Indigenous Collaboration 2008

INDIGENOUS COLLABORATION 2008

ACHIEVE THROUGH

EDUCATION

Lessons in leadership

Spreading her wings

Minding the language

Walking together

Back to Country

Let the games begin

INDIGENOUS COLLABORATION

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CONTENTS 2 Message from the Vice-Chancellor , 0 Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic), and Head, Wollotuka School of Aboriginal Studies 04 Lessons in leadership 06 Finding the high point 07 Walking together 08 Home is where the heart is 09 A friend indeed 10 Spreading her wings 11 A new beginning 12 Treading softly 14 Back to Country 15 Minding the language 16 Heading for better health 17 Drawing on experience 18 A proud leader 19 Double act 20 Personal stories in Aboriginal history 22 Teaching connections 23 Freedom ride still lighting the way 24 Let the games begin

02 | INDIGENOUS COLLABORATION

MESSAGE FROM THE VICE-CHANCELLOR, DEPUTY VICE-CHANCELLOR (ACADEMIC), AND HEAD, WOLLOTUKA SCHOOL OF ABORIGINAL STUDIES

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In 2008, the Australian Universities Quality Agency commented that the University of Newcastle is the Australian leader in Indigenous education and collaboration.

At the forefront of Indigenous education for 25 years, the University actively supports the aspirations of Indigenous people through study and employment opportunities.

In this second edition of Indigenous Collaboration, we present stories of Indigenous students and staff who continue to achieve through education across diverse fields of endeavour.

The Wollotuka Indigenous Support Unit, in conjunction with the Gibalee Aboriginal Learning Centre at the Central Coast campus, underpins the most comprehensive range of Indigenous studies programs in Australia. Leanne Holt and Chris George share their achievements and aspirations for these two integral facilities in Indigenous Collaboration 2008.

Professor Kevin McConkey Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic)

The University has a particularly strong history in the education of Indigenous medical graduates, including the new Head of Discipline – Indigenous Health, Associate Professor Peter O’Mara. He speaks of encouraging Indigenous health students and the feeling of ‘coming full circle’ back to Newcastle on page 16.

Aboriginal Studies lecturer Sharlene Dyer shares her experiences as a mentor and PhD student and the honour in early 2008 of receiving an Australia Day award from the National Council of Women NSW for her research into Indigenous employment strategies.

The Australian Government’s apology to Indigenous people was a significant event in Australia’s history. Lecturer and PhD student Stephanie Gilbert

Professor Nicholas Saunders Vice-Chancellor and President

was in the Great Hall at Parliament House in Canberra to witness the historic event – her story is on page 11.

Guiding the University’s activities in Indigenous collaboration is the Australian Government’s Indigenous Higher Education Advisory Council. The University’s goals and targets align with the Council’s strategic plan and include increasing the number of Indigenous academic and general staff, creating additional entry pathways for Indigenous students, increasing the number of Indigenous graduates and gaining international recognition for the quality of the University’s Indigenous research.

The stories of achievement in this publication are testament to the University’s commitment to attaining its goals.

Professor John Maynard Head, Wollotuka School of Aboriginal Studies

Further expansion of Indigenous curricula into courses and programs at the University, coupled with additional learning support, will continue to benefit our Indigenous students.

Through education, our Indigenous graduates will share knowledge with their own communities and the broader society, creating a ripple effect that ultimately delivers benefits for all Australians.

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Lessons in leadership The tattered pages of a 30-year-old pocket dictionary are testament to how far tenacity can take you. David Newham’s unflinching sense of personal determination has taken him all the way to receiving the 2007 University of Newcastle Leadership Award.

“At primary school, we had a weekly spelling bee, which was always a major challenge for me. So, every time I didn’t know a word or spelled one incorrectly, I would underline it and its meaning in the dictionary and write it out 10 times. I carried that little blue Collins dictionary right through high school and I still have it at home.”

A proud descendant of the Wiradjuri and Ngemba groups of central and north-western NSW, Newham has lived in Newcastle and been an active member of the local Aboriginal community all his life. His journey speaks of the importance of family and community support, combined with a commitment to work hard in whatever you do.

When you consider all he has achieved, including completing a social science degree, holding key positions with TAFE and

the Department of Community Services and lecturing at Wollotuka School of Aboriginal Studies, it is difficult to believe Newham struggled through school.

“In primary school, I was about three years behind everyone else in reading and writing,” Newham recalled.

“I had to go to special support classes and had a pretty atrocious time.”

School was made bearable by his keen involvement in sport.

“Sport was a distraction from the academic side of school. My sporting profile and success meant I was protected by teachers and proved to me I did have other skills and abilities.

“In primary school, I thought I was so bad academically, they would not let me into high school.”

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“I soon realised success was not always about natural ability, it could be achieved through sheer effort and commitment.”

During a careers day in Year 11, Newham’s eyes were opened to a world of possibilities when he visited Aboriginal students and staff at Wollotuka.

“I met other fellas at Wollotuka who were just like me and it made me realise university could be a real option.”

Enrolling through an alternative entry program, Newham completed a Diploma of Aboriginal Studies before taking on his social science degree. The roles with TAFE and the Department of Community Services mentoring Indigenous youth followed.

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Despite this achievement, he was more than a little taken aback when cultural Elder Uncle Paul Gordon suggested he apply for the University of Newcastle Leadership Award.

“Uncle Paul is such a knowledgeable, powerful person who I regard as a strong Elder in my life, so I had to take his suggestion seriously,” Newham said.

The approach he took to writing the application was more than a little unconventional.

“I said that it challenged me culturally to write about myself because I felt like I was singing my own praises. Essentially, I was telling them I couldn’t follow their application process because it challenged my humility.”

The application resonated with the panel and Newham later learned it believed humility was a major factor lacking in many leaders.

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Fear of being labelled a dunce drove Newham to try hard and, by Year 10, that persistence found him in the top classes.

I soon realised success was not always about natural ability, it could be achieved through sheer effort and commitment

Finding the interview process daunting, Newham was more than a little surprised when he was announced winner.

“I was up there on stage and thought to myself, ‘How did little Davey Newham who could barely read or write at school end up here?’.”

