October 21, 2025 • 32 mins
Wiradjuri Elder and Aboriginal activist Uncle Dave Bell has spent more than two decades guiding young people towards strength through culture, mentoring and connection. In this episode of Mental Fitness Conversations, he joins Mundanara Bayles from Black Magic Woman podcasts to share the story of Young Spirit Mentoring - a grassroots program changing lives across Campbelltown by reconnecting youth with Country, culture and community.
Together, Mundanara and Uncle Dave explore the importance of cultural identity, safe spaces for open conversation and how meaningful connection can break cycles of disconnection and pain.
Resources and links
Find out more about Gotcha4Life at www.gotcha4life.org and follow us on Instagram and Facebook @gotcha4life and on Instagram @blackmagicwomanpodcast.
Find out about Young Spirit Mentoring https://youngspiritmentoring.wordpress.com/
About the podcast
Hosted by award-winning Indigenous businesswoman and Gotcha4Life Board Member Mundanara Bayles, and produced in partnership with Black Magic Woman, Mental Fitness Conversations centres First Nations voices in powerful conversations about culture, connection and what truly sustains mental fitness.
Content note
This episode includes discussion of mental health challenges which may be confronting. Please practise self-care and reach out if you need support. Services available 24/7 include 13YARN on 13 92 76 and Lifeline on 13 11 14.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:04):
Black Cast nine. Our voices.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
Gotcha for Life and Black Magic Woman Podcast acknowledges the
traditional owners of the land which we recorded this episode.
We also acknowledge the traditional owners of the land from
where you, the listener or viewer, are tuning in. We
would like to pay our respects to elders both past
and present. We acknowledge that this land always was and
always will be Aboriginal land. This podcast talks about mental health, suicide,
(00:33):
and lived experience. If that brings anything up for you,
please take care while listening and remember you don't need
to worry alone. Welcome to Mental Fitness Conversations, a podcast
about how real people build their mental fitness through connection, community,
and simple everyday actions, brought to you by Gotcha for
Life in partnership with Black Magic Woman.
Speaker 1 (00:55):
Here's your host, Monda Narrabels. Nice to have you back
to listen to another amazing episode of the Gotcha for
Life and Black Magic Woman podcast partnership series. We're yarning
with mob from right across the country, and we are
(01:16):
here to talk about resilience, culture, community, connection and also
about building your mental fitness. It's very important for us
as blackfellows to be able to have or even make
space for these conversations. I really do hope that you
enjoy this yarn. Coming from the beautiful lands of the
(01:39):
Camagle people, which is just over the Harbor Bridge here
in Sydney and growing up here in Redfern, I was
introduced well, actually before I was even born. Uncle Dave
was part of our family growing up back in the eighties.
And Uncle Dave, who's my guest today, is an elder
(02:02):
also expected boxer back in the day, right, one of
your achievements in the boxing world. But you've also had
some experience uncle, back in those early days working with
the police force as the first Aboriginal liaison. I remember
you back in those days, and that was, like, you know,
(02:24):
really kind of it was. It was a big thing
in our community to see one of our mob working
in the police force and trying to support our community.
But here we are today and I can't wait for
you to hear Uncle Dave's stories. So Uncle, the best
person to tell your story is you. So do you
want to share with my listeners? And now we've got
(02:45):
people on YouTube watching this right around the world. Tell
us who you are, you name your mob, and a
little bit about where you grew.
Speaker 3 (02:53):
Up, yeah, Yama, Yeah, it's a bit emotional when you
introduced me on that, Mara, you know what I mean,
cause we go way back with your mother, you know,
and right Redfern, Redfern is where we grew up, little
paper boy at seven cents when the papers were there
back in the day. But you know, you learn your
(03:13):
tools from your elders, you know. And this is what
this chat's all about. And it's about listening to your bokers,
opening their bookers, to listening to our aunties, our uncles,
you know, our activists back in the day, because they
brung Muhammad la here, they brung Woopy Goldberg, you know, Aprah.
Speaker 1 (03:35):
Winfrey, Michael Jackson.
