The Fraser Coast Beacon – Issue 21

Kal’ang Respite Care Features in The Fraser Coast Beacon – Issue 21

Kal’ang was very excited to invite The Beacon team to our celebrations for NAIDOC week, where we celebrated aboriginal culture through dance, food and stories. In this article The Beacon focus on the stories of our elders, most notably Auntie Francis, who reminisces about her life around Fraser Coast and the teachings she learnt from her parents and grandparents. We hope you enjoy their article as much as we did.

You can read more of their publications at Magazine publications – The Fraser Coast Beacon – Australia (thebeacon.com.au)

The Beacon was honoured to be invited to Kal’ang Respite Centre as it celebrated NAIDOC week. Gathered on the day were many of the Butchulla elders who enjoyed a day of dance, good food and of course memories. One of the attendees was Auntie Francis, a sweet smiling Butchulla Elder who says she is proud to be still alive and knows many traditions and stories that were told to her by her elders. She is in her 8th decade and said her mother was born down on the beach at Urangan near the Pier. She had five sisters and a brother.

“For Auntie Francis NAIDOC week and Kal’ang have a special meaning.”

“NAIDOC week means a lot to us because it recognises us. Kal’ang Respite Centre was something we always wanted because the
sisters couldn’t get together because of no transport and it was hard to catch up with family. It brought family and our community together.” Auntie Francis said Auntie Francis says her nanna passed on information to her when she was younger like when it was time to collect sand crabs on the mud flats. She cautioned not to get a lot just get a bucketful and “I was frightened of spiders”, she remembered and they reminded me of them.

Auntie Francis reminisces about her childhood and says loved living in Urangan and it was a very happy time in her life. She had a wonderful varied diet living so close to the ocean of full crabs, fish, oysters and shellfish and sometimes the odd turtle which was shared. Often the local fishermen would get a big haul and they would also share everything, so no one went hungry. Her Nanna was a good cook too, her specialty was stews and chicken and her grandfather and uncles were fishermen. We always had plenty of fish. Auntie Francis used to love sitting on the rocks and cracking off the fresh oysters and putting them on fresh bread and butter.

Auntie Francis lived in an old cottage in Millar Street Urangan in the early 50’s.

“If you wanted to go to the city you would catch either a train or a bus to Maryborough as that was the major city back then.” Auntie Francis said.

Auntie Francis’s own Aunt was born the day they laid the first pylon at the Pier, she would have been 102 years of age today. Auntie Francis would later marry and then remarry two fellows both named George, “same name luckily”, she giggled and has four children, three girls and a boy, who are busy working all over Kal’ang on this day of celebration.

Kal’ang’s family day was celebrated by some talented dancers including children and some from Auntie Francis ‘s own family ie Joe Joe a real comedian, the tall fellow always wearing a grin. Their also was a smoking ceremony and welcome to country ceremony.

Auntie Francis told the Beacon that her grandmother’s father tracked Ned Kelly. They took a couple of Butchulla’s down to Victoria to track him -against their will and never got paid for it. 50 Pound was what they were offered which was a huge sum of money for the day. Maidie Ross was Auntie Francis’s nanna and she could speak Butchulla but the language was taken away from them so the kids didn’t get taught that much.

Today, Auntie Joyce Bonner a Butchulla linguist is making sure that the language is written down and remembered. She writes beautiful songs in the Butchulla language with heart wrenching melodies. We were privileged to attend her Butchulla song singing class today.

Her song Mundai-Mundai Yeeran (Beautiful Woman) has a haunting lilt that draws you in and the Sisters and Aunties get quite emotional singing and reflecting on their heritage and ancestors. You can also hear Christine Anu do a beautiful rendition of this song.

Contact Kal’ang Respite Centre

133 DENMANS CAMP Road, Kawungan Queensland 4655

07 4124 7780