --> 0:12:52.440 inner ability to be able to keep going. And I 0:12:52.480 --> 0:12:55.840 think that our community has, you know, so much of that. 0:12:56.280 --> 0:12:59.120 Yeah, I think persistence is like one of the things 0:12:59.120 --> 0:13:02.200 that I would definitely say you and I both carry. 0:13:02.200 --> 0:13:04.800 But I think a lot of mob when they're up 0:13:04.840 --> 0:13:10.199 against these challenges or these obstructions and these like barriers. 0:13:11.000 --> 0:13:16.160 The mob that persist are the ones that reap the benefits. 0:13:16.240 --> 0:13:19.240 I think like they just like go through it and 0:13:19.240 --> 0:13:24.280 they're like, you know what. And I think persistence builds resilience. 0:13:25.360 --> 0:13:27.840 But I think the other things that build resilience is 0:13:27.960 --> 0:13:33.360 gratitude and like culture. I think those the two and connection. 0:13:33.760 --> 0:13:36.800 Isn't it crazy because like, I think everything that I've done, 0:13:37.000 --> 0:13:39.800 I've never gone a miss without being like grateful for 0:13:39.840 --> 0:13:42.920 the opportunity. But I also there's I also know that 0:13:42.920 --> 0:13:44.400 there's always more work to be done. 0:13:44.760 --> 0:13:48.400 Yeah, I think do you reckon? Like absolutely, Like the 0:13:48.440 --> 0:13:52.320 whole gratitude side of thing is such a unique, I 0:13:52.360 --> 0:13:55.640 think driving point of our community too, because one thing 0:13:55.720 --> 0:13:58.839 that I know that you will resonate with as well 0:13:58.880 --> 0:14:01.040 is that we never do it for ourselves. When we're 0:14:01.040 --> 0:14:04.960 doing things, there's such a bigger picture. It's not singular, 0:14:05.160 --> 0:14:09.439 it's community orientated. When we're pushing for change, if we're 0:14:10.480 --> 0:14:15.000 you know, trying to do things that will create you know, 0:14:15.080 --> 0:14:17.640 a positive impact, it's not just for us, it's for 0:14:17.679 --> 0:14:21.160 our communities. And I think that the whole vision part 0:14:21.240 --> 0:14:25.280 of this theme is about what is next, Like what 0:14:25.520 --> 0:14:29.320 is the vision that the young people, the new voices 0:14:29.560 --> 0:14:33.480 of our community want or want to see changed. And 0:14:33.480 --> 0:14:36.800 I think that that's an exciting thing because times are changing. 0:14:36.840 --> 0:14:39.920 It's not what do they say, We're not in Kansas anymore? 0:14:40.400 --> 0:14:47.160 Yeah, tell me something about all three of the theme. 0:14:47.320 --> 0:14:49.680 So we've got strength, vision, and legacy. Like, tell me 0:14:49.760 --> 0:14:52.400 one thing you would want from all of those? 0:14:52.800 --> 0:14:55.880 Okay, Well, the strength I think I alluded to before, 0:14:56.320 --> 0:14:59.800 I think is a profound energy that we all hold 0:14:59.840 --> 0:15:01.040 a first Nation's pizza. 0:15:01.040 --> 0:15:02.800 That's a base, that's our foundation. 0:15:03.000 --> 0:15:05.600 Like that is we're strong people where we're seeing in people, 0:15:05.680 --> 0:15:10.960 where fighters for our community, where staunch, where we hold 0:15:11.000 --> 0:15:13.520 space not just for what we want as individuals, but 0:15:13.600 --> 0:15:16.520 for a huge community behind us. That takes a lot. 0:15:17.680 --> 0:15:22.840 Vision for me, is I really want to see black joy. 0:15:23.360 --> 0:15:26.880 I really want to see a lightness to our community 0:15:26.920 --> 0:15:27.760 in terms of. 0:15:28.800 --> 0:15:33.680 Us celebrating in the like in the shadows. You know 0:15:33.680 --> 0:15:33.960 what I mean? 0:15:34.360 --> 0:15:38.280 Well, I'll tell you Like for me, when I say lightness, 0:15:38.440 --> 0:15:41.280 what I mean is I know that our community has 0:15:41.280 --> 0:15:43.680 been through a lot. We hold a lot of trauma, 0:15:43.760 --> 0:15:48.320 intergenerational trauma. We also hold a lot of in quotation 0:15:48.480 --> 0:15:52.000 marks baggage from what's been done to our community. So 0:15:52.080 --> 0:15:54.560 my vision would be that there is a lightness that 0:15:54.640 --> 0:15:56.600 is in the future for our community that we can 0:15:56.720 --> 0:15:59.760 then show our black joy, our excitement instead of our 0:15:59.800 --> 0:16:03.080 death and our issues being the highlight of conversation. Yes, 0:16:03.480 --> 0:16:06.280 I want us to really be a community that is 0:16:06.360 --> 0:16:12.080 known for its love, care, culture, connection and not for 0:16:12.360 --> 0:16:15.960 the stats. The stuff course, that's right. 