Speaker 3 (03:37):
Yeah, and they all come to the block Woopy Goldberg,
you know. So you know, just to have a place
where GoF Whitlam handed it back in the seventies, you know,
and how the Aboriginal people had to adapt because they
come from country areas, you know what I mean. And
all that storyline is ingraded with us, you know what
(03:58):
I mean. To listen to all these arties and your mother,
you know, sitting around that table. You know, that's where
I got my lai from. You know, so that connection
to country in Redfern where the stolen generation like they.
Speaker 1 (04:16):
All gathered, that was like a melting pot of stolen
gen mob.
Speaker 3 (04:20):
Yeah, so you know, they didn't even know their own
brothers and sisters, you know, in that space and we
until we still talk about that today. I think they
had a thing at Central Railway Station the other day
about the Stolen Generation and Annie Fayim Mosley and all
the elders come in there and talked about how they
were heard away like cattle.
Speaker 1 (04:40):
You know, so uncle, that's really important. They just mentioned that.
Sorry to interrupt you, but there was a a like
a ceremony at Central Station here in Sydney, platform one
or something, and that was the platform where young Aboriginal
girls and boys were then kind of dispersed or sent
(05:01):
out to institution, all out to cattle stations.
Speaker 3 (05:07):
Kuda Mundra, Kinchller Boy's home. You know the story with
kinch Lill Boy's home is they were given numbers like cowards.
You know how the cows we were labeled. Yep. And
you can see all the elders and when they talk
about the hurt and the destruction has come out and
this is what we want to talk about today, especially
about the healing, especially about the mental fitness like you're saying,
(05:31):
and you know, as a sportsman, to come through that foundation,
especially in Redfern, you know, I mean you're going to
learn how to fight, especially if your fair skinned like us, Uncle.
Speaker 1 (05:41):
Dave, you was in your prime, you were a boxer.
Speaker 3 (05:45):
Yeah, number two in Australia for a couple of Australian titles.
So you know I had good mentors like Uncle Alan
Hilt and Wally Carr back back in the day. And
you know Uncle Tony Mundane had the gym down below
where Roy Carroll and him started where they got a
grant and now it's up the now so all then
(06:05):
foundation that was a safe place to give our kids
some tools, you know, to make sure these kids come
through this platform. And it was for the disadvantage Aboriginal people,
you know, but we shared that space. You know, it
doesn't matter what color or crete. And I think that's
ingrained with us and the way that we run our
programs now that we open the door for everyone.
Speaker 1 (06:26):
And Uncle from boxing back in the day to now
living out in Western Sydney, what what do you do
in your community and what do you want to share
with us with some of the work and some of
the some of the challenges even working in community and
running those programs for young people today.
Speaker 3 (06:44):
Yeah, well I've been doing this for nearly thirty five years.
When you know, I was on a grade eight there
in Redfern and Pimmy got my old son, pamelway, he
got a lot of asthma. So we said we have
to make a change and go out to Campbelltown and
that's where you know, I give up twenty five years
of voluntary work to give back to the community. It's
(07:06):
still happening to the day and we're building all these
foundations now, especially like cost of living, the food, you know,
and we're doing a lot with minto Cobras. So the
challenges are that we want to have a pathway for
the girls through Rugby league and then make sure that
(07:26):
all them role models come through us where for our
image and trying to make them better people in society,
you know. And you know there's a lot of temptations there,
especially with the youth, like you're saying, you know, like
the peer pressure, social media well being, you know, but
education is the key and what we try to do
with these kids, is making sure that they're at school.
(07:47):
You just heard what down done with Get Black on
your Feet and all this other stuff that we're doing
in the schools and the culture. It's connecting, you know,
it's connecting the culture, but not only on an Aboriginal perspective.
It's the mainstream side of it too as well, to
educate both sides.
Speaker 1 (08:02):
So culture has been your founds.
