One voter's deeper purpose keeps history alive (fwd)

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One voter's deeper purpose keeps history alive

The Sydney Morning Herald
Malcolm Brown
March 23, 2007
http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/one-voters-deeper-purpose-keeps-history-alive/2007/03/22/1174153258373.html#

BERYL CARMICHAEL, the legendary elder of the Ngiyaampaa people of far
western NSW, will vote in the state and federal elections - but Aunty
Beryl will probably regard the results as transitory.

But Aunty Beryl is locked in a deeper, more fundamental campaign.

She is seeking to preserve the culture of her people that has prevailed
over 40,000 years, despite being threatened with extinction and -
despite national awareness in recent decades - still threatened.

Linda Burney (ALP, Canterbury), the first Aboriginal woman in the NSW
Legislative Assemby, was in no doubt about the threat when she spoke at
this week's presentation of the Rona Tranby Award to Aunty Beryl for her
contribution to the preservation of Aboriginal legend, culture and
language.

"Probably one of the greatest tragedies this country is witnessing at
the moment is the loss of our languages at the rate of two a year," she
said.

"There are only 60 left that are spoken conversationally, out of 500 or
600, and there is nothing being done to protect them except endeavours
like this."

Aunty Beryl received the award, administered by a trust in collaboration
with Tranby Aboriginal College of Sydney and the NSW Jewish Board of
Deputies. It was presented at the Sydney Jewish Museum.

The last fluent speaker of her language, Aunty Beryl was born on a
mission station at Menindee and learnt the legends of her people around
the campfire, listening to her father, who ensured that his children
knew the ancient arts of making weapons and gathering food.

She knew tough times. As a child she had little food. The children would
go out hunting for a rabbit for their one substantial meal for the day
before going to school. "Coming home for lunch, there was no food in
the house," she said.

Nearly a quarter-century ago, Aunty Beryl started education classes to
bring Aboriginal children back to the bush.

"It is a very long journey and we still have a long, long way to go
before we can say 'Well done' to our people," she said.

"We are trying to bring the children with us, our young people to get
out there to witness the big picture. Without connections, language and
heritage, we will 
 remain lost in our culture."

The mother of 10, grandmother of 18 and great-grandmother to 14, Aunty
Beryl has helped establish Aboriginal pre-school kindergartens in
Broken Hill and Menindee and has helped set up a pioneer NSW Meals on
Wheels bush tucker project at Menindee.

One night she woke trembling, as spiritual forces inspired her to write
a prayer.

"Father of us all and Great Spirit of Our Ancestors 
", she began, and
thanked the Great Spirit for guiding her and creating the land that had
served her people.