Cirrus@Austlit

'Ridgeway, Executive Director of the N.S.W. Aboriginal Land Council, talks about his upbringing on the Bellwood Aboriginal Reserve in northern New South Wales; his move to Sydney with his mother and brother while still at primary school; his attendance at St. John's College in Lismore on an Aboriginal study grant; the influence of his Catholic education; early work experiences in a factory and in the National Parks and Wildlife Service; political influence of his grandmother, Phoebe Mumbler; employment in the NSW public service in various departments; departure from public service to work for NSW Aboriginal Land Council; his view of the relationship between Aboriginal land issues and environmental groups and mining interests; the role of the NSW Land Council; land claims in NSW; Aboriginality and bi-culturalism; the Aboriginal Mediation course developed for the Australian Commercial Disputes Centre; native title; the NSW Geographical Names Board; the role of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission.

'Ridgeway discusses the need for agreements to be reviewed; reconciliation; joint management issues; cultural appropriation; the Murray-Darling Basin Commission; water; Mabo legislation; his admiration for Neville Bonner; Aboriginal leadership in the 1990s compared to the 1970s; sovereignty; personal qualities and life and his desire to reintroduce the Gumbaynggir language. He also speculates about his position, and that of the Land Council, in seven years' time.'(Interview summary)

'Anderson talks about his family background and Tasmanian Aboriginal lineage. He then talks about his education through to University studies in medicine, his career and his writing. Anderson then discusses the work of Aboriginal health professionals and the application of western medical principles in an Aboriginal context and he outlines possible future personal directions.' (Interview summary)

'Behrendt talks about her birth at Cooma, N.S.W. and upbringing and education in Sydney. She then discusses the development of her interest in Aboriginal politics and feminism while at high school; her family connection with Walgett, N.S.W.; studies in Law in Sydney and at Harvard, where she completed a Master of Laws in 1994; Aboriginal sovereignty and her future and that of Indigenous Australians in general.' (Interview summary)

'Adrian Stanley, lecturer in natural and cultural resource management, born 1965, in Naracoorte, S. Aust., talks about his family background and his earliest memories; his early awareness of his Aboriginality; his education; encountering racism at school; his father's political activism; an awareness of Indigenous issues at an early age; the Indigenous organisations his father was involved in; Agricultural College and his experiences there; life after College; moving back to Adelaide with his father, working odd jobs; establishing and working for a volunteer gardening project; the recession and lack of work available; applying for a Conservation and Park Management course at Salisbury; accepting a position as a Lecturer for Natural and Cultural Resource Management; moving to the Northern Territory after accepting this position; his experiences of teaching; the differences between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal attitudes to ecology; field work undertaken; the courses he teaches; Indigenous attitudes to pest control; a Bilby program he was involved in; his interest in captive breeding and marine life; the Mimosa and Olive problems.

'Stanley discusses Indigenous conservation practices; teaching Indigenous as well as western conservation methods; Aboriginal National Parks and the employment of Indigenous people in the Parks and Wildlife services; the benefits of using Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal park rangers; the importance of learning to live and work with non-Indigenous people; his intention to visit his father's country near Cherbourg; the Aboriginal sense of place and spirituality and connection to the land; his opinion on the state of the environment in Australia; how education would assist Aboriginal communities to manage land better; the mining industry in Australia; his opinion on the development of Aboriginal National Parks; wanting to continue to teach and work with Aboriginal people; the differences between the Aboriginal communities in Adelaide and the Northern Territory; his children; the knowledge he'd like to pass on to his children; his intentions to study at a postgraduate level; the future for his family.' (Interview summary)

'Mailman, an actor, talks about her father, who is from Augathella, South Central Queensland, Bidjara country and her mother who is a Maori from Tokomaru Bay, New Zealand; upbringing and education at Mount Isa; drama studies and acting training at Queensland University of Technology, Kelvin Grove; her Aboriginality as a Murri; mixed identities; role models; involvement in various theatrical productions; her attitude to playing Aboriginal parts and actors she admires. She then talks about her desire to create a bigger Indigenous arts industry in Australia; life ouside the theatre; her traditional values and her attitude to opening nights, criticism, marriage and race relations. Mailman then speculates about the future for herself and other Murri actors.' (Interview summary)