Speaker 3 (08:05):
And you know, like I've had that gifted to me
by elders, and you know, I've gone through my second
initiation myself, you know, for l Ori, and it's you know,
it's dynamic to learn all this stuff that you can
hand on to our kids because you know, having borer
grounds and sacred sites and the rivers. If we don't
(08:27):
look after our river, we all die, you know what
I mean. So this is what we're trying to teach
our young ones out there, to make sure that the
rivers there to be cleansed and go through our own
little ceremonies to make sure these kids are connected back
to our land, you know. And you know the river
is a big part of that, you know, so that
that's where a lot of creation stories happen, a lot
(08:49):
of the creation stories to the stars. You know, all
the astronomy astronomers. You know, we used our stars as
navigation and you know you can see that our creation
story is Stuart. We're there with the EMI and all
that and.
Speaker 1 (09:03):
Talking about culture. How important is how important is it
Uncle Dave in today's world with the work that you're
doing in your community with these young people, how important?
Like how are you passing on that culture to them?
You've got to try and get them to be strong
and proud in culture.
Speaker 3 (09:24):
Yeah, well, it's all about leadership, you know, like a
lot of the kids, don't. You know, us elders are
getting a little bit on now. So we we navigate
about four young fellows that learn from us. So they've
got to go through their own ceremony, they've got to
go through their own little law, you know, guidance, these
little steps and what it is. It's you know, it's
(09:46):
building foundation and you know yourself, Mara, women's business and
men's business a whole total different ballgame out there, you
know what I mean. And it's protocol for us. You know,
we've got Annie Verner, Barker only Amanda Hall, you know
our aunties. You know that that do that eucalyptus ceremony,
you know what I mean. And you know, it feels
(10:08):
like they're really connected to society to share their culture
and with us. We've got to boro ground out there
that's so sacred that they don't even know. It's in
Minto and it's only five minutes from Minto area that
the Aborigine or Men's group has utilized that for thirty
five years, but sixty five years, thousand years before that.
Speaker 1 (10:29):
Uncle men's business and women's business is a very important
feature of Aberisal culture. So I love the fact that
you mentioned you've got these old aunties here that work
with the women and young girls, and then you've got
the older men to work with the young boys and
young men in terms of bringing that community together. What
are some of the programs that you've been running out
(10:51):
in Western Sydney.
Speaker 3 (10:52):
Well, you know you mentioned that like boxing, you know,
two thousand and one of you go to our website
Young Spirit Mentoring in the WordPress one you'll see all
the work that we've done. I mentored dearly seventeen thousand kids,
you know, so and now the parents of them, they're
all parents now and they're bringing their kids, you know, say,
all this foundation that we've set up and we want pathways,
(11:13):
we want goals for these kids. We don't want I'm
sitting around doing nothing, you know, because and this is
where we go into the schools to lay down the
foundation with a lot of the people that work in
that sector. And one of the things is that we
want to educate the principles the teachers and bring them
out to our space on our lens, you know what
I mean, and then capture that education that sew us
(11:36):
streams down to the school. And one of the things
with Uncle Dear Smith, one of our elders there, he
was a foundation of the Aboriginal housing in Dubbo. It
was the first one forty years ago. And Uncle Daz
his dream is to have our own Aboriginal school, you know,
And that's that's what we're focused on. It might take
us ten years, but we'll get there because we want
(11:57):
to leave his legacy. He is such a beautiful man
and he brings a lot to our men's group, and
it's all about trying to listen to his stories because
if you have a look at the heartache that he
talks about, especially in the court system that we work in.
The circle and sentencing, and this is all about this
journey on what you're talking about got you for life.
And you know that circle of sentencing where the decision
(12:21):
makers in the court right on all of our people
that come through there, it's the last chance before they
go to jail. Right, So what happens with all that stuff.
Everyone in that room is getting paid except the elders
right now. That's disrespectful, you know what I mean. And
we're making the decisions that we're putting these people on like.
Speaker 1 (12:42):
Like probation, yes, yeah.
Speaker 3 (12:45):
And that journey in itself, you know, I think two
hundred and sixty seven Aboriginal people that have come through there,
we've only one that's.
Speaker 1 (12:53):
How to go to prison, how to go get And
this is what you do, day in, day out, is
you're trying to make sure these younger people don't end
up in prison. You're trying to make sure that these
younger people can go to school and get an education,
and also when they go home, that they've got a
meal to eat. I've been watching you and supporting you,
(13:13):
uncle for a while. I wish I could do more.
