whoa old people it’s me Tom guy this walking through this is my father Thomas
walking through this is my father Thomas
walking through this is my father Thomas Joseph kaya a bull gurmann man a family
Joseph kaya a bull gurmann man a family
Joseph kaya a bull gurmann man a family leader a community leader a Murray man
leader a community leader a Murray man
leader a community leader a Murray man that means an Aboriginal child a man
that means an Aboriginal child a man
that means an Aboriginal child a man from Queensland my father would walk
from Queensland my father would walk
from Queensland my father would walk through the rain forests with us on our
through the rain forests with us on our
through the rain forests with us on our island home and he would call out to the
island home and he would call out to the
island home and he would call out to the unseen realm to identify his voice and
unseen realm to identify his voice and
unseen realm to identify his voice and his persona because we believe that
his persona because we believe that
his persona because we believe that those in the unseen realm hear us the
those in the unseen realm hear us the
those in the unseen realm hear us the metaphysical is very real to us and that
metaphysical is very real to us and that
metaphysical is very real to us and that when they hear our voice they would make
when they hear our voice they would make
when they hear our voice they would make way and led us through their country and
way and led us through their country and
way and led us through their country and our intention has always to walk through
our intention has always to walk through
our intention has always to walk through to do no harm so it was wonderful to
to do no harm so it was wonderful to
to do no harm so it was wonderful to hear those birds singing because as I
hear those birds singing because as I
hear those birds singing because as I closed my eyes I could imagine my father
closed my eyes I could imagine my father
closed my eyes I could imagine my father walking through the rain forest and us
walking through the rain forest and us
walking through the rain forest and us following us
following us
following us and he would stop at specific places and
and he would stop at specific places and
and he would stop at specific places and hold his hand up and all us kids would
hold his hand up and all us kids would
hold his hand up and all us kids would like shuffle up and we’d all stop
like shuffle up and we’d all stop
like shuffle up and we’d all stop because we knew what was going to happen
because we knew what was going to happen
because we knew what was going to happen he would then call out to the old people
he would then call out to the old people
he would then call out to the old people the spirits of our ancestors the old
the spirits of our ancestors the old
the spirits of our ancestors the old people that have gone back gone past or
people that have gone back gone past or
people that have gone back gone past or have passed on and he would say it’s me
have passed on and he would say it’s me
have passed on and he would say it’s me Tom Gaia to identify himself we’re just
Tom Gaia to identify himself we’re just
Tom Gaia to identify himself we’re just walking through now when I think about
walking through now when I think about
walking through now when I think about my father and the way he walked
my father and the way he walked
my father and the way he walked as a leader I identify that he not only
as a leader I identify that he not only
as a leader I identify that he not only physically led us and cared for us but
physically led us and cared for us but
physically led us and cared for us but he also led us and cared for us in the
he also led us and cared for us in the
he also led us and cared for us in the metaphysical always with our well-being
metaphysical always with our well-being
metaphysical always with our well-being in mind and his leadership today
in mind and his leadership today
in mind and his leadership today resonates with me because that’s the way
resonates with me because that’s the way
resonates with me because that’s the way that I have learnt to lead and that’s
that I have learnt to lead and that’s
that I have learnt to lead and that’s the way I see indigenous leadership
the way I see indigenous leadership
the way I see indigenous leadership today to walk strong in the physical and
today to walk strong in the physical and
today to walk strong in the physical and the metaphysical and to do no harm but
the metaphysical and to do no harm but
the metaphysical and to do no harm but to lead your people who here knows about
to lead your people who here knows about
to lead your people who here knows about palm islands or as heard of palm islands
palm islands or as heard of palm islands
palm islands or as heard of palm islands can you put your hands up well there’s a
can you put your hands up well there’s a
can you put your hands up well there’s a few of you so I’m just going to take you
few of you so I’m just going to take you
few of you so I’m just going to take you on a little history trail and tell you a
on a little history trail and tell you a
on a little history trail and tell you a little bit about my island which you see
little bit about my island which you see
little bit about my island which you see up there on the screen palm island is a
up there on the screen palm island is a
up there on the screen palm island is a discrete average lunch hour on the
discrete average lunch hour on the
discrete average lunch hour on the community in North Queensland it’s 65
community in North Queensland it’s 65
community in North Queensland it’s 65 kilometers off the coast of Townsville
kilometers off the coast of Townsville
kilometers off the coast of Townsville northeast of Townsville it’s a very