A $10,000 leadership development scholarship was part of his prize. Newham used it to attend a five-day senior leadership program in Melbourne, where he rubbed shoulders with multi-millionaire executives and industry leaders from around the country and the world.

“It was truly life-changing because it made me drill so deeply into who and what I am and what makes me tick,” Newham said.

“It challenged my concept of leadership and examined the differences between leadership and management, workplace culture, adaptive change and being mindful. We had to face-up to some really hard questions about what we subscribe to and who we are trying to be.”

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Beyond the recent awards and accolades, Newham is clearly grounded in his culture – which he describes as his backbone – and has a passionate commitment to nourish cultural knowledge and identity in Aboriginal youth.

“Working with the next wave of young people is exciting and a huge responsibility. We take them out bush and teach culture, dance, to be proud and why it is important to have a solid education. By reconnecting them to their culture, hopefully they will become engaged, empowered, proud, strong and healthy community members.”

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Finding the high point From its new home on the top floor of the library at the University of Newcastle’s Central Coast campus, the Gibalee Aboriginal Learning Centre is perfectly poised to continue its work in empowering Indigenous people through education.

It is from here initiatives such as the Central Coast Aboriginal Pathways Awards and an on-campus Aboriginal Education Consultative Group are inspired and brought to life.

Gibalee team leader Chris George, an avid artist, said the vision for the Centre’s new home was to increase student involvement and become a one-stop shop for Indigenous students on campus.

“At the moment, we offer services and support to Indigenous University students but we want to extend that to include Aboriginal students from TAFE and the Central Coast Community College,” George said.

Offering support and encouragement to students is something with which George is familiar. His 2007 ViceChancellor’s Award for General Staff Excellence is testament to his passion for enhancing Indigenous education through collaboration and community partnerships. Awarded the prize for outstanding leadership and collaborative initiatives, George

was commended for his work across the University, TAFE, the Department of Education and the Aboriginal Education Consultative Group.

With colleague Kathy Butler, George was instrumental in creating an on-campus Consultative Group through a University Equity Initiatives Grant.

He said the community-based education organisation complemented the mandatory Aboriginal education, policies and issues component of the teaching degree and aspects of the social sciences degrees.

“The Consultative Group is open to Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people and our aim in creating a group on campus is to provide a voice for students,” he said.

“As the primary champion for Aboriginal education and training issues, the Consultative Group can arm our graduates with knowledge so once they are out in the world teaching, they can engage in the development of policies and programs that enhance the cultural identity of Aboriginal students.”

George’s Vice-Chancellor’s commendation also recognised his work on the highly regarded Pathway Awards.

These awards, inaugurated in 2002, recognise the achievements of Indigenous students from Year 10 to tertiary study. They also applaud the work of members of the Aboriginal Education Consultative Group, of which George is the regional president.

Consultative Group members nominate Aboriginal people, parents and members of the community for their contribution to Indigenous education.

The concept of the awards is to create knowledge about educational pathways – from school to TAFE and university.

“We want to encourage Aboriginal youth to create their own pathways in education,” George said.

This year, there were more than 270 Pathways Award winners.

“Our ultimate goal is to see students come through who have completed school or TAFE and move on to winning prizes and awards at university level.”

Walking together Walking across the leafy campus of the University of Newcastle, Wollotuka Indigenous Support Unit Coordinator Leanne Holt is continually surprised by the beauty that surrounds her.

“As I scurry from meeting to meeting I am always thinking how lucky I am to be working in such a beautiful environment,” Holt said.

“Not only am I surrounded by the natural beauty of this campus, but I love working in education and doing what I do each day.

“So I consider myself very fortunate.”

Being busy becomes Holt, who has been employed at the University for 11 years.

In that time, she has worked on the Central Coast campus as Prospective Student Advisor and in her current role as Wollotuka Indigenous Support Coordinator across the Newcastle, Central Coast and Port Macquarie campuses.

Not content to rest on her laurels, Holt has also obtained her Diploma in Human Resources and Master of Management, is currently completing her Doctor of Business Administration, and was awarded the 2005 Indigenous Staff Scholarship.

A mother of two, Holt also squeezes in some time to work as a Juvenile Justice Conference Convener.

“As much as I love my work at the University, my Juvenile Justice work keeps me grounded and reminds me of the struggle many children have every day of their lives,” she said.

Recently elected to the University Council as the general staff representative, Holt also holds a position on the Board of the

Darkinjung Local Aboriginal Land Council, for which her enthusiasm is unreserved.

“When you attend a meeting of Indigenous communities, the passion in the air is palpable,” Holt said.

“You walk into the room and you can feel the enthusiasm – everyone is there for the same reason – to build capacity, enhance leadership and help our people.

“And that is what we do here at Wollotuka. We walk beside our students and provide them with opportunities to succeed.”

With almost 450 Indigenous students enrolled at the University of Newcastle, it is a big job for Holt and her team.

“I manage our services over the three campuses to ensure our students have optimum support.”

Holt said many students came to University through an alternative entry process but had to compete at the same academic level as every other student.

“Our job is to help bridge that gap and smooth the way for them.

“This is why our support is vital because it allows them to continue to progress with high academic achievements.”

She said many Indigenous students were the first in their families to attend university and the pressure to succeed could be quite high.

“The students not only want to succeed for themselves, but also for their families and communities.

“Our role is letting every one of our students work towards being the best they can be,” Holt said.

Holt’s desire to see students succeed comes from the heart and encompasses introducing them to schemes like scholarships, exchange programs and employment opportunities.

“Indigenous students have so much potential and are incredibly enthusiastic about creating meaningful careers,” she said.

“The world is their oyster and nothing should stop any of them from achieving their dreams.”

Home is where the heart is Tara Philpot remembers being a little girl who was too embarrassed to ask her friends over to her house to play because of where she lived.

Today, as a construction management student, Philpot’s dream is to design and construct Department of Housing homes that break the current mould and eliminate the stigma attached to living in public housing.

“People judge others by the clothes they wear or where they live but it does not mean they really know anything about the person,” Philpot said.

