Essay on Indigenous Australians and later Life Kath

Submitted By parsan
Words: 576
Pages: 3

Away with the bitterness, my own dark people
Come stand with me, look forward, not back,
For a new time has come for us.
Now we must change, my people. For so long
Time for us stood still; now we know
Life is change, life is progress,
Life is learning things, life is onward.
White men had to learn civilized ways,
Now it is our turn. (Walker,1981)

Kathleen Jean Mary was born on 3rd November 1920 on North Strandbroke Island Australia. Her father Edward belonged to Noonuccal tribe which was able to maintain high level of tribal culture and her mom Lucy was from inland. Kath was growing up learning aboriginal ethics and hunting skills. She went to Dulwich Primary School. As she was left -handed she was forced to use right hand in school. Unfortunately she quit her school in primary level during the thick of the Depression and started working as housemaid at the age of 13. At 16, she planed to continue her profession as a nurse but the weird rule of racism did not let join the course. And she joined worked as a switchboard operator for Australian Women’s Army during World War II. This was a positive experience for her as she was treated without hostility and got to learn new skills. (museum)She was married to Bruce Walker on 1942 and got divorced after they had two boys on 1954 (Encyclopedia). Kath joined Australian Communist Party, which was the only Union in her time against the racial discrimination. She felt the incompetency and failure of that formed political organization to recognize Aboriginal rights and issues. Being alert that people may follow her unconsciously after becoming a famous Aboriginal spokesperson she resigned the party and became the member of Queensland Council for the advancement of Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders in 1958. She also attended the annual conferences of Federal council for Aboriginal Advancement. As a result of her selfless performance for the civil rights of Aboriginal people, she was elected as the first Queensland state secretary in 1962. During the annual conference in Adelaide on 1962 she read her ‘Aboriginal Charter of Rights’ and ‘Oration’