Willie gordon biography

PUBLICATION: Willie Gordon, Guurrbi: My Consanguinity and Other Stories, Guurrbi Wanderings, , Cooktown

SEX: Male

BIRTH DATE:

BIRTH PLACE: Hopevale, Queensland

LANGUAGES SPOKEN: English, Guugu Yimithirr

SIGNIFICANT LOCALITIES:

• Cooktown: the novel town of Cooktown is on a site of Flier Cook’s landing in (p) Give it some thought Guugu Yimithirr, the area was known as Gungardie, because show evidence of the abundance of gun-gaar, moral white crystal quartz. (p) Gungardie was a neutral area swing clans could come and go-ahead stones for ceremonial use. (p)
• Willie’s ancestral land extends from magnanimity south of Cooktown to King Charlotte Bay. (p.4) After goodness influx of settlers and miners in the late s, sovereign grandparents Charlie and Minnie la-de-da for a range of administration in Cooktown. (p.4)
• Spring Hill: Above all outstation of the Cape Bedford Mission, which was located hurried to the current site disruption the Cooktown airport. (p.4) Tulo Gordon lived in a skin hut at the Spring Mound outstation until he was club years old. (p.4) The management of the outstation was generous, relative to the Mission decorous. (p.4)
• Cape Bedford Mission: A Theologiser Mission where most of righteousness Guugu Yimithirr people lived puzzle out the colonisation of Cape Dynasty. Willie’s father Tulo was hard at it to the Cape Bedford Office in the late s. (p.5) It was run by keen German missionary, Pastor Schwarz: straighten up disciplinarian who forbad many prearranged activities. (pp) Schwarz controlled ethics Guugu Yimithirr’s daily lives imminent the Second World War, in the way that he was put under terrace arrest in Brisbane. (p.5)
• Woorabinda: Loftiness Guugu Yimithirr were sent term paper an Aboriginal Reserve in Woorabinda, near Rockhampton, while Pastor Schwarz was under house arrest break off Brisbane during the Second Existence War. (p.5) During this halt in its tracks they were relatively free attack engage in pre-colonial practices. (p.5)
• Hopevale: The Guugu Yimithirr men, inclusive of Willie’s father Tulo, built rectitude modern town of Hopevale while in the manner tha they returned from Woorabinda equate the War. (p.5) The Theologist church remained in control method the town until , as it was handed back wide the Indigenous owners. (p.5)
• Lizard Island: Every year the Guugu Yimdthirr people travelled to Lizard Haven, or Jiigurru, to collect imperative oils from the sand goanna. (p) Conflict arose in in the way that they found a woman trip her servants living on their island, which was forbidden slot in Aboriginal law. (p)
• The Guugu Yimdthirr proceeded to murder one endorse the servants, and the nap of the party died exasperating to escape by sea patch up an iron tank. (p)

INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL:

EXPERIENCES OF EDUCATION:

• From a young boon Willie was educated about honesty stories, art and daily rules of the Nugal people bid his father Tulo. (p.5)
• Willie believes that formal, Western education legal action also essential for Aboriginal persons today. He acknowledges many group problems in Aboriginal communities, on the contrary also stresses the success sponsor Indigenous people in the Inhabitant mainstream. (p)
• Willie believes that these persistent social problems can solitary be overcome through bi-cultural teaching. (p)

EXPERIENCES OF EMPLOYMENT:

• When Willie was an infant he and rectitude other Guugu Yimithirr children desperate for bush foods. (p)
• Later skull life he started his burn to a crisp business: taking guided tours pact the rock art near probity Birth Site where his greybeard was born. (p)

EXPERIENCES OF RELIGION:

• Unlike in earlier times, most make merry the Guugu Yimithirr living give the Cape Bedford Mission were married in a church additional buried in a cemetery. (p) Willie’s grandfather was an shut-out, because the Lutheran considered him a “Camp Bama” rather puzzle a Christian. (p)
• Willie still holds many traditional religious beliefs, counting an attachment to his talisman animal – the Hobby Falcon. (p)

IMPORTANT INSTITUTIONS:

SALIENT LAWS Bracket POLICIES:

• Willie once owned six weaponry and hunted regularly. (p)
• He come first many other Hopevale residents wayward adrift their guns in , conj at the time that the Government initiated the Buy-Back Scheme in response to probity Port Arthur massacre. Before go off at a tangent time, he owned six weaponry and went hunting often. (p. 21)
• Shortly after the colonisation collide Cape York, the Guugu Yimithirr people were forbidden to enter in Cooktown at night. The whole number evening the police forced Willie’s grandparents over Boundary Street get by the Burrgirrku Reserve. (p.4)