“I want to help change the perception people have of those who live in public housing by creating accommodation they can be proud of.

“A well-designed, attractive brick home is something people would be proud of. It would go a long way towards shaking off negative and ill-informed perceptions. Just because something is not expensive does not mean it has to be unattractive.”

A descendant of the Wiradjuri Nation, Philpot credits her upbringing and her aunties as her inspiration in shaping her own future and that of other Indigenous Australians.

An only child, most of her family encouraged her into a trade.

However, she was determined to get into university and, via the Indigenous Higher Education Pathways Program, she qualified for the construction management course.

“One aunt in particular has always been a shining example for me,” Philpot said.

“My company will focus on working in the areas close to where I grew up.

“She has gone from nothing to owning her own business. She is not afraid of hard work and always encouraged me to go to university.”

“I do not want to move too far from my family and I would like to improve the living conditions of all in my community and others like it.”

Raised in Kurri Kurri, Philpot lived most of her life in public housing before moving in with her grandparents.

In 2009, she will apply for a cadetship with the NSW Aboriginal Housing Office.

“Long-term, I want to establish my own business specialising in the redesign and construction of public housing and employ Aboriginal people to assist in the project work,” Philpot said.

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I want to help change the perception people have of those who live in public housing by creating accommodation they can be proud of

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She describes her house as a run-down fibro dwelling, difficult to distinguish from the others along the bedraggled street.

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A friend indeed

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Mentoring is an important part of any Indigenous employment strategy and it needs to be done by another Indigenous person so there is empathy

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Sharlene Dyer’s tears of joy captured the hearts of everyone in the audience when she delivered the students’ response at her Bachelor of Business graduation ceremony in 2003.

“I was so happy I cried on stage,” Dyer said.

“And afterwards people I didn’t even know came up to me and hugged me.”

The recipient of many awards and honours since then, Dyer, now a PhD student and Aboriginal Studies lecturer, remembers her graduation as one of the most emotional days of her life.

“I didn’t even finish my Higher School Certificate, so to have completed a university degree was a huge achievement.”

Now more accustomed to public speaking, Dyer put her skills to good use in January 2008 when she was honoured with an Australia Day award from the National Council of Women NSW for her research into Indigenous employment strategies.

One of only two Indigenous women to receive an honour on the day, Dyer said the award recognised that her people had come a long way.

“I know from my studies that Indigenous people have been systematically left out of things – like education and industrial relations – for a long time,” she said.

employment strategy and mentoring programs.

A firm believer in the power of leading through friendship, Dyer is an active participant in the NSW Government’s Lucy Mentoring Program, which supports mentoring between students and working professionals.

The program, delivered by the Office for Women’s Policy, aims to inspire, motivate and educate women about the opportunities available for employment and leadership in the public and private sectors.

“It is important our achievements are recognised so we can inspire others.”

Dyer said being mentored herself in previous years had been inspiring and encouraging and she was looking forward to stepping into the role of mentor for another person in the hope she could deliver the same inspiration.

During her undergraduate studies, Dyer was twice awarded a Hunter Water Scholarship, and also won the 2001 Dean’s Merit Award for Academic Achievement.

“Mentoring is an important part of any Indigenous employment strategy and it needs to be done by another Indigenous person so there is empathy,” she said.

After graduating in 2003, Dyer completed her Bachelor of Business honours degree, for which she researched the University’s Indigenous

“Family is such a huge part of our lives. If there is something disruptive happening at home, whatever is going on at work takes second place and often

“Now we are playing catch up.

being mentored smooths the way and makes things much easier in the workplace.”

After recently completing a semester of simultaneous part-time study and teaching, Dyer is looking forward to being back to full-time study.

She said her PhD research aimed to make a difference in the workplace for Indigenous Australians.

“Employment strategies for Indigenous people will not work unless there is a consultative process,” she said.

“There are more challenges for Indigenous people that need to be considered,” she said.

“Compassionate leave is just one example.

“In our culture, if there is a death in the community, there is an onus on everyone to participate in funeral proceedings for quite some time.

“I really hope my research can inform and influence government Indigenous employment policies and make things easier for my people to achieve their best.”

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Spreading her wings Third-year University of Newcastle student Teela Reid has come a long way in three years – from a country town of 3,000 people in New South Wales to a city of 750,000 on the other side of the world.

Originally from Gilgandra in central-western NSW, Reid said moving to Newcastle in 2006 to study a Bachelor of Teaching was daunting.

“Apart from having to deal with being the only recognised female Indigenous student living on campus, I also had to adjust to living in Newcastle,” she said.

“I moved into the University’s student accommodation at Evatt House and at the time, I only knew two other girls from my home town who were living on campus. Even though it seemed difficult and strange to be there, I kept reminding myself there were

students from all over the world and it was new for them too – I wasn’t the only one.”

Reid settled into her studies, majoring in personal development, health and physical education.

She also threw herself into sport at Evatt House, earning multiple awards for her ability and achievements.

“Playing sport helped me make lots of friends when I first arrived and really got me involved in life,” she said.

The idea of studying off-shore began when Reid spent time with overseas students in Newcastle.

“Living with those people from so many different countries made me realise what a big world it is, and how much more there is to see beyond our shores.”

She successfully applied for a Jack Doherty Scholarship, which encourages Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students to complete studies at the University of Newcastle.

“Winning the scholarship meant that I could pay my airfare to Canada. From there, I did not look back.”

Reid chose Canada as a destination because of its natural wonders.

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“I will spend Christmas with a friend in Ottawa and then we will travel together and spend New Year’s Eve in New York.

“Living overseas has been a great opportunity to meet new people, travel and study in a challenging environment.

“I have challenged my personal boundaries and embraced the opportunities that studying at the University has given me – both academically and socially.

“Living in Canada is an amazing learning experience.”

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Reid, who once considered Newcastle “such a big city”, is spending a semester studying at the University of Victoria on Vancouver Island, Canada.

Living with those people from so many different countries made me realise what a big world it is, and how much more there is to see beyond our shores

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A new beginning

Disagreeing with those who regarded the apology as the beginning of a journey, Gilbert saw it as the destination.