But these young people that you're engaging with every day,
what's some of the struggles that they're dealing with, well.
Speaker 3 (13:25):
A lot of them haven't got a father figure either, mama.
And the biggest thing with that is that we go
into the home, we have a cup of tea, and
if we see some red flags there, we're not going
to go and ring docs. And I think we're going
to give these people the proper referral to make sure
that these people are healing themselves. Because intergenerational trauma, it's
(13:47):
not a myth, it's a big thing with our people.
Speaker 1 (13:49):
It's proven. It's scientifically proven intergenerational trauma, so people should
google it. Trauma is in the memory of our DNA,
So trauma is actually transferred through DNA, not through share
and sad stories. So some of our kids it's like
they've got no hope in trying to break that cycle
of this trauma.
Speaker 3 (14:10):
Well, the education system goes against our protocol sometimes because
they say, and you can't discipline your child, you know.
And then this is why there's so many out of
control because the principles and the values that we were
brought up with have all gone, you know what I mean.
Speaker 1 (14:28):
So this has been disrupted and interfered with our way
versus a white fellow away, and now we're trying to
bring these two different worlds together, and our kids are
kind of stuck.
Speaker 3 (14:38):
So I think one of the big rewards that we're
going to we're working on through this healing process is
that we're going to take them back to country. We
want our mob to go back to country heal, and
that's where that's when the ancestors will guide us. Because
I hear your sister, when I go up there straight
break all guided by the ancestors. You know what I mean,
(14:59):
that's true. You know what I mean when we wake
up in the morning and you hear the our totems singing,
and you know, we're connected to the animals. We're connected
to nature, and you know, especially in medicines, and you
know all this flaora and faun and stuff you know
that we're working on, you know, So it's all that
native plants and all that stuff that's pure to us.
(15:20):
Because this is very critical. Our metabolism through mainstream is
not the same, and that's where we fail of having
the wrong food that's going into our metabolism.
Speaker 1 (15:34):
Like dairy for instance, because we never had cattle wheat
for instance, because we never had wheat.
Speaker 3 (15:39):
Bread's a big one.
Speaker 1 (15:40):
Bread's a big one. So how do you then when
these young people coming to your programs and a lot
of these kids that are struggling, how do you support them?
What do you do?
Speaker 3 (15:50):
Yeah, well, there's we've got little steps right, So we've
got it. We've got a little stream. So we've got
like a four streams. So we have the ones that
are really struggling that we have counseling for them. We
have the right mentor that comes through our pathways to
make sure that they listen to the story of these
young ones, because that's where it's got to start from
(16:11):
early intervention, and that's what we've we've we've done a
lot of schools on that, and especially when kids have
got behavioral issues, they will ring us up and we'll
take these kids out on country, especially the boys. We'll
take them out of that borer ground. We'll show them
why that purpose is therefore, and then we'll take them
down to the river so they cleanse and then they
(16:32):
have a little bit of a place where they can connect.
And then we take them out to and introduce them
to some animals and show them some really good sacred
stuff that we're doing out there, and we're planning to,
you know, to guide these kids. And you know, you
can't explain it to you've got to You've got to
live it.
Speaker 1 (16:51):
Yeah, you got to experience it as well firsthand to
really know what you're talking about. So with these young
people where you're trying to kind of you're trying to
ground them in culture uncle trying to embed that cultural
knowledge and that pride in their cultural identity to then
be able to go and participate in society. That's a
(17:11):
big job. Do you have a team around you to
help you and support you.
Speaker 3 (17:15):
We have, like I just said, like through the men's group,
we've got about say four or five young fellows that
are coming through their stage, and they connect to all
these young fellows, you know what I mean. So us
old follows are there just to make sure that they're
safe and their mindset's all right, because everything's about mindset
as well. But these kids that we're trying to think
(17:36):
they're going to be our role models in the future,
and you know, we can just give them some guidance
and hope and tell them our story and you know,
just trying to build that role model up in society.
