Truth & History

Shared histories from pre-contact to resistance and survival

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Aboriginal Elder describes Australia’s child abuse to United Nations
Aboriginal Elder describes Australia’s child abuse to United Nations

Article

Aboriginal elder BJ Cruse described the Australian government's child abuse and cultural genocide of children -- aimed at breaking Aboriginal children's spirit - during the United Nations Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples....

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Aboriginal Elder resigns from council committee over Voice recommendation
Aboriginal Elder resigns from council committee over Voice recommendation

Article

A respected Aboriginal Elder has resigned from a council committee after the Eurobodalla Shire Council voted against the committee’s recommendation....

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Anne Thomas
Anne Thomas

Biography

Anne Wirrimah Thomas (née Morris) was a Biripi woman respected by the local Yuin community on the Far South Coast of NSW....

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Assimilation Days

Assimilation Days

Judy Norris talks about the assimilation days and her and her family's experience of trying to become part of the community....

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Audio: A vote  for Yes is a vote for hope and opportunity
Audio: A vote for Yes is a vote for hope and opportunity

Article

Uncle Bunja Smith says he wants "to see a permanent voice to parliament so we may be able to close the gap”. Uncle Bunja is asking people to find out about The Voice referendum coming up on October 14th, dodge the misinformation flying about, and join the Yes campaign....

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Biamanga (Jack Mumbler)
Biamanga (Jack Mumbler)

Biography

Biamanga (Jack Mumbler) was a respected Yuin Elder whose life was devoted to protecting Country and keeping cultural law strong. He was...

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Burnum Burnum
Burnum Burnum

Biography

Burnum Burnum (born Henry James “Harry” Penrith, 1936-1997) was a Yuin man and one of the most creative and visible Aboriginal rights...

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Citizen’s Rights

Citizen’s Rights

BJ Cruse shares the history of citizen rights for Aboriginal People in Australia and the 1967 Referendum....

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Coomee Nulliga
Coomee Nulliga

Biography

Coomee Nulunga was a Murramarang-Yuin Elder whose life spanned a period of profound change for Aboriginal people on the Far South Coast...

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Cultural Genocide

Cultural Genocide

Cheryl Overton talks about cultural genocide, the impacts on culture and why it is still an issue today....

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Dawn Collection

Dawn Collection

Dawn was a magazine for the NSW Aboriginal Protection Board issued monthly between 1952 to 1969 to the Aboriginal people of NSW....

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Defining Moments – Yuin & National Timeline

Defining Moments – Yuin & National Timeline

Timeline of key national and Yuin historical moments....

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Discovery and Stolen Land
Discovery and Stolen Land

Article

"Doctrine of Discovery and Stolen Land" by BJ Cruse argues that the issue of colonization and its uncomfortable legacy extends beyond the Church....

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Extermination Policies

Extermination Policies

BJ Cruse talks about past Australian Government policies that enabled the massacres of Aboriginal People....

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Government Policy

Government Policy

Patricia Ellis OAM talks about government policy, that enforced segregation, assimilation and the forced removals and Aboriginal women as domestics....

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Guboo Ted Thomas
Guboo Ted Thomas

Biography

Guboo Ted Thomas (29 January 1909 – 19 May 2002) was a Yuin Elder whose life spanned traditional lore, cultural renewal and...

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Healing Country
Healing Country

Article

"Healing Country: Get up, Stand up, Show up for Mother Earth" by BJ Cruse discusses the deep connection Aboriginal cultures have with Mother Earth, viewing it as a teacher and the ultimate custodian of knowledge....

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Illawarra & South Coast Aborigines 1770-1850
Illawarra & South Coast Aborigines 1770-1850

Article

A documentary history of the Illawarra & South Coast Aborigines 1770-1850 : including a chronological bibliography 1770-1990...

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Institutional Child Abuse

Institutional Child Abuse

BJ Cruse talks about institutional child abuse and shares a personal story about his experience....

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Invasion Day / Survival Day
Australia Day

Invasion Day / Survival Day Australia Day

Cheryl Overton talks about January 26, what the day means to her and her perspective. She discusses why she thinks the date should change....

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Invasion Day / Survival Day
Australia Day

Invasion Day / Survival Day Australia Day

Gary Campbell talks about January 26 and what the date means to him....

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Invasion Day / Survival Day
Australia Day

Invasion Day / Survival Day Australia Day

Lynne Thomas talks about January 26 , her opinion on the day and explores what the day would look like if the tables were turned....