When Stephanie Gilbert stood in the Great Hall of Parliament House in Canberra in February 2008 and heard Prime Minister Kevin Rudd apologise to Australia’s Indigenous people, it marked the end of 20 years of waiting.

“The process began when the debate about an apology was initiated in the 1980s,” she said.

For the Yapug Program coordinator and Wollotuka School of Aboriginal Studies lecturer, the significance of the historic event lay in the acknowledgement of the stolen generations.

“Over the last 20 years, I have watched the highs and lows of this process, including the publishing and theorising around the issue,” Gilbert said.

“To actually get to the point of hearing the Prime Minister apologise was amazing.

“From the instant Rudd said he was going to do it, I knew I had to be there.”

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“Why do they choose this [Aboriginal] identity or, conversely, why don’t they?”

“We spent a lot of years preparing for the day and, for me, the delivery of the apology was the end. It was valid and needed.

“What happens now doesn’t matter so much – for me, the apology was made, the process is done.”

The past 20 years of personal interest and reflection on the stolen generations have culminated in Gilbert’s current PhD work titled ‘Women and the Construction of Re-membering Identity Formation’.

Focusing on the complex matter of Aboriginal identity, the inspiration was her own journey as she explored the question: “Why would I choose to identify as Aboriginal when some might argue I could choose not to?”

“I began to wonder about why people who were taken away from their families and have fair skin admit to being Aboriginal when they really do not have to.

Gilbert believes Aboriginality is not simply about biology or connection to Country.

“These things alone do not make you Aboriginal,” she said. “My view is that some people are defined as Aboriginal simply because they are born into Aboriginal families, yet if these people grow up away from their families and Country, they cannot connect themselves to a particular [Aboriginal] nation.

“I want to ask, ‘what is an Indigenous perspective, what forms an identity?’.”

During her research, Gilbert will interview women who were taken from their families through the process of assimilation, including many who do not identify as Aboriginal.

“For a variety of reasons, these women have not grown up in their families of origin,” Gilbert said.

“I will be tracking their thoughts and feelings about their identity across the course of their lives.”

I began to wonder about why people who were taken away from their families and have fair skin admit to being Aboriginal when they really do not have to

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Treading softly

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The Family Action Centre at the University of Newcastle is a national leader in strengthening families and communities.

A key research initiative for the Centre is the Fathers and Families Research Program, which conducts research into the role of fathers and families, and develops supporting resources.

Craig Hammond, who grew up in Moree, travels all over the country to develop and deliver the Indigenous arm of the Program.

“Fathers and father figures play an integral part in a child’s life and some grow up without male role models,” Hammond, a father of two, said.

“This is also true for Australia’s Indigenous community. It comprises only two to three per cent of Australia’s total population but we have significant numbers of men, women and children in the jail system, mostly for drug, alcohol and domestic violence offences.”

Hammond coordinates Brothers Inside – a series of workshops that encourage Indigenous inmates to think about their role as a father while they are in jail and on their release. The program is currently run at Cessnock Correctional Centre and St Heliers Correctional Centre in Muswellbrook.

“Because fathers have such an impact on their children’s lives, the children with dads in jail are at risk of getting into trouble themselves.

It becomes a vicious cycle.

“What we aim to do is break that cycle by getting the dads to focus on what they can do while they are in jail, and when they are released, to foster good relationships with their children.”

The voluntary program is based on a series of workshops that involve group discussions, art and making video messages to send to their families.

“We talk a lot about communicating with their children,” Hammond said. “In the jail system, you work to get money that you can use to make six-minute phone calls, so we look at how to best use those six minutes.

“We discuss writing to the children and making presents for them – all of these things help maintain a strong link while the fathers are not with their families.”

The Family Action Centre has worked with the Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care to create a series of posters encouraging positive images of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men in the lives of their children.

“A set of five posters has been distributed to Indigenous communities for display at child and family welfare services, health organisations and other groups and services that support men’s projects,” Hammond said.

“The ‘Our Kids Need Dads Too’ posters each contain an image illustrating a message – listen, stay strong, be there, take an interest and smile.”

Booklets of parenting tip sheets are also being produced to accompany the posters.

The recently completed DVD So Now You’re a Dad is another project steered by Hammond.

Aimed at first-time Indigenous fathers, it shows men openly discussing their experiences and fears of fatherhood.

“These resources all support Indigenous men and get them to focus on their strengths and positives,” Hammond said.

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The successes of the Centre’s Indigenous projects were highlighted at the inaugural Indigenous Family and Community Strengths Conference, held in April 2008.

“It was an opportunity for Indigenous communities to come along and hear from others,” Hammond said.

“People from health, family groups, men’s groups, fathering groups, child education and services from all around Australia presented their work. It was a great success, so much so that we are looking at hosting another one in 2010 and every second year after that.”

Hammond believes the Centre’s work with Indigenous families and communities is having a tangible impact.

“A change is coming,” Hammond said. “We are taking one step at a time, being respectful of each community’s culture and treading softly. It is a slow process, but the change will come and it will be a positive one.”

What we aim to do is break that cycle by getting the dads to focus on what they can do while they are in jail, and when they are released, to foster good relationships with their children

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A self-funded organisation, the Centre receives assistance from the University of Newcastle along with Federal and state governments and private enterprise.

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Back to Country

“I sought out my uncles and aunties in Cobar so they could teach me all they knew about my Country and my heritage.

An ambition to work with her community in its traditional land is driving Jessica Wegener towards her goals.

“My time with them inspired me to apply for this cadetship.”

Wegener, currently completing a fast-track Open Foundation course at the University of Newcastle’s Central Coast campus, is working towards studying environmental science and securing a National Parks and Wildlife Indigenous Ranger Cadetship.

Her ultimate goal is to help revive the land around her traditional home at Cobar – where her extended family lives – which is dry, arid and in need of regeneration.

Wegener said her culture and her connection to Country was everything to her.

“This connection to Country is my passion – it guides everything I do.”

Her dream of returning to her roots at Cobar began when she worked in the Kosciusko National Park in Jindabyne as a Trainee Interpretive Assistant with the National Parks and Wildlife Service.