northeast of Townsville it’s a very
northeast of Townsville it’s a very beautiful place nestled in the waters of
beautiful place nestled in the waters of
beautiful place nestled in the waters of the Great Barrier Reef its population is
the Great Barrier Reef its population is
the Great Barrier Reef its population is around three to four thousand people
around three to four thousand people
around three to four thousand people beautiful geographically but not a
beautiful geographically but not a
beautiful geographically but not a really beautiful history which I want to
really beautiful history which I want to
really beautiful history which I want to talk a little bit about today Palm
talk a little bit about today Palm
talk a little bit about today Palm Island was gazetted by the Queensland
Island was gazetted by the Queensland
Island was gazetted by the Queensland Government in 1914 as an Aboriginal
Government in 1914 as an Aboriginal
Government in 1914 as an Aboriginal reserve in 1918 the first people that
reserve in 1918 the first people that
reserve in 1918 the first people that went to Pamela were relocated from a
went to Pamela were relocated from a
went to Pamela were relocated from a place called Hull River which was
place called Hull River which was
place called Hull River which was ravaged by a cyclone so they moved the
ravaged by a cyclone so they moved the
ravaged by a cyclone so they moved the small community over there that was the
small community over there that was the
small community over there that was the first of many people that were moved to
first of many people that were moved to
first of many people that were moved to Palm Island by the Queensland Government
Palm Island by the Queensland Government
Palm Island by the Queensland Government in 1918 there was the removal orders
in 1918 there was the removal orders
in 1918 there was the removal orders came into place that the Queensland
came into place that the Queensland
came into place that the Queensland Government’s enacted under ledges
Government’s enacted under ledges
Government’s enacted under ledges nation now this legislation was called
nation now this legislation was called
nation now this legislation was called the protection of the aboriginals and
the protection of the aboriginals and
the protection of the aboriginals and the Prevention of the sale of opium Act
the Prevention of the sale of opium Act
the Prevention of the sale of opium Act of 1897 I’ll just repeat that again
of 1897 I’ll just repeat that again
of 1897 I’ll just repeat that again their protection of the aboriginals and
their protection of the aboriginals and
their protection of the aboriginals and the Prevention of the sale of opium act
Aboriginal people and the prevention of
Aboriginal people and the prevention of the sale of opium were inextricably
the sale of opium were inextricably
the sale of opium were inextricably linked at that time and it still is but
linked at that time and it still is but
linked at that time and it still is but that’s a story for another day
before I go on Irena recall how my
before I go on Irena recall how my father used to call out and I want to
father used to call out and I want to
father used to call out and I want to call out a welcome into the unseen realm
call out a welcome into the unseen realm
call out a welcome into the unseen realm here and acknowledge the Ngunnawal
here and acknowledge the Ngunnawal
here and acknowledge the Ngunnawal people of this country the old people
people of this country the old people
people of this country the old people the eldest past the eldest present and
the eldest past the eldest present and
the eldest past the eldest present and the young Ngunnawal people the leaders
the young Ngunnawal people the leaders
the young Ngunnawal people the leaders of the future we have many young people
of the future we have many young people
of the future we have many young people in our community who are leaders and
in our community who are leaders and
in our community who are leaders and there are many people like me not only
there are many people like me not only
there are many people like me not only on Palm Island but all around our
on Palm Island but all around our
on Palm Island but all around our communities in Australia that strive and
communities in Australia that strive and
communities in Australia that strive and have a desire to have strong leadership
have a desire to have strong leadership
have a desire to have strong leadership to lead our people with integrity and
to lead our people with integrity and
to lead our people with integrity and truth but to lead in partnership with
truth but to lead in partnership with
truth but to lead in partnership with you but in the time of the act those
you but in the time of the act those
you but in the time of the act those partnerships were not really possible
that legislation controlled Aboriginal
that legislation controlled Aboriginal lives completely down to who you could
lives completely down to who you could
lives completely down to who you could marry where you could move who you could
marry where you could move who you could
marry where you could move who you could talk to you my community the name of
talk to you my community the name of
talk to you my community the name of Parmalee became synonymous with fear the
Parmalee became synonymous with fear the
Parmalee became synonymous with fear the name Pam Island could curb anyone’s any
name Pam Island could curb anyone’s any
name Pam Island could curb anyone’s any original behavior on other communities
original behavior on other communities
original behavior on other communities because there was such fear you see it
because there was such fear you see it
because there was such fear you see it was surrounded by water it was a penal
