Thread by @IndigenousX

This is a pic of my mum Patricia taken in the 70’s. Mum was born in 1955 somewhere outside Norseman WA. She was one of 11 kids. At the age of 6 she was removed from her parents and placed in Norseman mission.

Mum always said being there was so lonely. She missed her mum and dad. Her mum died not long after that from gangrene in the uterus. Mum was not allowed to go to the funeral.

My grandmother is buried somewhere behind the cemetery. They did not allow Aboriginal people to be buried there at that time. Here is where my mums ashes are with her brothers today.

She said she always hungry too. They were allowed to go into the surrounding bush and would be stoked when someone had caught a feed. She told me about the time the

Kids broke into the kitchen pantry and ate Milo straight from the tin with their hands. She was made to go to church every Sunday. She liked the singing and learned how to play the piano by ear.

My great grandmother did everything she could to get the kids back. She even got recommended for citizenship for her efforts according to the Native Welfare file. This photo was Xmas in Norseman in the 90’s.

Mum was at the mission until she placed in Perth. Her Native Welfare file had an assessment on her suggesting she’d be suited to dress making or cake decorating and noted she showed no interest in any of that.

She in fact wanted to be a teacher. Did one year of teachers college before falling in love with my Dad during a visit to Esperance. Married him and they started to work/live on Norseman mission. On my birth certificate it reads their occupation

As missionaries. I asked Mum why she returned there? She simply said she hated the thought of them kids not being hugged every day. The mission closed in 1985. My mum went on to work in early childhood health.

When we moved to NSW in 1990, my mum landed a job with a women’s refuge almost immediately. My mum was passionate about helping women escape domestic violence and homelessness. She loved working with mob.

I now work for the very same service in a very similar role to hers. It is safe to say because of her I love what I do for a living. I hope this snippet of my mums life inspires you to keep pursuing your passions.