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Invasion Day / Survival Day / Australia Day

Invasion Day / Survival Day / Australia Day

Warren Foster explains what Australia Day means to him and explains his feelings on January 26....

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Invasion Day / Survival Day Australia Day

Invasion Day / Survival Day Australia Day

Bunja Smith talks about January 26, what the day means to him and his perspective on the date....

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Invasion Day / Survival DayAustralia Day

Invasion Day / Survival DayAustralia Day

Patricia Ellis OAM talks about Australia Day, Aboriginal people's survival and shares her feelings about January 26....

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Invasion Day / Survival DayAustralia Day

Invasion Day / Survival DayAustralia Day

Viv Mason talks about January 26 and what the date means to her....

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Invasion Day / Survival DayAustralia Day

Invasion Day / Survival DayAustralia Day

BJ Cruse talks about Invasion Day/Australia Day sharing his thoughts about January 26....

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Jane Ardler
Jane Ardler

Biography

Eliza Jane Ardler (1938-1990) was a proud Yuin woman and pioneering community leader whose vision and determination transformed healthcare for Aboriginal people...

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Just Recompense
Just Recompense

Article

"Indigenous People in Eden Calling for Just Recompense 20 Years After Olympics," written by BJ Cruse, details the ongoing struggle of the Indigenous people in Eden, Australia, to receive fair compensation...

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Land Rights

Land Rights

BJ Cruse talks about Land Rights....

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Land Rights Act

Land Rights Act

BJ Cruse talks about the Land Rights Act in 1969....

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Leo Ritchie
Leo Ritchie

Biography

Leo Ritchie was an Aboriginal serviceman whose life reflects both the resilience of First Nations servicemen in the Second World War and...

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Light to Light Management Changes
Light to Light Management Changes

Article

"NPWS Light to Light Management Changes Affecting Aboriginal Rights Needs Urgent Redress" by BJ Cruse discusses the alleged misappropriation of the Light-to-Light project by the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) from the Eden Local Aboriginal Land Council (LALC)....

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Mervyn Penrith
Mervyn Penrith

Biography

Mervyn Charles Penrith was a respected Yuin Elder, land rights and resistance fighter, educator and cultural leader whose life and work have...

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Missions and Reserves

Missions and Reserves

BJ Cruse talks about the difference between missions and reserves and the role religion played....

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Native Title

Native Title

BJ Cruse talks about Terra Nullis, Eddie Mabo and Native Tiitle rights....

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Native Title

Native Title

Bunja Smith talks about Native title, its history, a lack of treaty and his why the seizure of land happened....

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Native Title

Native Title

Cheryl Overton talks about native title and her views on it. She shares that the stories Aboriginal people grew up with and were passed on like Guluga are proof of Aboriginal existance in this country....

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Native Title

Native Title

Patricia Ellis OAM talks about Native Title. Patricia shares her experience with Native Title, her thoughts on it its history....

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Native Title

Native Title

Gary Campbell talks about Native Title and shares what it means to him....

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New Dawn Collection

New Dawn Collection

New Dawn was a magazine for the NSW Aboriginal Protection Board issued monthly between 1970 and 1975 to the Aboriginal people of...

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NSW Aboriginal treaty discussions
NSW Aboriginal treaty discussions

Article

What will NSW Aboriginal treaty discussions look like and when will they begin?...

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Policy Change

Policy Change

BJ Cruse talks about past government policies that led to the mistreatment of Aboriginal Peoples....

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Preventing Cultural Continuation

Preventing Cultural Continuation

Patricia Ellis OAM talks about preventing cultural continuation. Patricia shares the heavy history of cultural genocide in Australia, and the long-term impacts it has....

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Prominent People Photo Gallery

Prominent People Photo Gallery

Photos of prominent people shared by the Yuin Community....

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Push to remove Ben Boyd’s name
Push to remove Ben Boyd’s name

Article

Holmes and other Aboriginal leaders, including Monaroo Elder BJ Cruse, are advocating for renaming places like Ben Boyd National Park to honor First Nations history and provide a stronger sense of belonging for Aboriginal people....

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Rare book by Yuin tribal elder
Rare book by Yuin tribal elder

Article

Sacred sites battle on Biamanga mountain captured in rare book by Yuin tribal elder, photographer...