was surrounded by water it was a penal
was surrounded by water it was a penal colony from the time of 1918 right up
colony from the time of 1918 right up
colony from the time of 1918 right up into the early 80s not many people know
into the early 80s not many people know
into the early 80s not many people know that that this act was the umbrella for
that that this act was the umbrella for
that that this act was the umbrella for many policies that control the original
many policies that control the original
many policies that control the original lives in Queensland right up into the
lives in Queensland right up into the
lives in Queensland right up into the light into the late 70s into the early
light into the late 70s into the early
light into the late 70s into the early 80s now my father and my mother and
80s now my father and my mother and
80s now my father and my mother and myself we were born under that act so
myself we were born under that act so
myself we were born under that act so that act were our parents the government
that act were our parents the government
that act were our parents the government became our parents now I talked about
became our parents now I talked about
became our parents now I talked about control and one of the the most
control and one of the the most
control and one of the the most diabolical agents of control was to
diabolical agents of control was to
diabolical agents of control was to strip us of our identity the image that
strip us of our identity the image that
strip us of our identity the image that you see on the screen is a genealogy of
you see on the screen is a genealogy of
you see on the screen is a genealogy of my father Thomas it was developed by a
my father Thomas it was developed by a
my father Thomas it was developed by a visiting anthropologist in the late
visiting anthropologist in the late
visiting anthropologist in the late 1930s my father was a young boy then or
1930s my father was a young boy then or
1930s my father was a young boy then or a young teenager and the anthropologist
a young teenager and the anthropologist
a young teenager and the anthropologist measured his head and that indicated his
measured his head and that indicated his
measured his head and that indicated his intelligence his IQ and he looked at his
intelligence his IQ and he looked at his
intelligence his IQ and he looked at his skin color and that indicated whether he
skin color and that indicated whether he
skin color and that indicated whether he was half castes quarter casks one-eighth
was half castes quarter casks one-eighth
was half castes quarter casks one-eighth Cass what percentage of Aboriginal he
Cass what percentage of Aboriginal he
Cass what percentage of Aboriginal he was and these information then informed
was and these information then informed
was and these information then informed the way government’s interacted with us
the way government’s interacted with us
the way government’s interacted with us or saw us and how we fitted into
or saw us and how we fitted into
or saw us and how we fitted into civilisation in Australia
however my father rejected every form of
however my father rejected every form of imposed identity on himself he didn’t
imposed identity on himself he didn’t
imposed identity on himself he didn’t see himself as a quarter caste
see himself as a quarter caste
see himself as a quarter caste Aboriginal man he saw himself as a merry
Aboriginal man he saw himself as a merry
Aboriginal man he saw himself as a merry man a bull gurmann man a Palm Island man
man a bull gurmann man a Palm Island man
man a bull gurmann man a Palm Island man and he never gave in to any form of
and he never gave in to any form of
and he never gave in to any form of pseudo imposed identity I just want to
pseudo imposed identity I just want to
pseudo imposed identity I just want to tell you in line with this identity my
tell you in line with this identity my
tell you in line with this identity my experience now I said the act it went up
experience now I said the act it went up
experience now I said the act it went up into the 80s and in the 90s I had a son
into the 80s and in the 90s I had a son
into the 80s and in the 90s I had a son who’s here in the audience tonight
who’s here in the audience tonight
who’s here in the audience tonight Daniel my son has mixed heritage
Daniel my son has mixed heritage
Daniel my son has mixed heritage he’s very fair and if you see us out in
he’s very fair and if you see us out in
he’s very fair and if you see us out in the audience after this you’ll notice
the audience after this you’ll notice
the audience after this you’ll notice the difference between us but I remember
the difference between us but I remember
the difference between us but I remember in the 90s driving in Melbourne where
in the 90s driving in Melbourne where
in the 90s driving in Melbourne where his father’s family lived and all of a
his father’s family lived and all of a
his father’s family lived and all of a sudden I was ripped with this fear I had
sudden I was ripped with this fear I had
sudden I was ripped with this fear I had a fear that somebody’s gonna take my
a fear that somebody’s gonna take my
a fear that somebody’s gonna take my child away from me because of his skin
child away from me because of his skin
child away from me because of his skin color
color
color I’ve had many comments when he was a
I’ve had many comments when he was a
I’ve had many comments when he was a baby people asked him me is it really
baby people asked him me is it really
baby people asked him me is it really your baby and I would say yes he’s my
your baby and I would say yes he’s my
your baby and I would say yes he’s my baby
baby
baby but he’s white and you’re not but he was
but he’s white and you’re not but he was