While the lush valleys of the National Park were a long way from the red earth of Cobar, her work at the Jindabyne Visitors Centre kindled an interest in learning more about her heritage.

“My job in Jindabyne involved educating visitors about the Aboriginal and natural history of the area and it made me realise there was a lot more to my culture than just the present day,” she said.

To be granted a cadetship, applicants must have a connection to the community in which they wish to work and achieve an eligible entry score to the University.

The four-year program involves work placement with National Parks and Wildlife Service and the completion of an environmental science degree.

“It will allow me to study full-time and work for 12 weeks each year in Cobar as a ranger with a focus on the conservation of Aboriginal, historic, and natural heritage resources,” Wegener said.

“It means I could go back to my people and help them bring their land back to life.”

Wegener said the idea of studying at university had never occurred to her before hearing of the cadetship program.

“I thought I would end up married with kids but without a real career path.

“Knowing exactly what I want to do and why I want to study environmental science has made Open Foundation so much easier, because I have a reason for being here,” she said.

“When I was in high school I was a bit lost. Being in Jindabyne and living away from home I grew up pretty quickly and realised how important my culture is to me.

“All I want to do now is go back to Cobar with this cadetship that will let me help my people in a constructive way.

“I’m at home in Cobar – it’s where I belong.”

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This connection to Country is my passion – it guides everything I do

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Minding the language When a people loses its language, the casualties are enormous. Gone are the oral history and the traditional stories – fundamental aspects of any culture.

A new partnership between the University of Newcastle’s Wollotuka School of Aboriginal Studies and the Muurrbay Aboriginal Language and Culture Cooperative hopes to weave the tapestry together again by reclaiming disappearing Aboriginal languages and dialects.

Muurrbay Chairman and Gumbaynggirr Elder Uncle Kenny Walker said that a community’s history and a large part of its cultural identity were enshrined in language.

“Language and culture go hand-in-hand,” he said.

“You can’t have one without the other.”

Created in 1986, the Muurrbay Aboriginal Language and Culture Cooperative began with Gumbaynggirr elders meeting to revive language so they could pass it to the next generation.

Today, the Cooperative teaches language classes, publishes teaching resources and is linked with the Many Rivers Aboriginal Language Centre, which provides support to Aboriginal communities wanting to revive their languages.

Walker, whose people lived in the Nambucca Valley, where the Cooperative is located, said colonisation saw the loss of many dialects and regional languages in the Aboriginal vernacular.

“In the missions and in other circumstances, Aboriginal people were denied their rations if they spoke their own language,” he said.

“Some were even jailed for it.

As a result, many languages have been lost.”

Community leader, playwright and University of Newcastle Indigenous language PhD

candidate Ray Kelly said he hoped the partnership with Muurrbay would build knowledge for Indigenous Australians.

“Rediscovering lost language will open up the cultural landscape,” Kelly said.

“When an idea or a place can be given a name, it gains meaning and substance and becomes part of the culture again.

“Unlocking lost languages will give our people a sense of custodianship for the land and a new understanding of their responsibility for the future – it will strengthen people’s ongoing relationship with Country and place.

“The easier it is for us to express ourselves and tell our stories, the better we can feel about ourselves – history can take on our perspective.”

Kelly said he hoped the collaboration with Muurrbay would have a wider effect and revive forgotten events, such as the stories of prominent Aboriginals whose roles in history have been lost.

“By sharing across landscapes and pooling resources, we can uncover far more than exists in the official record and tap into our oral history,” he said.

Kelly said Muurrbay was one of the leading lights in the process of language reclamation.

“We want to bring each resource group out of isolation, so people are not working from small, contained databases and knowledge spaces,” Kelly said.

Kelly said Wollotuka and Muurrbay planned to work together on many projects, including an international language conference in 2010.

“The aim of the conference will be to share our experiences of reclaiming lost languages with other Indigenous people across the world who are doing the same in their native countries,” Kelly said.

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Of more than 250 Aboriginal languages spoken when Europeans arrived in Australia, only around 25 still exist – a loss fraying the rich cultural fabric of Aboriginal history

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Of more than 250 Aboriginal languages spoken when Europeans arrived in Australia, only around 25 still exist – a loss fraying the rich cultural fabric of Aboriginal history.

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Heading for better health On any given day, the University of Newcastle’s new Head of Discipline – Indigenous Health, Associate Professor Peter O’Mara, can be anywhere in the country. As one of only 125 Indigenous doctors in Australia, his knowledge and advice is in demand from governments, community groups, professionals and individuals.

Coupled with the new role at the University and his position as Vice President of the Australian Indigenous Doctors’ Association (AIDA), he meets with Aboriginal communities and academics from Darwin to Adelaide. He also attends to patients at Forster’s Tobwabba Aboriginal Medical Service one day a week.

Forty-one-year-old O’Mara is very aware that Aboriginal life expectancy is more than 17 years lower than other Australians due to poor health, general social disadvantage and reduced access to health services. As a doctor, an academic and an Aboriginal man, O’Mara is determined to bring about change.

From the Wiradjuri people in central New South Wales, O’Mara left Cessnock High

School in Year 10 and became an apprentice fitter and turner in the coal mines. That career ended with a car accident at age 19, which left him with back injuries.

Unsure what direction his life would take, he enrolled in the University of Newcastle Open Foundation course and then went on to study a Bachelor of Arts, with plans of becoming a clinical psychologist.

His career path took another interesting turn when one day he was ‘channel surfing’ and tuned into a television interview with Louis Peachey, one of the University’s first Indigenous medical graduates.

“He just seemed like a normal fellow and I thought maybe I could do that,” O’Mara said.

He graduated with a Bachelor of Medicine in 1999 and became a GP in 2004. That year, he also helped set up Aboriginal health clinics in Port Macquarie and Forster and started lecturing at the University of Newcastle two days a week.

O’Mara has clear plans for the position of Head of Discipline – Indigenous Health at the University of Newcastle.

“Part of my role will be to support Indigenous medical students throughout their studies and attract more Indigenous students to study areas of health.”

Working closely with the Wollotuka Indigenous Support Unit, he is providing tutoring and mentoring and addressing issues common to all medical students.