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Removal of Rights

Removal of Rights

Cheryl Overton talks about the removal of Aboriginal rights, soveriengty and land rights....

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Resistance Fighters

Resistance Fighters

Lynne Thomas talks about resistance fighters, what they've stood for and shares cultural and community stories of resistance fighters....

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Segregation

Segregation

BJ Cruse talks about racial segregation in Australia....

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Sovereign Rights and Native Title

Sovereign Rights and Native Title

Lynne Thomas talks about sovereign rights and Native Title. She shares the way rights removal impacted Aboriginal people and shares that connection to Country is integral to connecting to family....

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Stolen Generation

Stolen Generation

Judy Norris talks about her experience as a member of the Stolen Generations. Judy shares her experience of being stolen and her return to family....

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Stolen Generation

Stolen Generation

Cheryl Overton discusses the loss of culture, connection and the intergenerational trauma caused by the Stolen Generations....

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Stolen Generation

Stolen Generation

Warren Foster talks about the Stolen Generations and shares the story of his father being taken....

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Stolen Wages

Stolen Wages

Bunja Smith talks about domestics, labourers, stolen wages and how this was similar to slave labour....

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The History of Aboriginal Week

The History of Aboriginal Week

BJ Cruse talks about the history of Aboriginal Week, the Australian Aboriginal Progressive Association (AAPA) and how Aboriginal Week changed to NAIDOC Week....

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The Voice to Parliament

The Voice to Parliament

BJ Cruse talks about the Voice to Parliament and the Department of Aboriginal Affairs....

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The Voice to Parliament

The Voice to Parliament

Bunja Smith talks about the Voice to Parliament referendum, the constitution and the events that led to the referendum....

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The Voice to Parliament

The Voice to Parliament

Cheryl Overton reflects on outcomes of the Voice to Parliment and how confusing all the media messaging was....

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The Voice to Parliament

The Voice to Parliament

Gary Campbell expresses his shock at the outcomes of the Voice to Parliment....

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The Voice to Parliament

The Voice to Parliament

Judy Norris shares her simple response to the outcomes of the Voice to Parliment....

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The Voice to Parliament

The Voice to Parliament

Patricia Ellis OAM talks about the Voice to Parliament referendum, her view, hopes and concerns and how she supported the yes campaign....

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The Voice to Parliament

The Voice to Parliament

Vivienne Mason shares her excitement and concerns in the lead up to the Voice to Parliment referendum....

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The Voice to Parliament

The Voice to Parliament

Warren Foster shares his understanding about why the Voice to Parliament referendum was unsuccessful....

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Theft of Aboriginal Land
Theft of Aboriginal Land

Article

The article "Theft of Aboriginal Land Under the Eden Regional Forest Agreement," written by BJ Cruse, discusses how the Australian Government breached the New South Wales Eden Regional Forest Agreement (RFA)...

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Treaty
Treaty

Article

"Treaty" discusses the concept of a treaty between Aboriginal People and the Australian Government....

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Uncle Bunja Smith shares his thoughts on the Indigenous Voice to Parliament referendum
Uncle Bunja Smith shares his thoughts on the Indigenous Voice to Parliament referendum

Article

Walbunja elder Uncle Bunja Smith joins ABC South East NSW breakfast presenter Simon Lauder to discuss why he wants the public to stay informed and maintain a conversation right up to the day of the referendum....

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Uncle George Patten Snr.
Uncle George Patten Snr.

Biography

George Patten Senior was a respected activist, community leader and union advocate whose lifelong commitment to justice helped shape the course of...

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Uncle Jack Patten

Uncle Jack Patten

BJ Cruse talks about Uncle Chicka Dixon and Uncle Jack Patten and their role in establishing the Australian Aboriginal Progressive Association (AAPA)....

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Uncle William Cooper
Uncle William Cooper

Biography

William Cooper (c.1860–1941), well known to Yuin people, was a significant person in Australia’s history, whose vision and activism laid the groundwork...

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Uncle William Ferguson
Uncle William Ferguson

Biography

William “Bill” Ferguson (1882-1950), known to Yuin people, was a pioneering Aboriginal rights campaigner and unionist from the Riverina region of New...

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Welcome to the Yuin Digital Keeping Place. This website is intended to record and share information on events and people that have impacted on Yuin history, language and lifestyle. Over the coming years, we will include an even wider and richer collection of stories from Yuin Families.