but he’s white and you’re not but he was my baby and that just sort of
my baby and that just sort of
my baby and that just sort of demonstrates the legacy that these
demonstrates the legacy that these
demonstrates the legacy that these policies have left and they still
policies have left and they still
policies have left and they still resonate with us today with many in
resonate with us today with many in
resonate with us today with many in community many are walking that journey
community many are walking that journey
community many are walking that journey of healing and sometimes it comes out in
of healing and sometimes it comes out in
of healing and sometimes it comes out in a different way in their behavior in
a different way in their behavior in
a different way in their behavior in community but there is a history behind
community but there is a history behind
community but there is a history behind that behavior
but now palm island has become United
but now palm island has become United over 46 tribes were sent there under
over 46 tribes were sent there under
over 46 tribes were sent there under forced removal but now that’s our home
forced removal but now that’s our home
forced removal but now that’s our home there I am fifth generation born on Palm
there I am fifth generation born on Palm
there I am fifth generation born on Palm Island we are now the Baldwin people
Island we are now the Baldwin people
Island we are now the Baldwin people which means many tribes one people the
which means many tribes one people the
which means many tribes one people the old people that came there were sent
old people that came there were sent
old people that came there were sent there carried with them a vision for the
there carried with them a vision for the
there carried with them a vision for the future because they knew they weren’t
future because they knew they weren’t
future because they knew they weren’t going to go back to their traditional
going to go back to their traditional
going to go back to their traditional country and they passed that vision on
country and they passed that vision on
country and they passed that vision on to us there are many old people in
to us there are many old people in
to us there are many old people in Australia our history makers our
Australia our history makers our
Australia our history makers our indigenous leaders who have I liken it
indigenous leaders who have I liken it
indigenous leaders who have I liken it to a river an underground surging water
to a river an underground surging water
to a river an underground surging water that’s been building and building and
that’s been building and building and
that’s been building and building and these old people their voices and their
these old people their voices and their
these old people their voices and their deeds have been a part of this river and
deeds have been a part of this river and
deeds have been a part of this river and they will continue on people like true
they will continue on people like true
they will continue on people like true bonini like Fanny Cochran Smith like
bonini like Fanny Cochran Smith like
bonini like Fanny Cochran Smith like Vincent Yin Ling re
Vincent Yin Ling re
Vincent Yin Ling re like William Cooper William Barak like
like William Cooper William Barak like
like William Cooper William Barak like Charles Perkins like Tom and Betty Gaia
Charles Perkins like Tom and Betty Gaia
Charles Perkins like Tom and Betty Gaia my parents and there are many more in
my parents and there are many more in
my parents and there are many more in our communities leaders community
our communities leaders community
our communities leaders community leaders whose intellectual prowess was
leaders whose intellectual prowess was
leaders whose intellectual prowess was played out into the dust of our
played out into the dust of our
played out into the dust of our communities and left their footprints
communities and left their footprints
communities and left their footprints for us to follow
and I believe those leaders they knew
and I believe those leaders they knew that we couldn’t go back to pre seven
that we couldn’t go back to pre seven
that we couldn’t go back to pre seven 1788 we had to move forward they had the
1788 we had to move forward they had the
1788 we had to move forward they had the momentum they carried that within their
momentum they carried that within their
momentum they carried that within their spirit and they passed it on to us we
spirit and they passed it on to us we
spirit and they passed it on to us we couldn’t be passive recipients on what
couldn’t be passive recipients on what
couldn’t be passive recipients on what was given to us we had to be active in
was given to us we had to be active in
was given to us we had to be active in building our future my father always
building our future my father always
building our future my father always said education was the key education was
said education was the key education was
said education was the key education was the key for us
they made relationships with
they made relationships with non-indigenous people they made friends
non-indigenous people they made friends
non-indigenous people they made friends and allies who stood beside them as they
and allies who stood beside them as they
and allies who stood beside them as they walked forward this image that you see
walked forward this image that you see
walked forward this image that you see before you is my creation I’m not a
before you is my creation I’m not a
before you is my creation I’m not a great artist but that’s the map of my
great artist but that’s the map of my
great artist but that’s the map of my community Palm Island and that’s a
community Palm Island and that’s a
community Palm Island and that’s a jutting out of one of the land and I’ve