'Ford, a , lecturer and educator, talks about her birth and childhood at Batchelor, N.T., her indigenous Australian mother and European Australian father and her formal and informal education at Batchelor and later at Atherton and Townsville, Qld and Warrnambool, Vic. She then discusses her teaching experiences around Portland, Vic.; involvement with Lake Condah Aboriginal Co-operative; academic career; return to 'White Eagle' clan at Batchelor in 1991 and prospects for her clan and herself in the future.' (Interview summary)

'Sandra Phillips talks about her childhood in Gayndah, Qld.; the importance of culture and belonging; her early career; her role as a publisher; the future of Indigenous publishers; Indigenous publishing; the changes in her life during the next seven years.' (Interview summary)

'Enoch talks about his family background, particularly his father's connections with Stradbroke Island; the family's move to Brisbane in the early 1970s; education at Woodridge High School; studies in Drama at Queensland University of Technology; brief period of training in the United States; honours' thesis on contemporary Aboriginal arts; the Kooemba Jdarra Indigenous Performing Arts Company, of which he was artistic director, 1994-1997; progress and set-backs in Aboriginal affairs; influences of parents; childhood memories; the importance of stories and place; "Aunty Kath Walker" as a role model; origins of his involvement in Murri theatre; 'The Seven stages of grieving'; Kevin Gilbert; interest in writing as well as directing; rejection of concept of Australia as one nation; preference for identity based on concept of one land and Murri perspective of living with the land; reconciliation; the impact of governmental change on the proposal for a National Institute of Indigenous Performing Arts; and predictions about his personal situation seven years' hence.' (Interview summary)

'Jackie Huggins (Deputy Director, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies Centre, University of Queensland) and Peter Read discuss a number of issues including the Stolen Generations, Aboriginality, interracial marriage, multiculturalism, identity and reconciliation. The conversation ends with a reflection on the relative success of the Seven Years On oral history project and its possible future directions.' (Interview summary)

'Rigney discusses the Nurrunga and Kaurna people; his childhood at Point Pearce reserve on the Yorke Peninsula, South Australia; his education at Maitland Lutheran school and working life as mechanic, teacher and academic. He also talks about the problems of racism and colonialism; Aboriginality; education system; Aboriginal Dreaming and Christianity; cultural implications of marriages between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians; Stolen Generation; Yunggorendi Centre at Flinders University and his thoughts on the next seven years.' (Interview summary)

'Harris, a photographer, speaks of her family background and growing up in Cowra, NSW; her Indigenous Australian mother, who is of the Wiradjuri and Ngunnawal people, and non-Indigenous father who is from Penrith, NSW; her schooling and move to Canberra on completing her Higher School Certificate in 1984; her love of photography; her traineeship in photography at the Australian Institute of Aboriginal Studies in Canberra; her enrolment in a photography course at Canberra Institute of Technology; her experience in a photographic project at Leeton; the 'After 200 years' project in 1987; her appointment as Senior Photographer at the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS); her belief in the importance of technical training in photography; her stylistic preferences; attitude to digital photography; her approach to undertaking photography in indigenous communities; issues of copyright, permission and contextualization; the 'Black Women's Calendar' of 1993; her work for the Queensland Art Gallery in 1989.

