Black Magic Woman with Mundanara Bayles
Hosted by Mundanara Bayles who was born and raised in Redfern (Sydney) Australia and currently lives in Queensland. The Black Magic Woman Podcast is an uplifting conversational style program featuring mainly First Nations people from Australia and around the world sharing their stories about their journey to highlight the diversity amongst First Nations peoples and the resilience of her people. She hopes these stories inspire her listeners and also create a better understanding of what First Nations Peoples culture and history. Mundanara is guided by Aboriginal Terms of Reference and focusses more on who people are rather than on what they do. Mundanara makes people feel relaxed and comfortable as if they were sitting around the kitchen table just having a yarn. It’s the way First Nations people have been building relationships and getting to know each other for tens of thousands of years. She draws from a long family history in the media industry and has grown up in culturally strong, politically active family who have been at the forefront of the Aboriginal Rights movement since the 1960’s. Mundanara sees this platform as an opportunity to share her cultural knowledge and insights to her audience in a non confrontational way that brings people along with her to create change for a better Australia. To connect more with Mundanara check out the work she does with her elders at www.theblackcard.com.au. If you'd like to support the show by making a financial contribution, visit https://www.theblackcard.com.au./ Any help is appreciated and goes a long way. I encourage to get behind any First Nations media, contribute, share and be apart of positive change that Australia needs.
Episodes
We’re revisiting one of our most powerful and inspiring episodes with the legendary Leah Purcell—award-winning actor, writer, director, and proud Goa-Gunggari-Wakka Wakka Murri woman. Leah shares the deeply personal story behind The Drover’s Wife: The Legend of Molly Johnson, and how her mother, grandmother, and community shaped her fire as a t...
In this special episode of the Black Magic Woman Podcast, proudly brought to you by NRMA Insurance, Mundanara yarns with Rory Chapman—a proud Wiradjuri/Ngemba man, founder of Embrace Tech, and the trusted IT partner behind BlackCard’s digital transformation. Based on Kabi Kabi Country, Rory shares how his purpose-led tech company supports First...
We’re throwing it back to our most downloaded episode of all time—a powerful and eye-opening yarn with proud Kabi Kabi and South Sea Islander man, Isaac Harrison.
Isaac shares his deeply personal story—his family’s roots in blackbirding and survival, his experience navigating identity across cul...
This week, we’re revisiting one of our most powerful and thought-provoking yarns—with the legendary Uncle Bruce Pascoe. A proud Bunurong, Tasmanian, and Yuin man, Uncle Bruce is a celebrated author, historian, and farmer, best known for his groundbreaking book Dark Emu. In this episode, we dive deep into the truth-telling of our past, and the fu...
This special replay takes us back to one of the very first episodes of the Black Magic Woman Podcast, originally recorded in 2020. Uncle Mick Gooda—respected Gungalu and Yiman man, former Social Justice Commissioner, and long-time advocate for our mob—joins Mundanara for a powerful yarn about truth-telling, sovereignty, the history of missions like T...
In this episode, I sit down with the deadly Elijah McDonald – a proud a Noongar|Yamatji|Pitta-Pitta man from WA– who’s part of the team behind Blaktasia: Invasion of the Merk, Australia’s first-ever Aboriginal-led mobile game.
I caught up with Elijah fresh from
In this episode of the Black Magic Woman Podcast, I yarn with two deadly young changemakers, Brianne Yarran and Jeremy Last, who are part of the Culture Is Life Fullaship Program. Brianne, a proud Noo...
In this special episode of the Black Magic Woman Podcast, I sit down with two incredible young leaders, Koby Sellings and Joel Matysek, who are part of the Culture is Life Fullaship Program. Recorded at iHeart Studios on Yuggera and Turrbal Country, this yarn dives deep into the personal journeys of these two deadly fu...
This episode of the Black Magic Woman Podcast is a little different—we’ve switched things up! Instead of me hosting, I’m in the guest seat while my sister Kate Russell takes over the mic to interview me.
We yarn about my journey—personally and professionally—from growing up in a family deeply connected to media and activism to creating the Black Magic Woman Podcast and building BlackCard, a business th...