“The medical degree can be difficult for students financially and, if they are a long way from home, the isolation from their family and community can be tough,” he said.

“Cultural issues can place added pressure on Indigenous students because they are often role models in their communities.

“If they fail and return to their country, it can have a devastating effect on the community because other children think ‘if they can’t make it, I can’t either’.”

O’Mara said returning to the University where he graduated was like coming full circle.

“It seems like only yesterday I was on one side of the lectern and now I’m on the other. It’s a really nice feeling.”

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Drawing on experience

When Lorraine Robertson picked up the Sydney Morning Herald one morning in early 2002, she had little idea that it would have a profound effect on both her art and her studies. New South Wales had just been devastated by major bushfires and the front page featured an Indigenous woman saying she knew the fires were coming because two years earlier, the wattle had bloomed profusely.

they could be found and what habitats to portray – even travelling to Melbourne Zoo in search of a lyrebird who would stay still for her. She also had to observe the plants closely to determine the best time to illustrate them flowering and fruiting.

Those stories were to form part of Robertson’s honours thesis.

The illustrations and research behind the book will form part of Robertson’s PhD ‘Visualising the Dreamtime’.

That woman was Frances Bodkin and she spoke of how her people followed the patterns of the native flora and fauna to indicate how the seasons would behave.

When the wattle dropped their seed in anticipation of a major burn, it was a sign to the human inhabitants they needed to burn off to prepare for the fire season.

In her honours year at the University of Newcastle studying natural history illustration, Robertson’s interest was piqued and she set about contacting Bodkin to find out more.

While Bodkin was happy to explain the approach of the D’harawal people to the seasons, she was more interested in the fact Robertson was an illustrator and asked if she would illustrate some of her stories about the seasons.

“At the time I thought: ‘Sure, 12 illustrations, one for each month, something nice we can hang on the wall’,” Robertson recalls, clearly amused by the reflection.

“It evolved into so much more.

Frances wanted to write a text book about the D’harawal seasons with my illustrations – this was not a simple calendar.”

The publication is a collection of stories from D’harawal community members about how the behaviour of the flora and fauna dictates the seasons and climate cycles in the south west of Sydney. It was Robertson’s task to research the wide variety of animals and plants, as well as their landscapes and habitats, to create the illustrations.

“The D’harawal people’s traditional knowledge system does not adhere to the four seasons followed by Europeans,” Robertson explained.

“Instead, they focus on the cycles of the plants and behaviour of the animals. It was my job to transform that information into pictures to illustrate Frances’ words.”

That process took four years to complete and has resulted in a book D’harawal Seasons and Climate Cycles containing the meticulous illustrations and traditional knowledge of the D’harawal people. The text is already being used in schools, particularly in the Sydney region.

For Robertson, the process involved careful observation and extensive research on what animals would be included, where

Robertson explained the friendship with Bodkin, who always generously shares her knowledge, had been life-changing.

“It has changed everything about the way I view our world. There is no such thing as a simple bush walk for me anymore. Everywhere I go, I am observing what is around me. I now study the stages of flowers instead of focusing purely on their beauty.”

A proud leader The University of Newcastle has been hailed as the Australian leader in Indigenous education and collaboration by a national body.

At the forefront of Indigenous education for 25 years, the University is highly regarded for its support of Aboriginal students and research, a commitment recognised by the Australian Universities Quality Agency (AUQA).

In its 2008 audit, the agency found the University had no peer in Indigenous education and collaboration, concluding it ‘could rightfully claim to be a national leader’.

AUQA audits each Australian university every five years, identifying areas of strength and recommending areas for improvement.

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By linking education with traditional knowledge and role models who have insight into what helps Indigenous students, we hope to ensure that they maintain cultural practices and values as well as achieve success in their studies

In 2007 the University of Newcastle employed 52 Indigenous staff and educated 433 Indigenous students. AUQA noted the University’s Indigenous student participation and retention rates, as well as the number of Indigenous academics and general staff employed, are the highest among the Innovative Research Universities Australia, a national alliance of six Australian universities (Flinders, Griffith, James Cook, La Trobe, Murdoch and Newcastle).

The AUQA report commended the University on its academic and personal support of Indigenous students through the Wollotuka Indigenous Support Unit.

Wollotuka offers culturally appropriate help for Indigenous students, including the Indigenous Tutorial Assistance Scheme (ITAS), which arranges qualified tutors to help students with their study. Wollotuka also provides funding to support academics in their research and professional development.

AUQA associated the support provided by Wollotuka to the fact that about half of Australia’s Indigenous medical practitioners are University of Newcastle graduates.

Since the last audit in 2002, the University has implemented programs and initatives to improve delivery of education to Indigenous students. These include special Indigenous entry programs for students such as Yapug, a full or part-time enabling program providing pathways into a range of degree programs, including science, medicine, nursing and education.

Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) Professor Kevin McConkey said the University would continue to build on its reputation as a national leader in Indigenous education and collaboration.

“The audit findings provide impetus for the distinction that we are all building for the University,” McConkey said.

The University has a five-year plan of strategic goals and targets for Indigenous education.

It includes creating additional pathways for Indigenous students to gain entry to the University, increasing the number of Indigenous graduates at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels and gaining international recognition for the quality of the University’s Indigenous research.

The University also plans to increase the number of Indigenous academic and general staff.

McConkey said the University would continue to be guided by the priorities and targets of the Indigenous Higher Education Advisory Council, an Australian Government body established to provide policy advice on higher education issues.

“By linking education with traditional knowledge and role models who have insight into what helps Indigenous students, we hope to ensure that they maintain cultural practices and values as well as achieve success in their studies,” McConkey said.

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INDIGENOUS COLLABORATION

Double act

For most people that achievement would be enough, but for this mother and daughter, bigger challenges beckoned.

Mothers and daughters share a lot of experiences throughout their lives, but it is not often that they have the opportunity to share the stage at a university graduation on the same day to collect their degrees.

Julianne went on to write a tribalography for her Master’s thesis. “A tribalography is your position in the family. It is about you but it situates you in your family and your people,” Julianne explained.