'Harris discusses her loyalty to AIATSIS and reasons for leaving it; her work at the Australian Heritage Commission (AHC); her professional development grant from the Australia Council in 1995; her solo show at the High Court in Canberra in 1990; AIATSIS policy on public access to photographs of indigenous subject matter; her role on the AHC's photographic database; the concept of heritage sites; Canberra as a city and its indigenous community; Murris and Kooris in Canberra; her photo of Black Mountain titled "Bush Renewal" which earned her an award in 1993. She also speculates, at the invitation of the interviewers, on what she hopes to achieve in seven years' time, and discusses the future of pictorial archiving and photography in the digital era.' (Interview summary)

'Lee talks about her family ancestry and upbringing in Tasmania; coming to Canberra to study archaeology at the Australian National University in the 1990s and establishing a consultancy company in Sydney in partnership with another archaeologist. She then discusses Aboriginality; regionalism; compartmentalization of identity; family based divisions within the Indigenous community; relationship between her Aboriginality and archaeology and her views of the future for herself and Indigenous Australians in general.' (Interview summary)

'Baum, a curator, talks about her family history; growing up in Darwin and memories of Cyclone Tracy and evacuation to Brisbane. She then discusses schooling in Darwin during the 1970s in particular the teaching of Australian history. Baum then talks about her work as an environmental officer at Jabiru for Ranger uranium; Bachelor of Science in Canberra; family life; work at National Museum of Australia and exhibits and planned projects. She then considers future career moves such as community liaison. Baum then discusses the Museum and its activities and role in society and the return of material to the Aboriginal communities such as the Edinburgh collection's return in June 2000.' (Interview summary)

'Sam Watson, aka Cham, youth worker and writer, was born in 1972 at Mt. Gravatt, Brisbane, family moving to Caboolture Qld in the early 1980's. He speaks of his family life; his culture as a Murri (Australian Aboriginal); being unaware of his parents involvement in the Vietnam War Moratorium & the Black Panther Movement ie. Aboriginal political activists, during 1970's; talks of increasing divisions between Torres Strait Islander & Aboriginal peoples; effects of multiculturalism on his commitment to the Indigenous communities; police harassment of his father having a profound affect on his lifestyle choices. His focus is more personal, Cham's priority being a good relationship with his son. After leaving university & film school Watson speaks of his work with youth for the Australian Legal Service (ALS), Police Liaison in Qld.; affect his work has had on his family life during volatile periods of Queensland's police history. Watson identifies the Daniel Yock killing in 1998 as the catalyst for a career change to writing; describes the Commission into Yock's death, commenting that community expectations were unrealistic; abduction of 3 Aboriginal children by the Police at Pinkinbah Qld; difficulties associated in his job with the ALS. Watson speaks of his writings, predominantly young adult Aboriginal literature & it's inspirations; development as a poet; the political, cultural & literary influence Sam Senior's( his father) work has had on his own ambitions; his work on the Board of the Queensland Writers Centre & the Queensland Writers Festivals; Australia's internal political & cultural politics, the welfare system & what he feels is necessary to be done to improve life for Indigenous peoples.' (Source : Libraries Australia)

'Nicole Watson, daughter of Aboriginal rights activist Sam Watson, speaks of growing up in Caboolture, Qld. [late 1970's- ]; her unconventional childhood, a big extended family with numerous political visitors; of her father's role as a Black Panther (ie Aboriginal political movement) from the late 1960s onwards; what benefits Aboriginals have gained from the Movement's struggles; talks of racism in Caboolture; feeling isolated being the only Murri (Australian Aboriginal) at a school she viewed to be racist. She credits her mother, a Disability worker with providing stability in the family life. Watson majored in environmental resources law from the University of Queensland; talks about her work for Native Title, work as Associate for Queensland Court of Appeals President (Tony Fitzgerald) after years as a Law Clerk, then a couple of years at Legal Aid.

'Watson speaks of the pitfalls of working for the Native Title Tribunal for whom she worked for 12 months; cultural difficulties faced by Aboriginals when working within the Federal justice system for determining land rights & family law matters; cites Olney & Yorta Yorta claims case, Hindmarsh Island case, TSI heritage Protection Act case as examples; work with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), providing advice on Native title policy & law; secondment to Queensland Premiers Dept. working at Cape York Justice especially in areas of domestic violence; her support for Community Justice Programs. Watson speaks of future plans with a view to improving practices in the legal system for native title & family law; her further involvement in Community Arts Gallery.' (Interview summary)

'Adrian Stanley talks about his life during the previous seven years; his role at the Indigenous Land Council; his career and his predictions for the next seven years.'

