My Country Your Country – Menindee

A series of documentary films of First Nations people in Menindee, NSW, made by students from Menindee Central School with the support of Show Me The Way.

 

Pearl Ferguson

Pearl was born at Menindee Mission and moved to Wilcannia on the river with her father, mother and eight brothers and sisters. It was hard but it was a good life. In 1976 she moved back to Menindee with her husband and her three children then went to school there. Menindee means everything to Pearl.

 

Amanda King

Amanda connects culture with the landscape in her hometown of Menindee. In her role as Aboriginal Education Officer at Menindee Central School she teaches language to the students.

 

David Doyle

David was born and bred in Menindee now living down the road in Broken Hill. When David is not travelling half way across NSW by plane and car as an Aboriginal Health Practitioner, he enjoys making wood carvings.

 

Fiona Kelly

When Fiona was in Year 5 at school she had an amazing teacher who saw her potential and wanted her to succeed. She became the first in her family to go to university. As the Principal of Menindee Central School she now wants to see her students succeed.

 

Eleanor Sloane

Culture has always been important to Eleanor. She’s spent time teaching school students about Country. She is also a keeper of the culture through emu egg carving and painting.

 

Joy Williams

Joy grew up on Menindee Reserve. A lot of people lived there. She remembers there were no taps and they had to cart water from the river. She still had fun as a child with everyone playing skippy, rounders, knucklebone and hopscotch.

 

Evelyn Bates

Evelyn was born at Menindee Mission. Her father used to work up and down the river and would return to the Mission when he finished work. Evelyn has made cultural objects such as clap sticks for the kids.

 

Beryl Carmichael

Born at Menindee Mission, everyone did things together. It made it a lot easier. No one was lonely and the Mission was everything to Beryl. She says, “We wouldn’t be here without the river. It’s the lifeblood of a nation”.