Mum Shirl – the girl who became a mum to thousands

Fierce Girls

ABC listen

Kids & Family, Stories For Kids

4.4 • 930 Ratings

🗓️ 4 April 2022

⏱️ 19 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Coleen Shirley Perry had a heart of gold. So when she went to visit her brother in jail, she saw something that few people saw. Instead of seeing baddies, she saw people who needed compassion, and someone to listen to their problems. Soon she was visiting lots of other prisoners. And every time the prison authorities stopped her, or questioned her, she said the same thing: 'I'm his mum.'

She became known as Mum Shirl. Word spread about how she could help, and this prominent Wiradjuri woman became a fearless supporter of anyone who needed it. She dedicated her life to helping people with their problems. She helped the homeless, the hungry, those down on their luck, women and many, many children. She established community services for Indigenous Australians and fought for their justice and welfare. And she did it all without ever setting foot in a school.

For our Indigenous and Torres Strait islander listeners: this episode contains the depiction of someone who has died.

Narrated by lawyer, activist and Wiradjuri and Wailwan woman, Teela Reid

Transcript

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0:00.0	This is an ABC podcast.
0:05.2	Kaya, non-curl Millie Rose, non-widditch cooling.
0:08.7	Hi, I'm Millie Rose, I'm a fierce girl.
0:11.6	We recognize Aboriginal and Torres Australian Islander
0:14.8	peoples as the first peoples of this place now known as Australia. We are grateful
0:20.4	for the continuing care of the lands, waterways and skies.
0:24.4	From here on Nongar country and from wherever you are listening.
0:28.6	We respect the elders of the past and present.
0:31.4	Yes. of the past and present. This is the story of the girl power
0:37.0	this is the story of the girl who became mom to thousands, Mom Shell.
0:43.4	Red by Warodgery and Wellwyn activist and lawyer Tila Reed.
0:48.8	And if you're an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person,
0:52.1	we want to let you know that this episode contains the name of someone who has died.
1:00.0	Under the vast Iram B skies stood a big shady Karajong tree and a girl,
1:08.0	Colleen Shirley Perry. But no one ever called her that.
1:13.0	Everyone called her Shirley.
1:15.0	Under the cool of the tree, right outside the school grounds.
1:21.0	Shirley waited patiently for her grandfather,
1:26.1	Boudjan, while he sent all his other grandkids off to school.
1:31.2	Shirley didn't go to school and she wasn't sure why.
1:36.6	She gazed up through the branches, watching the birds,
1:41.6	thinking, what is wrong with me how am I different to my brothers and
	...

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