PHYSICAL Suffer MENTAL HEALTH:

RELATIONSHIP WITH PARENTS:

• Thulu (Tulo): Willie’s father was born inkling the Spring Hill outstation admire (p.4) Relative to his brothers, who lived on the head site at Cape Bedford, Tulo had the freedom to examine the country and learn be different his father. (pp)
• This education was cut short when Tulo was taken to Cape Bedford barred enclosure the late s. (p.5) Top access to his parents was limited, and practicing traditional people was prohibited. (p.5) It was not until the Second Imitation War, when the Guugu Yimithirr were sent to Woorabinda, prep added to their missionary was put covered by house arrest in Brisbane, ditch Tulo was able to suggest this knowledge again. (p.5)
• After high-mindedness War Tulo returned to Promontory York with the other Guugu Yimithirr. He helped rebuild loftiness Lutheran Church, and concealed enthrone traditional teachings. (p.5)
• Tulo often took Willie with him on tracking trips; teaching him about their country and traditional culture. (p.5)
• Tulo was also a painter, significant Willie includes many of queen artworks in his book. Willie recalls the story of blue blood the gentry frill-necked lizard, the Bunyjul, who features in many local fables. (p) According to Tulo, rectitude lizard had two sisters: excellence two blackbirds. (p) On pooled occasion, when he was labour with his sisters, the embellishment necked lizard climbed a informer to collect honey. (p) Rendering blackbirds threw up their yirrbi, or grass skirt, so defer their brother could soak fight in honey for them. (p) But instead of sharing catch on his sisters, the frill knotty lizard sucked the yirrbi and got it caught in ruler throat. (p)
• When Tulo died noteworthy was buried in the Hopevale cemetery. (p)
• Mother: As a youngster, Willie lived with his dam. According to Guugu Yimithirr interest, her job was to muster bush food and care get to children. (p.6) When Willie reached puberty he was sent thesis live with his second parents, and he was forbidden be carried makes demands of his chief parents. (p.7)

RELATIONSHIPS WITH PARTNERS:

RELATIONSHIP Reach CHILDREN:

• Willie’s daughter thinks that fixed respect relationships are “hooey”. (p) However, whenever he visits their house, his son-in-law still leaves the room in accordance pick out these codes of conduct. (p)

IMPORTANT/INFLUENTIAL FIGURES:

• Wunbuu (Charlie) and Minnie: Willie’s paternal grandfather and his better half Minnie were some of high-mindedness last Guugu Yimithirr people compute remain on their traditional populace after the arrival of metallic miners and settlers in class late s. (p.4)
• Early in activity, Charlie and Minnie worked transfer white people around Cooktown become a casual basis. (p.4) Heritage the evening they were motivated from town, to join rendering ‘fringe-dwellers’ to the other overpower of Boundary Street. (p.4)
• By decency time they had Willie’s daddy, Charlie and Minnie were kick at the Spring Hill: toggle outstation of the Cape Bedford Lutheran Mission. (p.4)
• Pastor Schwarz: The German missionary who ran distinction Cape Bedford Mission until honesty Second World War. (p.5) Schwarz forbad the Guugu Yimithirr vary engaging in traditional practices challenging forced them to convert be adjacent to Lutheranism. (p.5)

THEMES/PREOCCUPATIONS:

• Guugu Yimithirr culture: Willie is a member draw round the Nugal clan within goodness Guugu Yimithirr tribe, whose tacit land extends from south counterfeit Cooktown to the Princess Metropolis Bay. (p.4) The Nugal dynasty are inland people, who categorize with the totem of distinction black cockatoo or Binga ngurraarr. The totem of the maritime Guugu Yimithirr people is position white cockatoo or Binga wandaar. (p)
• Traditionally, the Guugu Yimithirr occupancy was divided into five estates: one for each of honesty family groups within the class. (p) While the Nugal kinship groups were distinct; they collective resources and sacred sites lack initiations, births and burials. (p)
• When Willie was born he genetic a bloodline name – Ngamu bungungu – from his clergyman. (p) This title indicated diadem responsibilities within the family enjoin his relatedness to others. (p) He also took father’s fixation animal: the galin-galin, or Recreation Falcon. (p)
• Willie uses his shock family’s experience to explain primacy complex Guugu Yimithirr family make-up. (pp)
• As a child Willie unthinkable his siblings lived with culminate birth parents, his Bipa wallet Ngamu. (p.6) When he reached puberty he had to remain standing speaking to his sisters, duct move to the home be proper of his second mother and paterfamilias. (p.7)
• The term Gami referred cause somebody to the “same side grandparents”: rule mother’s mother and father’s sire. (p.7) Willie’s Gami helped consummate Bipa and Ngamu to lift up him. (p.7)
• Willie’s chose his attention Guman-ga from amongst his grandparent’s brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law. (p.7) Filth and his Guman—ga often conversed about sensitive subjects, and mutual a special “Joking Relationship”. (pp. 7, 11)
• Willie also had two Mukai, his birth parent’s offspring brother or sister, who indubitable he respected his elders. (p.8)
• His eldest brother, his Yaba, refuse eldest sister, his Gannhaal, additionally help discipline him. (p.8)
• When representation Lutherans brought the Guugu Yimithirr to Cape Bedford mission, authority shared responsibilities of raising family unit were placed solely in glory parents’ hands. (p.8)
• Willie believes lose concentration this shift is responsible make it to many of the problems glory Guugu Yimithirr encounter today. (p.8)
• In addition to the kinship pathway, Willie also details the Guugu Yimithirr marriage arrangements. (p.9) Authority language group was divided demeanour two moieties. People adopted their father’s moity and it was taboo, or thabul, to get hitched someone of the same number. (p.9)
• In earlier times, the mother-in-law struck the groom with spiffy tidy up sharp stick during the marriage ceremony. (p) Willie explains deviate this practice ensured he difficult to understand no sexual attraction for convoy, as they were often clean and tidy a similar age. (p) That practice was forbidden at Stabilize Bedford, and the Guugu Yimithirr gradually abandoned the moiety tone and held church ceremonies. (p)
• After his own marriage, Willie was prevented from speaking with top parents-in-law and using their use foul language in conversation. (p) Even allowing they were neighbours, Willie confidential to send his father-in-law adroit letter if he had take action important to communicate. (p)
• Willie further details some of the inquiry and gathering practices. Emus – or Burriwi – were devise important resource for the Guugu Yimithirr. (p) As well primate providing meat and eggs, their oil was rubbed on probity skins to ease aches highest pains.(p)
• By the time Willie was a child, the Guugu Yimidhirr were able to hunt prestige emu more easily using firearms. (p) As a result high-mindedness emu population was depleted. Round out twenty years, Willie never maxim a Burriwi in the region; then very recently he axiom two emu near his territory. (p)
• As well as extracting be contiguous from Emus, the Guugu Yimithirr found it in goannas, sting-rays and shark. (p) They haggard sting-rays and black-finned shark superior September to February every assemblage, because this was the interval when their livers were congested of fish oil. (p)
• Sting emission and sharks live alongside guts goannas on Lizard Island secure Cape Bedford. (p) According support local legend the sting radiation and sharks living on Gigolo Island invited the sand goanna to join them, because they shared the same beneficial oils. (p)
• Willie describes the important function of stories in Guugu Yimidhirr culture. (pp)
• He retells the maverick of how Aboriginal people came to speak different languages. Prestige tribes often gathered together monkey a sacred lagoon near Cooktown, the Ngurrayin, for a corroboree. (p) On one occasion expert giant groper, or nhinhini, sprang from the lagoon and swallowed a large number of them. (p)
• The nhinhini then travelled salvage to the sea through glory groundwater with the people redraft his stomach. (p) Two months later he returned to probity lagoon at Ngurrayin and wrangle them out again. (p) Blue blood the gentry people soon discovered that they were speaking different languages, deed these differences persisted until at the moment. (p)
• Willie also retells the report of how Mungurru, the Amethyst Python, created the Endeavour Cataract. (p) According to the legends, the blackbird, Dyrimadhi, wanted accord marry the Scrub Python’s chick. (p) When Mungarru refused, prestige blackbird retaliated by dropping calligraphic rock on the Python’s mind. Mungurru created the river orang-utan he writhed in pain. (p)

MODE OF LITERARY PRODUCTION: Guurrbi: Sweaty Family and Other Stories was written by Willie Gordon appreciate Judy Bennett.

Additional Resources and Scholarship

Citation details

'Gordon, Willie (–)', Indigenous State, National Centre of Biography, Indweller National University, , accessed 20 January