4 Generations in Black Media Australia

If you’re longing to sit and listen to the wisdom of the elders of the land… If you’re ready to listen to the answers of some hard-hitting questions and be wowed at the same time, then 4 Generations of Black Storytellers is for you.

Starting from very humble beginnings in the black heart of Sydney on one side of the family and in the outback setting of remote Queensland, where the other half of the mob originated. An important part of Australian History telling the story of the storytellers, by the new generation of storytellers. Many of us have come across Aunty Maureen Watson, Ross Watson and Tiga Bayles in our times, we will take you back to where it all started for them and follow the story through to the younger generations today.

A National Snapshot of the health and wellbeing of First Nation People” 18/7/18

Interview with Professor Gregory Phillips, a medical anthropologist, with a PhD in psychology (Dancing With Power: Aboriginal Health, Cultural Safety and Medical Education), a research master’s degree in medical science (Addictions and Healing in Aboriginal Country, published as a book in 2003) and a bachelor degree in arts (Aboriginal Studies and Government majors).

The Bringing Them Home Report exposed the extent to which trauma has impacted on Indigenous Australians and concluded that most families have been affected by the forcible removal of one or more children. The need to address the legacy of forced removal, by considering special investment in Indigenous healing, was a strongly supported recommendation at the 2020 Summit held in Canberra in April 2008. Reference was made by summit participants to the medical anthropologist Gregory Phillips proposal that healing is fundamentally about therapeutic change and cultural renewal. A holistic view of healing approaches was elegantly outlined by the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission (HREOC) in their National Inquiry into the Separation of 3 of 25 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders Children from their Families. HREOC supported measures of restitution of language, culture, and records of harm done; be combined with measures of rehabilitation such as offering therapeutic services.

4 Generations of Black Story Tellers PodcastS

This is the untold story behind the people who created the Black Theatre, Radio Redfern, Brisbane Indigenous Media Association BIMA, The Murri School, the soon to be released “River Story”, Maureen Watson the Activist, Storyteller, Actor, Humantitarian and worldwide educator is the Matriarch of this dynamic family, her younger brother Ross Watson released the first black newspaper, founded both black radio and the black school in Brisbane and before his passing, his Phd to be released as a book real soon. Maureen’s son Tiga, a well known pioneer of black radio, who built radio redfern, served a term as the Chairman of the NSW Aboriginal Land Council, served 20 years as the Chair of the Murri School, 20 years as the CEO of BIMA and was once Queenslands father of the year.

Then meet the next generation, Ross’s daughter Teila who performs and writes her own music, poetry and theatre, Tiga’s daughter Kaiyu who also writes and performs her own music and poetry as well as working in Radio and digital media. Then you will meet Kaiyu’s son (Tigas grandson) Tiga Bayles jnr whose part the fourth generation of activist, radio pioneers and storytellers. Tiga works with his mum creating audio doucmentaries, currently they are working on an idea Tiga snr shared with Kaiyu before he passed. The future looks bright with the next generation emerging in the media, performing arts, modelling industries and sport. Lala Bayles another of Tiga’s grandchildren is a powerful force already speaking up for the cause and sharing her poetry at rallies and community events. This is there story.

4 Generations of Black Storytellers -podcast

https://www.cbaa.org.au/article/4-generations-black-storytellers-4aaa-989-fm-brisbane

Produced by Kaiyu Moura Bayles and Tiga Bayles Jnr (4AAA 98.9fm & BIMA)

Mentored by Lorena Allam (ABC Radio National)

Join Kaiyu and Tiga Bayles Jnr as they explore significant legacies of the past and future.

1. “The Oldest, Most Nutritious Food on Earth” – interview with John Newton about his book “The Oldest Foods on Earth. Broadcasts: 27/6/18 Podcasts available

Episode 1 https://989fm.com.au/?powerpress_pinw=325169-podcast

2. “The Biggest Estate On Earth” – interview with author of the book “The Biggest Estate On Earth, How Aboriginal People Made Australia”, Bill Gammage. Broadcasts: 4/7/18 Podcasts available Episode 2 https://989fm.com.au/podcasts/decolonise-your-diet-episode-2/

3. “Agriculture or Accident” – yarn with uncle Bruce Pasco, author of “Dark Emu, Agriculture Or Accident?” Broadcasts:11/7/18 Podcasts available Episode 3 https://989fm.com.au/podcasts/decolonise-your-diet-2/

4. “A National Snapshot of the health and wellbeing of First Nation People” – Professor Gregory Phillips. He is a medical anthropologist, has a PhD in psychology (Dancing With Power: Aboriginal Health, Cultural Safety and Medical Education), a research master’s degree in medical science (Addictions and Healing in Aboriginal Country, published as a book in 2003) and a bachelor degree in arts (Aboriginal Studies and Government majors). Broadcasts: 18/7/18

5. “Amazing Results Using Bushfoods and Medicines” – We catch up with aunty Thelma ‘Bubsy’ Lander, who says trading a diet of western junk food and alcohol for the traditional Aboriginal cuisine of kangaroo tail and emu meat has helped her to lose 48 kilograms. Kaiyu looks at things like an index that measures wellbeing and the how this relates/affects First Nations people. Broadcasts: 25/7/18

6. “Traditional Approaches To Health” – Interview with Clint Bussy – We discuss Historical Diet transition/ Health transition, Food security and health benefits of traditional foods. Broadcasts: 1/8/18

7. “That Sugar Film” – Interview with filmmaker Damon Gameau, Award winning Documentary Filmmaker. While making the film he learned of the achievements that have been made through the work of community owned and directed organisations such as the Mai Wiru Regional Stores Council, Nganampa Health Council and Ngaanyatjarra Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Women’s Council (NPY Women’s Council).