0:16:15.880 --> 0:16:19.880 The violence, the substance abuse, like all of those things 0:16:19.920 --> 0:16:24.120 that we struggle with, yeah, and the stereotypes. But there 0:16:24.120 --> 0:16:27.000 are other people that are struggling with similar things as well. 0:16:27.040 --> 0:16:29.360 But we are constantly put in that discourse and I 0:16:29.520 --> 0:16:32.560 agree with you, that's like fucking louder for the people 0:16:32.600 --> 0:16:33.600 in the back, honestly. 0:16:34.800 --> 0:16:37.680 And the legacy piece to this for me is really 0:16:37.760 --> 0:16:40.280 about what is it that you leave behind, even as 0:16:40.280 --> 0:16:43.560 a young person in the next generation, what is your legacy? 0:16:43.600 --> 0:16:46.440 What is it that will be left behind when you're gone? 0:16:46.520 --> 0:16:49.800 And I think that there's been where we work and 0:16:50.600 --> 0:16:54.800 breathe and stand on the shoulders of giants, there are 0:16:54.800 --> 0:16:56.160 people who have been doing the what. 0:16:56.120 --> 0:16:59.120 Does that phrase mean? Explain to people who don't know 0:16:59.120 --> 0:17:00.320 what that means there. 0:17:00.120 --> 0:17:03.160 Are people who have come before you who have done 0:17:03.320 --> 0:17:06.880 an immense amount of work, especially in my community. So 0:17:07.080 --> 0:17:10.480 I believe that there are you know, elders, our ancestors. 0:17:10.520 --> 0:17:12.320 They've had to go through a lot, they've had to 0:17:12.440 --> 0:17:15.840 triumph through so many challenges for our community, and they've 0:17:15.880 --> 0:17:17.640 done a lot of work that then we can reap 0:17:17.680 --> 0:17:20.800 the benefits of and continue. So for me, it is 0:17:20.840 --> 0:17:25.119 about taking you know, understanding that there's been a lot 0:17:25.160 --> 0:17:27.680 of great work that's been done in our community. There's 0:17:27.720 --> 0:17:30.920 been a lot of foundations that are built, and it's 0:17:30.960 --> 0:17:34.240 like carrying that on so that that's not lost. But 0:17:34.320 --> 0:17:37.160 the whole legacy part is, you know, when I think 0:17:37.200 --> 0:17:41.639 about what is important for me as a blackfellow, and 0:17:41.680 --> 0:17:43.720 I say like the black joy side of things and 0:17:45.520 --> 0:17:48.000 continuing the work that people have done before me, I 0:17:48.080 --> 0:17:52.720 also think about making sure that I'm walking the walk 0:17:52.800 --> 0:17:54.680 with staying connected to culture. 0:17:55.080 --> 0:17:59.320 Yeah, that being grounding and yeah. 0:17:58.359 --> 0:18:02.320 So that's something that I'm looking forward to doing this 0:18:02.400 --> 0:18:06.919 year through a really great program that I'm going to 0:18:06.920 --> 0:18:08.800 be a part of that actually gets to take me 0:18:08.880 --> 0:18:14.160 home to learn language. No, so language for me would 0:18:14.160 --> 0:18:16.719 be something that if someone said to me what's your 0:18:16.720 --> 0:18:19.520 future aspirations for your connection to your community. It would 0:18:19.560 --> 0:18:22.160 be to learn my language. Yeah, and I think that 0:18:22.160 --> 0:18:25.359 that's something that I'm really excited about because to be 0:18:25.400 --> 0:18:27.800 able to have the opportunity to connect on that level 0:18:28.040 --> 0:18:33.200 and be home on country learning my language. Oh, that's 0:18:33.280 --> 0:18:35.520 like that's a legacy that I would love to leave behind. 0:18:35.840 --> 0:18:39.359 Talking about language. Actually, I just remembered a little memory 0:18:39.400 --> 0:18:42.600 of mine in that time, Yeah, talking about Natoc And 0:18:42.640 --> 0:18:46.359 I remember that at school every end, you know how 0:18:46.400 --> 0:18:48.400 you do like an end of year, and everyone would 0:18:48.400 --> 0:18:52.639 showcase like a dance or like a some type of 0:18:52.720 --> 0:18:56.639 routine like whatever. I remember like doing that, and then 0:18:56.680 --> 0:19:01.840 they would have these like specific awards, and I'd always 0:19:01.880 --> 0:19:09.399 get the Aboriginal Yeah, Like it would just be like 0:19:09.640 --> 0:19:13.160 the best. Like it was so crazy. It's very tokenistic 0:19:13.320 --> 0:19:15.080 about coming, like you just. 0:19:15.000 --> 0:19:18.640 To just reminding keep going, but I'm going to show 0:19:18.640 --> 0:19:19.080 you something. 