Friday, July 30, 2010
Jimbelunga
I returned to Adelaide to work at Nunkawarrin Yunti in 1995 and became the first Registered Nurse and Site Superviser of the newly built "Elders Village" an assisted living centre for Indigenous Elders in the suburb of Davoren Park in South Australia
Thursday, July 29, 2010
As I have gotten older and now have many, many grandchildren I realise that a lot of the old ways have been either forgotten or not taught anymore. I wanted to create this blog to help give the young an insight to what we had as kids, to share what I know & to appreciate their culture.
I was born & raised on Raukkan and lived there until age 6 and a half. My mother did not marry my father so although white skinned I was brought up in my mothers traditional culture of The Ngarrindjerri Nation. My mother could not find a lot of work on or close to Raukkan so she was given a permit & went to the north of South Australia to work on large cattle stations as a maid, nanny & cook. I was left to be brought up by my Nanas sister my great aunt Susie Mac. I was truly loved by all my relatives and well cared for home on Raukkan. We lived in a small white washed cottage on the shores of beautiful Lake Alexandrina: then I was taken away forcibly by the Goverment to live in an Institution in Adelaide & did not see Raukkan or my relatives again until my mother stole me back. She came & got me & my brother from the local Primary School we were attending. I was 11 & my brother was 8. Over the next 40 odd years my mother and us kids visited Raukkan & our family frequently but mum never returned to live as she remained in fear of losing other children. Out of my mothers 9 children all but 2 (the youngest) were removed from her care. We are The Stolen Generation..out of 9 only 3 of us lived at Raukkan & only 4 return now.
My Grandfather Gordon Wilfred Rigney
Gordon Rigney was the youngest son of Phillip Rigney & Isabella Matyuli nee Sumner. He was a member of The Tendi
(The Great Council) of The Ngarrinjerri Nation & Official Spokes person & great organiser of all events at Raukkan.
He was known as The Colt Breaker as he broke horses in for the Australian Army.
He served in the 1st WW in The 5th Pioneers.
Story of Raukkans most famous son David Unaipon
Raukkans most prominent son
First Indigenous published Writer and
Inventor. Received a Coronation Medal in 1953.
Married to Katherine Carter nee Sumner. Had 1 son & died in 1967 at The Tailem Bend Hospital.
Is buried at Raukkan.
Click onto Link to read his autobiography
http://adbonline.anu.edu.au/biogs/A120339b.htm
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
What can we as a Strong Indigenous Nation leave our children & their childrens children.
We mourn for the loss of our identity.
We morn for the theft of our children & our lands.
We morn for the loss of our water.
Those of us who remain to tell the stories
tell them well so that our ancestors & the elders that are with us now will remain with you in spirit & sustain you always in life.
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