Oodgeroo Noonuccul by Charli Jones

Oodgeroo Noonuccal

by Charli Jones, Year 8

Oodgeroo Noonuccal (Kathleen Jean Mary Ruska) was born on 3 November 1920, a descendant of the Noonuccal people of Minjerribah (North Stradbroke Island). Oodgeroo Noonuccal is one of my family’s distant relatives. She is a descendant from apical ancestor Elizabeth Ruska, who is the fifth daughter of Fernando Gonzales to another mother. Our apical ancestors are born of Fernando Gonzales and Junobin. She was an Australian Aboriginal political activist, artist and educator. She was also a campaigner for Aboriginal rights. During her lifetime she was, and continues to be, recognised as one of Australia’s leading literary figures, who used her pen to give voice to the Indigenous struggle for rights and justice. Kath Walker came back to Stradbroke Island and began to clean up their old mission site Moongalba/Myora, which closed in 1942. It was overgrown; she wanted to have an educational place for groups of children to come and listen to their stories. One day Kath Walker asked my Auntie Evie (Evelyn Enid Parkin) if she could help with telling the stories, but Auntie Evie wasn’t brave enough in those days. Kath Walker welcomed everyone to that special place. Auntie Evie’s mother (my Great, Great, Great Grandmother Bethel Delaney) was on a committee to help Oodgeroo build the place up for the visitors. They had great ideas and one was to have an amphitheatre. Auntie Evie said that she used to see her come into town to do the shopping and that they would stop and have a yarn and sometimes would go out to the old site for a visit. There were times when Oodgeroo Noonuccal lived with Judith Wright (who was a poet). She had been Oodgeroo Noonuccal’s mentor and supported Kath with her writing and poems. Below is one of the poems I particularly liked that Oodgeroo Noonuccal wrote, from the book The Dawn is at Hand. Oodgeroo Noonuccal wrote several stories including Stradbroke Dreamtime. Stradbroke Dreamtime is a collection of 27 short stories. The stories are traditional Aboriginal tales from Stradbroke Island, the Tamborine Mountains and from the Old and New Dreamtime. Stradbroke Dreamtime was Awarded Winner of the 1994 Children’s Book Council Book of the Year Award. Oodgeroo Noonuccal received numerous awards, such as the Mary Gilmore medal (1970), the Jessie Litchfield Award (1975), the International Acting Award and the Fellowship of Australian Writers Award. In 1970 she was appointed as a Member of the Order of the British Empire (Civil) for services to the community but returned it in protest over the bicentenary celebrations held in 1988. In recognition of a lifetime commitment to Indigenous peoples and her outstanding contributions to Australian literature, Oodgeroo Noonuccal was awarded three honorary doctorates by universities around Australia. Two honorary doctorate awards were conferred on her for her contribution to Australian literature: A Doctorate of Letters from Macquarie University and a Doctor of the University from Griffith University. In 1992, Oodgeroo Noonuccal received an honorary Doctorate from the Faculty of Education at the Queensland University of Technology for her contribution to literature and in recognition of her work in the field of education. In recognition of her profound contribution to Australian History, the QUT Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Support Unit was named the Oodgeroo Unit in 2006. Oodgeroo Noonuccal believed in equality and fairness. She worked hard so Indigenous people could have a voice. She was a strong independent woman and her drive for success was the thing that kept her standing. Oodgeroo Noonuccal showed resilience and persistence despite all the obstacles thrown at her. With time, she became patient and knew that good things come to the people who wait. Although she has sadly passed away from cancer, she will forever be one of the bravest Indigenous women known. She truly is an inspiring person and her story will be passed down from generation to generation.

All One Race

Black tribe, yellow tribe, red, white or brown, From where the sun jumps up to where it goes down, Herrs and pukka-sahibs, demoiselles and squaws, All one family, so why make wars? They’re not interested in brumby runs, We don’t hanker after Midnight Suns; I’m for all humankind, not colour gibes; I’m international, and never mind tribes.

Black, white or brown race, yellow race or red, From the torrid equator to the ice-fields spread, Monsieurs and senors, lubras and fraus, All one family, so why family rows? We’re not interested in their igloos, They’re not mad about kangaroos; I’m international, never mind place; I’m for humanity, all one race.