NAIDOC – Oodgeroo Noonuccal: the girl who fought for the rights of her people

Fierce Girls

ABC listen

Kids & Family, Stories For Kids

4.4 • 930 Ratings

🗓️ 29 June 2022

⏱️ 14 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

When Kath Ruska's dad told her white people would never recognise Aboriginal culture, she hoped he was wrong. She became a famous poet, using her pen as a weapon to fight for Indigenous rights.

Her words took her all the way to Parliament House, where she demanded the Prime Minister do more to improve the lives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders.

But she still had an English name, so she changed it to Aboriginal language -Oodgeroo, meaning paper bark, and Noonuccal, the name of her tribe.

Oodgeroo moved back to her island home — Minjerribah — and figured out the best way to make sure her culture was always remembered: she taught it to children, black and white.

Narrated by Gamilaroi and Dunghutti writer and podcast maker, Marlee Silva.

Extra narration by Peggy Webber.

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	This is an ABC podcast.
0:05.0	Kaya, non- curl Millie Rose,
0:07.1	Nand wood it's cooling.
0:08.6	Hi, I'm Millie Rose. I'm a fierce girl.
0:11.5	We recognize Aboriginal and Torres Australian Islander peoples as the first
0:16.1	peoples of this place, now known as Australia. We are grateful for the continuing care of the
0:21.6	lands, waterways and skies.
0:24.0	From here on Nongar country and from wherever you are listening.
0:28.0	We respect the elders of the past and present.
0:31.0	Yes. Fierce.
0:34.0	Go power.
0:35.0	Hi, I'm Shari Sevens.
0:38.0	I'm an actor and director and a proud bardi jubber woman.
0:42.0	We're celebrating Naidok Week here at Fierce Girls Headquarters
0:45.8	and I've selected some of my favorite stories about fierce First Nations women for you to listen to.
0:52.0	Happy Nadoc Week and enjoy the story.
0:55.0	This is a story of a girl who used her pen to fight for the rights of indigenous Australians.
1:01.0	Ujurununuckle, read by Gamilla Roy and Dungutty writer, podcast maker, Marley Silver.
1:07.6	And if you're an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person, we want to let you know that this episode contains the name of someone who person who Out! with the right, teacher said.
1:33.2	You know that, Kathleen Jean Ruska.
1:37.2	Kathleen couldn't help it.
1:39.0	Her brain was wired to right with the left.
	...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Previous episode | Next episode

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from ABC listen, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of ABC listen and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.