So not only that it's the image that we're planning
to make sure that they've seen around of things, so
we need to help out there. It's all about incentives,
you know what I mean, trying to give these kids
(17:57):
a tracksuit or something to keep warm and winter, you know,
because they come to our programs. These programs are very
very hard, and you know, like we're putting them through
like seven rounds of boxing. But how this program works,
the mentor trains the mentee, the mentee becomes the mentor uncle.
Speaker 1 (18:15):
That is such a deadly it's just like the cycle
within our culture. So that aligns with our culture as well. Right,
you're learning from that young person and that young person
is learning. It's like reciprocity. I'm giving to you and
you've got to give back to me. Full circle.
Speaker 3 (18:30):
Well, we're just the nation's football's coming up soon. And
what it is they couldn't they couldn't find an aboriginal dance, right,
So we just contacted Darren to get his support and
asked him could we use that his song and next
minute these kids with pride. Next minute we had we
(18:50):
just started off with about six kids. Now we've got
about eighty kids. They want to be involved with this one.
Speaker 1 (18:56):
Doing practicing traditional average or dance.
Speaker 3 (18:58):
Yeah, but not only not only not only that, it's
having other people learn from that as well.
Speaker 1 (19:05):
Uncle. It's all about community, right. We come from a
group based society and it got you for life. We
talk about your village and that you shouldn't have to
worry alone. So building mental fitness, how important is that
for even you?
Speaker 3 (19:21):
There were mental fitnesses you know, Like it's a deep one, Mara,
because what it is. You know, we've had a lot
of suicide lately and a lot of people with mental
health and it's what's in the inside. And you know,
our people they don't talk about that, you know what
I mean. We need more awareness about trying to get
(19:42):
that out if you hold that inside, you know what
I mean? And what we need more awareness And I
think what you're capturing through this podcast is going to
open up a lot of lot of doors. And especially
like with us, we're doing a certificate mental Health First
Aid and it's give us a lot of tools through
that to understand anxiety depression, you know, just having them
(20:06):
tools to work with that. And then the people that
are running that want to facility, say we would be
the best facilitators in that mm HM.
Speaker 1 (20:16):
So this is culturally appropriate mental health first day training. Yes,
So that's out there.
Speaker 3 (20:22):
Yes, So we're working with a couple of the big
industries on that. I've done that course and it's given
me a lot of tools to really sit back and
analyze the triggers that's out there. And you know when
you go in there and you see these first hands,
when we're going into the homes, you know, how do
we equip ourselves to make sure that we're educating the
(20:46):
family members, you know, because drug and alcohol is a
big thing in our society, you know what I mean.
And this is why we're building our own foundation to
get these temptations away from Thursday, Friday, Saturday, because that's
when everyone wants to go to the path, they want
to explore. You know, that's where they make a bad decision,
and that's when the mental health and all this fitness
comes into it, you know what I mean. So we're
(21:06):
working on a big thing like when Muhammad Ali had
a bear camp, right, So that's what we're trying to
do in a big picture. And I can try to
get Mike Tyson open this, so look.
Speaker 1 (21:17):
Out, uncle, you know, you are connected to community and
you're engaging with young people. What's some messages that you
want to share with some of the young mom that
might be listening to this podcast or watching it on YouTube.
Speaker 3 (21:32):
Yeah, I just want to We're only a phone call away,
you know, and you can look us up on any
of our media outlets, you know.
Speaker 1 (21:41):
To social media, on the website.
Speaker 3 (21:42):
Yeah. So we're a Young.
Speaker 1 (21:44):
Spirit Mentoring Program YMSP.
Speaker 3 (21:47):
Yeah, and it's a WordPress one anytime that you need us,
and you know, we want to take yous on our
little little journey. Come with us. You know we're there.
Get black on your feet. Uncle Darren, he's gone through
law and you know what we're saying to the kids
out there, you've got to earn the and sit at
the table with us, you know what I mean. So
keep that education up.
Speaker 1 (22:08):
They've got to go to school, keep all.
Speaker 3 (22:10):
That fitness level, especially the football and the fraternities that
we're with with Like I said with Mindowcoblis, that's a
big foundation that we're laying out there with the leadership
with their club.
Speaker 1 (22:21):
Uncle I saw you on TV. You got an award?
What was that?
