Murrundindi

Headman of the Wurrundjeri Tribe

We acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land, the Wurundjeri people, and pay our respects to the elders both past and present for they hold the memories, the traditions, the culture and the hopes of Aboriginal Australia.

Long before the English came, before politics and technology interfered, Australia was a rich tapestry of indigenous life. Hunters and gatherers roamed freely and lived off the abundant land Mother Earth bestowed upon them.

“My name is Murrundindi. It means ‘home up in the mountain’.” Never have those words been spoken with such conviction, pride and passion. Headman of the Wurrundjeri tribe, Murrundindi is the custodian and advocate of Aboriginal rights and legacy in Australia.

Although he grew up handicapped and distraught by his identity, no one is prouder than Murrundindi of the Aboriginal heritage and roots.

“Healesville is a healing ground. That’s where my people lived. If you’ve got any connection to the land and to the spirit, you’ll understand its powers .”

“My father was Scottish, and my mother was an aboriginal lady named Gumbri. I was born in North Melbourne, at home on the kitchen table because my mother was not allowed to give birth in the hospital at that time.” The midwife, Murrundindi’s grandmother, brought him into a world where aboriginals had no rights, 73 years ago. When he was four days old, he was brought to Melbourne to be registered with the government. “I grew up in a society being called a half-caste. I was not black nor white, not wanted. The white community would have nothing to do with me and I did not have a white education. I could not read or write till I was 36.”

One should never make the mistake of romanticising the aboriginal way of life. It was never easy. Racism and prejudice reared their ugly heads.

“It’s only the last 36 years of my life that I’ve acknowledged my aboriginal roots because of the discrimination. I was always taught to believe in my culture at home but when I went outside I wanted to be a white person, because of the

way we were treated.”

Murrundindi’s English wife Maureen gave him the pivotal turning point in life. ‘She showed me respect and taught me how to stand up for my rights. I’m the happiest man in the world, have the most beautiful wife and family who respect and understand who I am”.

Another significant moment for Murrundindi was when the aboriginals were given constitutional rights in 1967.  As a mentor and much sought-after teacher of indigenous culture in some of Melbourne’s top private schools, this progressive leader can be found playing the didgeridoo at schools during the week and at Healesville Sanctuary on Sundays and public holidays.

“My culture is my living.”

我们由衷的感谢这片土地的传统守护者- Wurundjeri 部落族裔人民，并向过去和现在的长者们表示崇高敬意，因为他们留存了澳大利亚土著居民的记忆、传统、文化和希望。

早在英国人的到来，还有一切的政治与技术力量介入这块土地之前，澳大利亚其实拥有生活方式朴实多彩的土著(原住民)群体。狩猎采集者自由漫游，依存于大地之母赐予他们的肥沃富饶土地。

 

“我的名字叫Murrundindi，含义是“在山上的家”。他在说这些话的时候从来没有像现在这样充满信心、自豪和激情。

Healesville是一个具备治愈能量的小天地。那是我的人民生活的地方，如果你与大地心灵相通，你就会领悟这股力量。

Murrundindi是Wurrundjeri部落的首领，也是澳大利亚土著权利和文化遗产的守护者与倡导者。虽然他从小就因为自己的身份认知问题导致残破不堪和心神俱疲，但因为有着土著传统和根源，让他更坚定骄傲。

“我的父亲是苏格兰人，母亲名为Gumbri，是一位土著妇女。我出生在墨尔本北部，母亲当时就在家里的餐桌上进行分娩，因为她不被允许到医院生产。”73年前，他的祖母(充当助产士)将他带到一个土著没有基本权利的世界。

当他出生第四天，方前往墨尔本政府进行注册。“我在一个被称为“半种姓”的社会中长大。我不是黑人或者白人，是不重要的存在。白人社区对我毫无帮助，我从未接受过白人的教育制度，直到36岁才读书写字。任何人都不应犯下美化土著生活方式的错误，由于丑陋的种族主义和偏见抬头，这是非常艰辛痛苦的过程。”而在他生命走到36年后，由于歧视和不公平待遇，他承认了自己的土著血统。

“在家里，我虽然被教诲要相信自己文化的根源，但当我走出家门，我只想成为一个白人，因为这个社会差异的对待方式。”而他的英国籍妻子Maureen成为他人生的转捩点。“她尊重我，并教会我如何维护自己的权利。我是世界上最幸福的人，拥有最美丽的妻子和家人，深刻敬爱和理解真实的我。

1967年，土著们被赋予宪法权利，这也是Murrundindi永志难忘的时刻。作为墨尔本顶级私立学校的导师，这位备受欢迎和力求上进的领导者在每周日、学校和公众假期时段，于Healesville Sanctuary演奏迪吉里杜管(didgeridoo)，这也是澳大利亚土著部落的传统乐器。“我的生活就是我的文化。”

By Billie Ooi-Ng Lean Gaik