For Kathy Butler – a lecturer in sociology and anthropology at the University of Newcastle – and her mother Julianne, their shared graduation ceremony was a moment to treasure.

“I had to complete an exam through Wollotuka,” she recalled.

“I had not written an essay in 35 years! I also had to do a maths test as part of my entry and I am sure I gave the marker a good laugh.

“I had just finished my first degree at Newcastle when Mum decided to study,” Kathy explained.

“And after I had made it through and was accepted to University, I had to turn around and learn how to use a computer!”

“I said ‘Well Mum, it is your turn now’.”

Julianne received a Diploma of Aboriginal Studies from the University through the Wollotuka School of Aboriginal Studies and went on to study a Bachelor of Arts in history and anthropology.

She graduated on the same day her daughter Kathy graduated with her Masters.

Julianne said the concept of university study was daunting.

“My response was: ‘I can’t go to university, I’ve got grey hair!’.” She was 50 on her first day at the University of Newcastle.

Kathy, now a mother-of-three, wrote her PhD thesis at same time.

“Since 2000, there has been sustained interest in the contribution sociology can make to addressing Indigenous inequality,” Kathy said. “My thesis is about how we put an Indigenous perspective into what is a Western discipline.”

Mother and daughter live a kilometre apart on the Central Coast and have supported each other along the way.

“Kathy often edited my drafts,” Julianne said. “I call her ‘Ms Purple Pen’.”

Both women believe the many stories of the Aboriginal people should be told and have collaborated on a number of published papers.

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Kathy is the only Indigenous lecturer in sociology at the University of Newcastle and is also the Indigenous Collaborations Convenor for the School of Humanities and Social Science. In this role, she helps Indigenous students develop their academic skills and assists the School in developing new ways to recruit Indigenous students, extending its Indigenous course content and improving its student support mechanisms to increase completion rates.

Julianne has retired from study and her focus is now on her grandchildren.

“As their grandmother, I teach them about their history, I am the storyteller,” she said. “I wrote my thesis for my grandchildren because I wanted them to know where they come from and to give them strength in their identity. I grew up in a loving Koori family and I want them to continue that.”

Kathy and Julianne will again share the graduation stage in 2009, when Kathy is awarded her PhD in Aboriginal Studies and Julianne, her Master of Social Science in Aboriginal Studies.

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Personal stories in Aboriginal history

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The inspirational stories of Australia’s Aboriginal heroes and how they rose to overcome segregation, poverty and social barriers to become leaders in their various fields have long fascinated historian John Ramsland.

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Harold Blair – The Tenor “The singer ... was proof of what Australian Aborigines could do given the opportunity.”

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Reg Saunders – The Soldier “His life ... was one of service to Aboriginal people – a man, in the words of his biographer, ‘who had proven that Aboriginal people could take their place anywhere’.”

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Harry Penrith – The Activist “Harry Penrith was one of the first pioneering Aboriginal public servants of high status.”

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Jimmy Little – The Singer “...an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) ... for his contribution to the entertainment industry and to Aboriginal reconciliation, health and education.”

As University of Newcastle Emeritus Professor of History and a non-Indigenous Australian, Ramsland knew the importance of recording the stories for posterity. But he also knew it was just as vital people read them outside the walls of academia and that the stories became part of Australian history.

With this in mind, Ramsland and colleague Dr Christopher Mooney researched and wrote Remembering Aboriginal Heroes.

The multibiographical book tells the stories of prominent Aboriginals in all fields of endeavour.

Each ‘hero’ began life in a segregated reserve but managed to establish a successful career during the implementation of the Australian Government’s policy of assimilation in the 1950s.

None were strangers to racism and personal difficulties at some point in their careers and all were well known nationally through the media at a time when society was only just beginning to accept Indigenous Australians.

Included in the tribute are the great operatic tenor Harold Blair, country and western singer Jimmy Little, military hero Reg Saunders and political activist Harry Penrith.

There are also the stories of actors, artists, a boxer and a preacher.

Ramsland said he and Mooney wanted to explore how the identities of Aboriginal heroes of the time were portrayed in the press and what actually lay behind the media portraits.

“Remembering Aboriginal Heroes is a multibiography of these people and how they broke through social and racial barriers to excel in their fields of endeavour,” he said.

“It was in the 1950s and our Aboriginal heroes established themselves against a lot of odds.

“What they achieved then laid the basis for the opportunities – particularly in education – that are increasingly opening up for Indigenous people across Australia now.”

The publication has captured the hearts of Australians all over the country and is now in its second edition.

Despite being retired, Ramsland continues to lend his expertise and wealth of knowledge to the University and supervises and mentors students on invitation.

His valuable contribution to recording Australian history was recognised in 2006 when he was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia. Ramsland was commended for his services to the community, the Indigenous experience and to education.

“It was very rewarding to be acknowledged and to know my work has made a contribution to the recording of Australian history,” Ramsland said.

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Aroha Purukamu has a passion to teach.

A first-year Bachelor of Education/Bachelor of Childhood Studies student, Purukamu is motivated by a desire to educate tomorrow’s young students about Australia’s Indigenous history.

At school, Purukamu did not have an Indigenous teacher and was the only Indigenous student in her class.

After first missing university entry targets in her Higher School Certificate (HSC), Purukamu undertook Year 12 again.

“I always felt something was missing from my education,” she said.

“At the time, I did not know there was an option for Indigenous students to gain entry to university through an interview process, so I just went back to school and enjoyed the work a lot more the second time around,” she said.

While she did not feel disadvantaged, Purukamu believes her education could have been more meaningful had she felt a stronger sense of belonging.

“My family is very cultural and to completely miss that connection at school was strange,” she said.

Acknowledging Australia’s multicultural society and how it reflects on the national teaching curriculum, Purukamu said it was essential that Aboriginal history be taught in schools.

Under the Department’s Teacher Education Scholarship Program, Purukamu receives financial support for fees and textbooks, and is guaranteed employment as a teacher with the Department when she finishes her degree.

“It is impossible to teach all cultures to all children but Australians need to have an understanding of Indigenous history,” she said.

“I feel extremely lucky to be guaranteed a job and I know that, as an Indigenous teacher, I will bring a unique quality to my role,” she said.