0:19:19.280 --> 0:19:23.600 Yeah, And I kept every so every award you got 0:19:23.640 --> 0:19:27.160 like a little gift. And those gifts for me were 0:19:27.200 --> 0:19:31.359 actually books, And this is just like unlocked a whole 0:19:31.400 --> 0:19:34.000 memory of mine. And the books that I got were 0:19:34.040 --> 0:19:37.800 always Blackfellow books. And the first book that I got 0:19:38.440 --> 0:19:42.720 was this six seasons, the Nungar seasons, and that incorporates 0:19:42.800 --> 0:19:45.720 so much language that you know, a nong Our girl 0:19:45.760 --> 0:19:48.520 living in Yamajee, I learned most of the Yamagie slang, 0:19:48.680 --> 0:19:51.240 so like my dialect was a bit different to when 0:19:51.280 --> 0:19:53.920 I came back home to Nongan country, which is my 0:19:53.960 --> 0:19:58.040 grandmother's country. I was like talking different slang and they're like, 0:19:58.200 --> 0:20:00.159 why are you saying that. That's like, you know, it's 0:20:00.160 --> 0:20:02.679 the energy world, and I'm like, yeah, but like I 0:20:02.880 --> 0:20:06.200 grew up in Carvin, which is yeah. But this Nunga 0:20:06.320 --> 0:20:10.359 book was like the only connection that I first initially 0:20:10.400 --> 0:20:14.760 had to Noungar language. So I started learning the six seasons, 0:20:14.960 --> 0:20:19.040 and I would constantly like flip through the pages and 0:20:19.080 --> 0:20:23.120 like try to recite all of these seasons. So it's crazy, 0:20:23.160 --> 0:20:26.080 I don't remember it now, but I constantly always google 0:20:26.160 --> 0:20:28.600 which season we're in at the moment because I think, 0:20:29.000 --> 0:20:30.920 you know, in terms of like just a side note, 0:20:30.920 --> 0:20:33.919 climate change, the seasons have shifted, but the thing that 0:20:34.080 --> 0:20:38.760 hasn't changed is the Nungar seasons are off. What's like 0:20:38.800 --> 0:20:41.760 the what animals are breeding, what animals are hatching, like, 0:20:42.080 --> 0:20:47.000 and there's such a great connection to agriculture and country 0:20:46.600 --> 0:20:51.760 and land that those seasons haven't changed. It is sort 0:20:51.760 --> 0:20:55.520 of it's you know, like I can tell. I'm like, oh, 0:20:55.600 --> 0:20:59.359 we're not in like in winter yet, like we're in 0:20:59.400 --> 0:21:01.320 that in between, you know. And I go back and 0:21:01.359 --> 0:21:01.720 I like. 0:21:01.800 --> 0:21:04.439 Check what I learned about that. And I did an 0:21:04.440 --> 0:21:08.040 episode on Getaway in Perth in King's Park. They have 0:21:09.160 --> 0:21:12.399 an actual guide that shares that information. But I wanted to. 0:21:13.880 --> 0:21:18.080 It was she's deadly, I love. 0:21:17.960 --> 0:21:21.920 Her, but I wanted to. You said, hey, you've got awards. 0:21:22.480 --> 0:21:26.000 So my brother sent me this photo. You probably can't 0:21:26.040 --> 0:21:29.520 see it, but a certificate that says first in Subject 0:21:30.280 --> 0:21:33.920 awarded to Matt Webb, which was you know my name 0:21:34.680 --> 0:21:38.040 in year nine and I was the first in subject 0:21:38.119 --> 0:21:44.080 for Aboriginal Studies. But this was like, oh look, this 0:21:44.200 --> 0:21:46.240 wasn't at the school where I was the only black fellow, 0:21:46.320 --> 0:21:49.359 so this actually means something like I was first in 0:21:49.440 --> 0:21:54.120 Aboriginal studies school that was like mostly black follows. So 0:21:55.200 --> 0:22:00.199 I got that and I was like, oh, I used 0:22:00.200 --> 0:22:00.760 to get all. 0:22:00.720 --> 0:22:04.399 Of those, like all those awards like follow the Dream 0:22:04.800 --> 0:22:08.680 would always give me like the yeah, it's so crazy, 0:22:08.760 --> 0:22:11.159 but I think like those little moments and those all 0:22:11.240 --> 0:22:15.879 memories and those I guess those not rewards but like 0:22:16.520 --> 0:22:20.480 little boosts of confidence, Like I think they really contribute 0:22:20.520 --> 0:22:22.800