'Jackie Huggins discusses having lunch with President George Bush in Canberra in November 2003; the ATSIC review; Australian politics; issues of Aboriginality; her work with Reconciliation Australia; on being an elder and her predictions for the next seven years.'

'Ian Anderson talks about his current positions, work and research; completing his PhD.; receiving a fellowship; how the Co-operative Research Centre for Aboriginal Health [CRC] works; reflects on middle age and his sense of contributions and achievements; parenthood; homeownership; his marriage and family; his work impacting on his life and health; exercise; the Leaders in Indigenous Medical Education (LIME) network; the cost of career opportunities and what motivates his work; the nature of leadership and how he defines his public role; his contribution to the field of Indigenous Health, Aboriginal students and future generations; abilities, responsibilities and difficulties of leadership, self-perception and management; managing 43 staff in his university department, work versus family relationships; friendships; his sense of early mortality and reluctance to attend funerals.' (Publication summary)

'Aden Ridgeway talks about his previous interview; his family; Rugby League and football; the Maori Haka and an Australian equivalent; the national anthem; spending 6 years in public office; his work-life balance; the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission (ATSIC); inspirational young Indigenous people; how his world perspective is different to new generations because he grew up on a reserve; Bangarra Dance Company; running a consultancy business, facilitating community and corporation meetings; the Lion Nathan and Brewarrina community partnership; the aims of the Indigenous Social Investment Guide; hoping to establish a grants marketplace and tax credits program; preferring to work behind the scenes rather than be seen as a leader or re-enter politics.

'Ridgeway discusses the NT Intervention; the ATSIC model of representation; the next Indigenous generation; Australia's definition of identity; the possibility of doing Masters at Oxford University; to lead a delegation from the NSW Aboriginal Land Council at the next UN forum in New York, in April; the current focus of the forum is the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People; youth delegates from FaHCSIA's National Youth Leadership Development Initiative attending the forums; Megan Davis; how he regularly visits India over the last four years to detox; the need for more to be done to heal Indigenous peoples' spirits; Red Dust, a trauma-healing program for men; racism, consultation, community, identity; his personal philosophy.'  (Publication summary)

'Kerrie Tim speaks about her family; health; mourning; his career in the public service; how life has changed for Aboriginal Australians in the past 30 years; reforms in Indigenous Affairs; leadership program for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women; the importance of education; the Remote Service Delivery program; the Apology; Race Discrimination Act; work life balance; her motivation; mind maps of Indigenous knowledge; models of communication; diversity and changes in Indigenous identities and demographics; pursuing her goals.'

'Linda Ford speaks about finishing her PhD in 2005; working as a senior lecturer at the University of Queensland; working to increase Indigenous student numbers with Queensland University of Technology; Indigenous ownership of Indigenous tertiary units; her PhD; negotiating with her mother about what Indigenous knowledge she could use in her PhD; her mother’s death in April 2007 from illness; working at Charles Darwin University; her concerns that other Indigenous students will not get the same educational opportunities she has had; her steep learning curve after graduation; her current role co-ordinating a unit on Indigenous Knowledge at UQ; lecturing and tutoring Indigenous and non-Indigenous students; her PhD thesis being examined by Indigenous scholars; the women in her family being very supportive of her PhD; Indigenous knowledge gaining attention from mainstream academia and Aboriginal communities; taking on her mother’s role being a senior figure in her clan; her daughters and the continuation of knowledge and culture; living in Brisbane; being committed to returning to Darwin eventually; the challenges of working for government in Darwin; the NT Intervention; her hopes for the future and for her children.' (Publication summary)

'Alana speaks about her family; parenting; being an urban Aboriginal; working at AIATSIS and its future.'  (Publication summary)