Broadcasts: 8/8/18

8. “The Results Are In” – Professor Kerrin O’Dae In just seven weeks eating bushtucker, mob who returned to the bush from the city lost weight and all their health markers (insulin resistance, blood pressure, cholesterol levels) normalized. Broadcasts: 15/8/18

9. “Question & Answers with Documentary makers Kaiyu Bayles and her son Tiga Bayles Jnr”. Broadcasts: 22/8/18

10. “A Bushtucker Health Revolution” – Interview with Mike and Gayle Quarmby. Mike and Gail planted over 500,000 bushfood plants on Aboriginal communities. Broadcasts: 29/8/18

Series Overview

Its up to all of us to learn the lessons of the past and formulate solutions for a better tomorrow. When talking about the important issues we face in Australia and how we do this, the Prime minister Malcolm Turnbull has this to say “It is clear that Closing the Gap is a national responsibility that belongs with every Australian. Ending the disparity is complex and challenging. This will not lessen our resolve or diminish our efforts, even when some problems seem intractable and targets elusive.”

Introducing “Decolonise your Diet”, a 10- part series of interviews with those on the front line of a health revolution in Australia. Our guest John Newton asks if Australia has the oldest most nutritious foods on earth, why aren’t we eating them? Bill Gammage explains in his book how the Australian landscape resembled a gentleman’s estate and Uncle Bruce Pascoe also shares his perspective of what our land looked like at the time of colonisation and asks was this all agriculture or Accident? After 200 years we have the information needed to thrive again as our First People did in this land for 10’s of thousands of years. Decolonise Your Diet, a revolutionary concept that will change the way with think about food, hunting, gathering and bushtucker in general. Available as podcasts from our website at 98.9fm.com.au.

“Before the British invaded, Aboriginal Australians were thriving on a vast diet of more than 6000 plants, grains and meats. There is a native strain of rice; grass seeds used for bread and native birds with meat comparable to the best poultry in our restaurants. Yet in those same restaurants we have an insignificant sample of our country’s produce, just a few garnishes or maybe a kangaroo tail. Our supermarkets barely stock a single Indigenous spice, herb or dried fruit, let alone anything fresh.”

“There are about 30 varieties of Kakadu plum trees,” Newton says. “How many have we tried? Hardly any. There’s so much still to be explored.”

This produce not only sustained Australia’s first peoples but formed part of their life and culture. It wasn’t simply nomadically picked, it was cared for and controlled. Newton writes that pre-colonial Aboriginal communities reared possums, emus and cassowaries; penned young pelican chicks; they used fishing nets, duck traps and terraced farming. “The entire country was carefully and thoroughly farmed in a manner that left the land and its bounty in balance and abundance.”

Until colonisation. “By bringing our own food and farming, which were totally unsuitable for the country, we obliterated the mercantile and nutritional life of the Indigenous community. We wiped it out.” Newton writes that food was an essential part of Aboriginal life. Without the land to source it, its nutritional value, and the cultural meaning behind its harvesting and procurement, the Aboriginal way of life was forcefully degraded.

Newton claims one of the most important parts of his book is the account of food rationing. Among the countless crimes against Aboriginal people this was one of the most subtle but significant. The book quotes historian and sociologist Tim Rowse who says, “From the 1980s rationing began to replace violence as a mode of government.” Although the rations were meagre, it was an easy source of food and brought Aboriginal communities away from their land and into the settlements. The degradation of Aboriginal culture and diet, combined with the colonial disregard and distaste for Australia’s produce, led to a history of illiteracy and ignorance regarding native foods.

The ration diet largely consisting of flour, sugar, fat and tea and the effect it still has in First Nation Communities has created the cycles of ill health we still see today. The introduced food and lifestyle has kept communities in a state of despair, this can be seen with the latest statistics.

INTRODUCTION – COLONISATION: played before all Segments

So that the full impact of what I want to say is understood in its context, let me begin with a short lesson on colonialism. This is necessary, because colonisation is seen in western minds as something in the past, that should stay there, and be for-gotten about. While the impact of the process on the colonised is recognised, there is a reluctance on the part of the colonisers to recognise how they, too, have lost something of their humanity.

So many in this land still see the difference between Murris and those boat people who began coming here 216 years ago, as being one of race, rather than the difference between coloniser and colonised. That difference, and the historical legacy of colonisation, is at the root of much of the conflict throughout the world today. Re-solving it can contribute insights into there solution of other conflicts, globally and locally.

Murri Elder, Aunty Lilla Watson.

The Series begins in June 27th 2018 6pm on 98.9FM listen online!

Livestream https://989fm.com.au/get-live-streaming/

– 98.9FM interview with Kaiyu Bayles about the series https://989fm.com.au/?powerpress_pinw=325500-podcast