Speaker 3 (22:27):
What? What was it?
Speaker 1 (22:28):
On the Today Show or the morning show. What happened there?
Speaker 3 (22:31):
Yeah, so Channel seven.
Speaker 1 (22:32):
Channel seven, and you won ten thous.
Speaker 3 (22:35):
And donated all back.
Speaker 1 (22:37):
And you gave it back to the community.
Speaker 3 (22:38):
I did, Uncle.
Speaker 1 (22:40):
There's not many people you know that. I know that
every day is a struggle for you. I know that
you're not on no big salary and you drive your
own vehicle until you don't have tires. So, Uncle, you've
dedicated your entire life to community and you're now getting
the next generation to step up. What's some things that
(23:01):
you could share with the older mob that might not
be involved in community yet, they don't know what they
want to do. What do you want to say to them?
Speaker 3 (23:09):
Fellows that are listening, Well, we're out there trying to,
like I said, with Arnie Werner and Arnie Amanda Hall.
And if you have a look at the foundations of
these two elders that I'm talking about. Her grandfather was
Roy Barker from Burke and he was an activist way
back then and a huge speaker on Aboriginal affairs and
(23:30):
all this other stuff. And Arnie Amanda's Hall's grandfather was
Vincent Hall, who was in the Freedom Ride.
Speaker 1 (23:37):
With Charles Perkins.
Speaker 3 (23:38):
Yes, so all these people that we're connecting, you know,
they've got huge stories to share. And this is what
we're saying. If there's any elders out there that need
our well, just connect with us, because we're out there.
We're looking for more elders to come in there. We're
going to go into the jail space, you know, because
we were working with Justice Health and we want to
(23:59):
make sure that these people that are hurting in there.
You know, they need a platform where they get out.
They need sustainability, you know, because we find out that
the first place they go it is cent Link, and
then they go and pick whatever, and then they get
into the bad crowd and fall back and it's like
a cycle.
Speaker 1 (24:20):
Yeah, the temptation. So if we if we ground more
of our community and our young people, if we ground
them in our culture and build those cultural foundations, then
they won't be tempted.
Speaker 3 (24:33):
It all starts with early intervention. Like I said earlier, Mara,
you know what I mean, early intervention. That's where we've
got to go back to these kids. We've got to
start from kindergarten all the way up, you know, because
that's where it's going to start. Because you know, by
the time they get into adolescence, you know, they're into
that peer pressure, and there's so much temptation out there,
especially now, you know, I mean back in the day,
(24:54):
you know, we could get away with a couple of
things that you listen to Jeffrey Morgan's story, you know
what I mean, all that stuff down today, crime doesn't
pay no And if.
Speaker 1 (25:05):
We show them the right way and give them the
right tools and access to people like you, we'll find
that our young people are going to be deadly, quite
successful and able to live a really good life.
Speaker 3 (25:20):
Well, I didn't understand practical and theory, you know what
I mean. And the first thing we'd done out there
the teeth is they said that they couldn't fill the
rooms with Aboriginal students. So what happened with Taithe out there?
I think it was nineteen ninety five that me and
Uncle Ivan went up there and we said, we want
to run a couple of programs like plumbing programs, horticultural
(25:45):
things that could make our kids.
Speaker 1 (25:47):
More look at different career paths, trage.
Speaker 3 (25:50):
And what it was when we started them three or
four things with Dave Roberts back out there, we had
to get two classrooms and we filled them, you know,
and I'm very proud about trying to when we've done that,
you know, because it's showed that we wanted to fit
them back into mainstream at the end of the day,
but we had to start this way where they connected
(26:12):
amongst themselves and all that brain storm and workshop and
you know, like that's where it all comes in, you know.
So just having some aims and objectives and just working
in the right like you're saying, that's what we're doing
with these kids having role models. You know, how good
is it going to be when we have our role
models that are wearing our gear. It makes us proud
(26:33):
in that community, you know.
Speaker 1 (26:34):
Yeah, And that's one of the biggest things Uncle at
gotcha for life. It's how do we support young people?