jutting out of one of the land and I’ve
jutting out of one of the land and I’ve made it into a foot because that’s how I
made it into a foot because that’s how I
made it into a foot because that’s how I see us is stepping out stepping out and
see us is stepping out stepping out and
see us is stepping out stepping out and into the future
many of us are wanting to step out but
many of us are wanting to step out but sometimes we hear the voices of
sometimes we hear the voices of
sometimes we hear the voices of negativity in social media on Facebook
negativity in social media on Facebook
negativity in social media on Facebook in the media sometimes those voices come
in the media sometimes those voices come
in the media sometimes those voices come from this very place of representation
from this very place of representation
from this very place of representation Parliament House in Canberra they
Parliament House in Canberra they
Parliament House in Canberra they distract us from the bigger picture of
distract us from the bigger picture of
distract us from the bigger picture of building of building a future together
we need to build together this is our
we need to build together this is our nation this is our nation both you and I
nation this is our nation both you and I
nation this is our nation both you and I your people have come here and made this
your people have come here and made this
your people have come here and made this your home my people have always been
your home my people have always been
your home my people have always been here it’s been our home but now we are
here it’s been our home but now we are
here it’s been our home but now we are like this our stories are inter woven
like this our stories are inter woven
like this our stories are inter woven now your story became my story on that
now your story became my story on that
now your story became my story on that first landing and when that flag was
first landing and when that flag was
first landing and when that flag was raised you became part of my story over
raised you became part of my story over
raised you became part of my story over the generations and my people became
the generations and my people became
the generations and my people became part of your story so I believe that to
part of your story so I believe that to
part of your story so I believe that to walk forward as a nation we need to
walk forward as a nation we need to
walk forward as a nation we need to respect each other’s story understand
respect each other’s story understand
respect each other’s story understand each other this is a wonderful country
each other this is a wonderful country
each other this is a wonderful country with a great future with the richness of
with a great future with the richness of
with a great future with the richness of both indigenous and non-indigenous
both indigenous and non-indigenous
both indigenous and non-indigenous people and others who have come to know
people and others who have come to know
people and others who have come to know this country as your home I’d like to
this country as your home I’d like to
this country as your home I’d like to you and why choo choo think to stop
you and why choo choo think to stop
you and why choo choo think to stop think and reflect on how you see us how
think and reflect on how you see us how
think and reflect on how you see us how you can learn to see us but from this
you can learn to see us but from this
you can learn to see us but from this time how differently you might see us
and I hold out my hand in invitation to
and I hold out my hand in invitation to you all as a leader as an indigenous
you all as a leader as an indigenous
you all as a leader as an indigenous woman to walk with me
woman to walk with me
woman to walk with me to listen to my story to see how it
to listen to my story to see how it
to listen to my story to see how it blends with your story I started this
blends with your story I started this
blends with your story I started this talk with the voice of my father I’m
talk with the voice of my father I’m
talk with the voice of my father I’m gonna finish it with my voice because we
gonna finish it with my voice because we
gonna finish it with my voice because we are here the water is rising friends we
are here the water is rising friends we
are here the water is rising friends we are here we are not going to go away we
are here we are not going to go away we
are here we are not going to go away we are not going to die out like this
are not going to die out like this
are not going to die out like this policies thought we would we are here to
policies thought we would we are here to
policies thought we would we are here to build and to build with you dare to
build and to build with you dare to
build and to build with you dare to allow us to lead our people the way that
allow us to lead our people the way that
allow us to lead our people the way that we can whoa Australia I am my father’s
we can whoa Australia I am my father’s
we can whoa Australia I am my father’s daughter Lenore Karen Gaia and I am here
daughter Lenore Karen Gaia and I am here
daughter Lenore Karen Gaia and I am here the First Nations people are here always
the First Nations people are here always
the First Nations people are here always was and always will be
you are here we are all here walk with
you are here we are all here walk with us walk with us as we build momentum to
us walk with us as we build momentum to
us walk with us as we build momentum to lead our people to lead our community
lead our people to lead our community
lead our people to lead our community walk with us as we make Australia rich
walk with us as we make Australia rich
walk with us as we make Australia rich [Applause]
”
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