Funded by the Rona Tranby Trust, this oral history project is dedicated to documenting and preserving the life stories and wisdom of Aunty Margret. Through a series of interviews, we are capturing her experiences and contributions to the Aboriginal community, ensuring her invaluable knowledge is passed down to future generations.
Aunty Margret Campbell: Djunghutti-Djirringanj woman, activist, teacher and knowledge Elder
We have completed four in-depth audio interview sessions with Aunty Margret. These sessions have explored her early life on the mission in South West Rocks, her travels between family members along the coast after her mother’s passing, and her eventual settlement in Sydney as a teenager. We have also delved into her involvement in the political Aboriginal activist movement during the 1960s and 70s in Redfern, including her participation in the Foundation of Aboriginal Affairs led by Charles Perkins.
Additionally, we are covering her transition into the education sector, including her beginning in the early childhood education and helping to establish an Aboriginal preschool. Aunty Margret’s contributions as one of the founding members of the NSW Aboriginal Education Consultative Group, her role in setting up Pemulwuy High School, and her work as a teacher at Tranby Aboriginal Co-operative are also being highlighted. Furthermore, we are discussing her transition into the tourism industry, driven by her desire to educate others about the Aboriginal history of Sydney.
In future sessions, we plan to explore Aunty Margret’s connection with her ancestors and the Country she comes from, the cultural wisdom passed down to her and gained while living on Gadigal Country, and her vision for the future. While the project has primarily focused on audio interviews so far, we have done one session recently of film content and hope to continue this in future sessions to provide a more comprehensive and engaging record of Aunty Margret’s stories.
This project not only honours Aunty Margret’s life and contributions but also serves as a vital resource for educating and inspiring future generations about the rich history and culture of the Aboriginal community.
Collecting the oral story of Aunty Dr Matilda House-Williams by her son, Paul Girrawah House
Aunty Matilda Williams House is a notable Ngambri-Ngunnuwal Elder, with a prominent history of struggle and activism. She has experienced a large portion of the Aboriginal protest movement through the 1950s to present day.
In a series of sit-down interviews, we are giving her a platform to pass down her stories and life experiences to the broader Aboriginal community. Guaranteeing that the valuable information that Aunty Matilda holds is preserved in time.
We have completed three in-person interviews with Aunty Matilda, filmed in high resolution and talking with Arrernte Filmmaker, Rachel Perkins.
The content seen within these interviews spans her early childhood, from being born at the Erambie Aboriginal Mission in Cowra in 1945, her time growing up at the Hollywood Aboriginal Reserve in Yass, all the way to her involvement with the Canberra Aboriginal Tent Embassy in 1972.
As a prominent political leader and activist, Aunty Matilda House is an invaluable source of knowledge and wisdom. We were privileged to be able to sit down with her for these interviews, and we plan on hosting her again to finish telling her life story to completion.
Telling the story of the passing of the Land Rights Act 1976
Telling the Story of the Passing of the Land Rights Act 1976 is an oral history project on the history of the Central Land Council (CLC) and the Land Rights Movement of the 1970s. The project aims to compile the history of the passing of the Land Rights Act and to document the involvement of the First Nations people involved in the movement who did not, and cannot now, have a voice. The project is designed to ensure their contributions are recorded for posterity.
Interviewees will include Marcia Langton AO, Neville Perkins OAM (nephew of Charlie Perkins the first Chairman of the Central Land Council), David Ross AM and Patrick Dodson as well as many other First Nations people who were employed at the CLC or were witnesses to events of the time.
Leading the project is David Parsons SC who is a retired Judge of the County Court of Victoria with a long career in land rights and native title law, having worked as a solicitor with the Central Australian Aboriginal Legal Service in Alice Springs from 1974-6. Joining him will be: The Hon. Geoffrey Eames AM KC, a former Justice of the Court of Appeal in Victoria, who was the first solicitor employed by the Central Land Council in 1975; Professor Michael Dodson AO who has a long history of scholarship and advocacy on behalf of First Nations Australians and was previously employed as CEO of the Northern Land Council; and, Patrick Keyzer FAAL who is a Professor of Law and Public Policy and Dean of Law and the Australian Catholic University (ACU).
David, Geoffrey, Michael and Patrick will travel to Alice Springs, Canberra, and Melbourne to record the oral histories of First Nations peoples involved in ensuring the legislation was passed, supplemented with the recollections of their relatives.
The new Rona Tranby Award would not be possible without the contributions from the New South Wales Jewish Board of Deputies Pinshaw Fund.
The Australian Light Horse Project: Travelling Exhibition
On 31 October 2017, 13 descendants of Indigenous Light Horse soldiers who served in the First Australian Imperial Force at Sinai-Palestine conflicts during WWI were supported by the Rona Tranby Trust to travel to Beersheba, Israel. The Rona Tranby Trust supported the descendants with travel, tours, and accomodation to Israel, to take part in the official Australian / Israeli Centenary Commemorations Ceremonies of the famous Charge of the 4th Australian Light Horse Brigade at Beersheba on 31st October 1917.
On 25 April 2022, Anzac Day, the Rona Tranby Trust launched the ongoing initiative, The Australian Light Horse Project: Travelling Exhibition, at Pilliga Public School.
The Travelling Exhibition showcases the stories of these ancestors and their enormous contribution to Australia's military history.
At the Exhibition launch in Pilliga, NSW, descendant Terry Hutchison (Great nephew of brothers Francis Firth (2nd Light Horse Regiment), Ernest Firth (1st Light Horse Regiment), and Charles Firth (New Zealand Expeditionary Force)) and Fran Grant (proud Yuin woman and Rona Tranby Trust Education Consultant) gave presentations to the audience. Terry discussed the Firth brothers, and how his family story is connected to Pilliga, and Fran supported the exhibition by providing curators, invigilators, and attendees with resources to sensitively complement the exhibition and enhance their learning and inquiry into this area, connecting with the curriculum.
The Travelling Exhibition will next go to Waverley College on 28 April 2023, and descendant Elsie Amamoo (Great Granddaughter of Frank Fisher (11th Light Horse Regiment)) will give a presentation along with Educational Consultant Fran Grant.
The Rona Tranby Trust has plans to take the Travelling Exhibition to Queensland later in the year.
The Australian Light Horse Project: Travelling Exhibition would not be possible without the support of the Waratah Education Foundation.