In this inspiring episode of the Black Magic Woman Podcast, I sit down with Kate Russell, a proud Worimi woman and the CEO of Supply Nation. Kate shares her journey from growing up in Western Lake Macquarie to leading an organisation that supports and celebrates Indigenous entrepreneurship.
We yarn about the pivotal moments in her career, the value of education, and the power of mentorship. Kate provides an inside look at Supply Na...
In this powerful and uplifting episode, recorded live at Yabun Festival 2025, we celebrate Survival Day on January 26. Join me as I connect with incredible voices from across the community in a spirit of resilience, pride, and joy.
Set on Gadigal Country at Victoria Park in Sydney, guests share their reflections on the significance of January 26, the challenges faced by First Nations people, and the importance of coming togeth...
This episode is proudly brought to you by ANZ. A new series of conversations with different mob around the country to yarn about, meaningful career opportunities within ANZ, building the capacity of Indigenous businesses and organisations, and helping individuals in the broader community to achieve financial wellbeing and resilience.
If you’d like to know more about how ANZ can help improve your financial wellbeing, or help y...
In this special "Best Of" episode of the Black Magic Woman Podcast, we revisit one of our most heartfelt and inspiring yarns with a guest whose journey embodies resilience, pride, and representation. Hailing from the lands of the Whadjuk Noongar people, this trailblazer is known for breaking barriers in Australian media as a celebrated news presenter and advocate for social justice.
Our mystery guest grew up as the youngest of five...
Get ready for a special "Best of Black Magic Woman Podcast" episode featuring a Mystery Guest who has inspired thousands with their eloquent words, fierce love for their people, and unwavering commitment to creating a better Australia. Who could it be? Here are some clues:
- They’ve had a profound international career, reporting from over 80 countries, but their heart has always remained connected to their roots in Wiradjuri cou...
This special episode revisits one of our most captivating conversations of the year, featuring a guest whose journey is as dazzling as it is inspiring. 🌟
Clue #1: Known as the "First Nations Drag Queen," they’re a proud Gamilaroi and Dunghutti person making waves in the LGBTQIA+ and First Nations communities. 💃🏽
Clue #2: Their story is one of resilience, passion, and breaking barriers, all while shining a light on the importa...
As we approach Christmas, we’re taking time to reflect on the incredible stories shared on the Black Magic Woman Podcast this year. This week, I had the absolute pleasure of sitting down with my childhood sis, Samala Thakialee Cronin, the powerhouse behind MumRed the Label.
Samala is more than a designer; she’s a storyteller, weaving culture, identity, and resilience into every piece she creates. From using kangaroo sin...
In this episode I yarn with Coby Edgar, a proud queer First Nations curator and cultural practitioner. Coby shares her journey from Darwin to Sydney, the intersection of art and activism, and the significance of storytelling in keeping history and culture alive. We explore her approach to curating community-driven exhibitions, the joy of working with mob, and her vision for fostering connection through art.
Coby's current exhibitio...
In this inspiring episode, Mundanara Bayles sits down with Amanda Mudege-Fleischer, one half of the dynamic duo behind It’s Layered, a podcast featured on the Black Cast Network. Amanda shares her journey from Zimbabwe to Australia, how she found her voice in podcasting alongside her co-host Rumbi (based in the Czech Republic), and the challenges and triumphs of creating a platform for honest conversations about life in the diaspor...
In Part 2 of our conversation on the Black Magic Woman Podcast, I continue my yarn with Sal Balharrie and Dannielle Maclean, the directors behind the moving film Like My Brother. This episode dives deeper into the complexities of creating a film that resonates with community values and represents the voices of young Tiwi women navigating their ambitions in football while staying rooted in cultural identity.
Sal and Dannielle share ...
In this weeks episode I sit down with Sal Balharrie and Dannielle MacLean, directors of the compelling film Like My Brother. The film delves into the intertwined stories of community, culture, and the enduring spirit of Tiwi women through the lens of their shared passion for football—a sport that becomes a metaphor for resilience, identity, and the dual worlds Indigenous people navigate.
Sal and Dannielle share the intricate journe...
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