“It is the foundation of the country’s history and more of it should be taught.”

While studying, Purukamu has been working in daycare centres as a support worker for young Indigenous children.

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“This is really rewarding because I am learning about the development of young children and bringing culture to the centres through story telling and craft activities.

I think school would be much easier for Aboriginal students if they could have an Indigenous teacher and feel that cultural connection at least once

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Teaching connections

“I think school would be much easier for Aboriginal students if they could have an Indigenous teacher and feel that cultural connection at least once.”

After securing a university place, Purukamu was awarded three academic scholarships – the University of Newcastle’s Indigenous Equity Scholarship, the Commonwealth Learning Scholarship and a NSW Department of Education and Training scholarship.

“It is combining my two great passions – sharing Aboriginal knowledge and teaching.

“It means so much to me to become a teacher and know that I can offer tomorrow’s Indigenous school students the kind of education I did not have – one that recognises their ancestors and teaches others about Australia’s rich Indigenous cultural history.”

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Freedom Ride still lighting the way

Indigenous educator Dr Bob Morgan still remembers the inspiration that Aboriginal activist Charles Perkins stirred in him more than 40 years ago.

In his final year of high school in 1965, when Perkins and his Freedom Ride rumbled into outback Walgett in New South Wales, Morgan said his life changed forever after hearing Perkins address the gathered crowd.

“I could not tell you what he said,” Morgan, a Conjoint Professor at the University of Newcastle, said.

“But I will never forget how he made me feel as he stood on the steps of the Walgett RSL Club and talked about discrimination against our people and how it could be countered.

“However clichéd it sounds, that moment has been the motivation for everything I have done since to engage with others to try to create a better world.”

Racism and prejudice, Morgan said, were part of the Indigenous experience in the 60s and life could be tough in communities like Walgett.

“Thankfully, a lot of that has changed due to legislation and education, but there remains so much more to be done,” he said.

“We have managed to educate many Australians about the true history of our country, which is why I am so committed to what I do.

“When we get it right in education, we tend to maximise the chance of getting it right in life.”

Dedicating most of his adult life to education, Morgan is a man who puts his heart and soul into what he believes in.

In the past 30 years, he has worked nationally and internationally in the field of Aboriginal knowledge and learning.

Morgan is a regular speaker and facilitator of workshops and conferences on reconciliation, Aboriginal education, youth suicide, community capacity strengthening and men’s health and wellbeing.

With a steadfast commitment to the principals of Aboriginal self-determination and social and restorative justice, he advocates the need to develop culturally affirming and intellectually enriching education for Aboriginal students.

Shaped by his years of senior leadership in all levels of Aboriginal education policy and program development, Morgan’s commitment and passion has been recognised with a string of global board appointments and honours.

These include his seat as Chair of the University’s Board of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education and Training.

The Board’s role is to advise the Vice-Chancellor on all policy matters relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander education and training at the University.

Morgan said his aim was to help shape education that fuses Indigenous and European culture and knowledge, creating an environment where all knowledge was valued and everyone had a right to his or her own perspective.

“By creating this cultural and knowledge synergy, everyone becomes a teacher and a learner and students listen with the sole aim of learning, not simply responding,” Morgan said.

“We construct the opportunity for new knowledge, new meaning and the consideration of alternatives to existing or conventional wisdom.

“When wisdom is lived and demonstrated through actions – not just confined to thoughts – we have the opportunity to transform our world so that true and sustainable reconciliation and social justice can be achieved.”

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The wonderful by-product has been the new friends and experiences everyone has made over the years

The excitement in the air was palpable as hundreds of Indigenous students descended on the University of Western Australia in September 2008 for the 13th Annual National Indigenous University Games.

The sportsmen and women came together from all over the country keen to pit their sporting skills against each other and win their university the right to host the Games in 2009.

More than 300 students were there to succeed, but friendships and camaraderie triumphed over competition as old rivals and friends met again for the annual event.

The vibrant scene was one the original Games’ organisers had dreamed of, but never in their wildest imaginations could have foreseen.

Newham said the idea of Aboriginal mobs coming together for strength, agility and endurance-style competitions was not a new concept.

“Our oral and recorded history tells us of the times when neighbouring Aboriginal mobs frequently gathered for such events, so we thought it would be good to build on those traditions and rekindle those important cultural practices,” he said.

Newham recalled the Games’ humble beginnings in 1996 as having sprung from an idea among students.

As part of the assessment task, guest speakers who had organised similar sports events, such as Newcastle Surfest’s ‘Kooris Vs Cops’ competition, addressed the students to share ideas and offer support.

“There was a group of us studying the health strand of Aboriginal Studies at the University of Newcastle,” Newham said.

Inaugurated as the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Student Games, the first event attracted teams from four universities.

“The Atlanta Olympic Games were approaching and that sparked conversations with the Wollotuka staff about how great it would be to have an Indigenous type of Olympic Games.

A mixed team competition, the sports contested included softball, netball, touch football and 3 on 3 basketball.

One of those organisers was David Newham.

“The next thing we knew, the staff turned it into an assessment task!”

Today, the softball has been replaced by volleyball and the 3 on 3 basketball expanded to the

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Let the Games begin

larger team version. Each year, a traditional game chosen by the host university is added to the program for that year.

Newham said it was a thrill to see the Games come so far over the years to be a national event contested by so many universities.

“The Games were never about winning,” Newham said.

“They were created to nurture and strengthen team spirit, solidarity, respect, health and wellbeing and to creatively celebrate Aboriginal higher education.

“The wonderful by-product has been the new friends and experiences everyone has made over the years.”

The University of Newcastle has hosted the Games three times and has entered teams every year.

In 2008, 14 universities competed at the Games. The University of Newcastle won silver and took home the Spirit Award for its support and encouragement of all competitors.

David Newham is the winner of the 2007 University of Newcastle Leadership Awards.

Read his story on page 4.

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INDIGENOUS COLLABORATION 2008

ACHIEVE THROUGH

EDUCATION

Lessons in leadership

Spreading her wings

Minding the language

Walking together

Back to Country

Let the games begin