Because we roll out programs in primary schools, how do
we support young people to develop the skills, coping mechanisms,
to be able to build their mental muscle, so knowing
that they don't have to worry alone who are their community,
(26:58):
who can they talk to or who could they ring
Like we were to let our young people know from
a very young age that it's not weak to speak,
you know, that old saying well, especially with our young boys,
our young men, where they don't talk about their feelings
and their emotions.
Speaker 3 (27:14):
It is I think like farwell average of corporation has
come a long way, and I think they, you know,
as a medical fraternity out that way, Daryl writes, done
a good job on all that stuff. You know. So
it's having like mechanisms put in place in the in
these spaces that these kids need somewhere to go with.
And you know, like if you have a look where
(27:36):
I am, Amber Vil, Raise Medaw, you can just have
a look what I want to explain to you say,
it's hurting out there for our kids because they got
there's no no services there, and it's already stereotype. Like
you say Amber vail, they say Amber jail. And if
you say raise Meadows, says raise ghetto. So what's what's
what's that saying.
Speaker 1 (27:55):
About our saying? What is that saying to the young people?
Speaker 3 (27:58):
You know, it's degrading, you know what I mean? And
especially there's no services. I think there's a doctor and
fire brigade there and then they got a war. Worst
where are these kids got to go? You know? And
parents will agree with me because you know we put
this into our person who was running for parliament but
not Padel, and trying to give him a platform to say, well,
(28:20):
come with us and we'll show you what's going on
in our own community. Because there used to be leaders
Ecored John Threw was a Maury elder, Uncle Frank McDougall,
an average little man. You know, these fellows were on
the front line like me and Uncle Ive And you know,
I think there was a ride out there. The first
ones they come into the battle, they rang us up.
You know what I mean, where's all these people that
(28:43):
are getting paid these big, big dollars are not seen?
Speaker 1 (28:46):
Yeah, we need those service providers to really invest in
the local community so that these kids have got opportunities.
Speaker 3 (28:52):
Well there was in the agencies on a thing and
through COVID it never hasn't come back, you know. So
we need these people to come back. But not only
not only the service providers, having community sit in this
in that room as well.
Speaker 1 (29:05):
Uncle. We're running out of time, but I'm loving the
fact that I've been able to get you in here
from we're out in Western Sydney. Stop you from doing
what you do in community, to lend your voice and
your support behind. There's very important conversation around mental fitness
and getting amob in particular, to start developing those tools,
especially at a young age, accessing support, reaching out to elders,
(29:29):
participating in community events and initiatives and programs, coming down
and doing boxing with you fellers, but also for some
of the corporations and philanthropists. If you're listening to this yarn,
please reach out to Uncle Dave Bell. I'll make sure
that there's a link to the website because there are
funds that are urgently needed to go straight back to community.
(29:51):
This is a grassroots organization that has been operating without
support from governments and no funding, but every little bit helps,
so hopefully after people hear this, yeah uncle, they might
be able to put some money towards these really important programs.
That's really you know, putting the kids first and making
(30:13):
sure that they've got the best start to their little lives.
Speaker 3 (30:16):
And if anybody wants to come out there and do
the food with us, we're at Cozugay Park every Thursday
and Friday where the elders come and pick it up
and then we take it out and then we've got
a big contract with Costco, so we picked up cost
goes every Fridays and Saturdays, and all that goes to families.
Speaker 1 (30:32):
So you're doing food hampers and running around delivering food
hampers to families so that these kids are not going
without you.
Speaker 3 (30:39):
We've done that for thirty five years.
Speaker 1 (30:41):
Uncle Dave. I love you, love the work that you've
been doing. And you know, for our whole community, especially
here in Sydney, we're very lucky to have someone like
you that's still getting up early in the morning and
making sure that those kids have got programs, they got
somewhere to go after school, and they've got food in
(31:01):
their bellies and making sure that food go to those
homes to the people that need it.
Speaker 3 (31:05):
But thank you, Queen and Honor Yaalu.
Speaker 2 (31:09):
Deadly thanks for tuning in to mental fitness conversations. Keep
building your emotional muscles with the free Mental Fitness Gym app,
packed with tools, tips and everyday actions to support your
mental fitness. Download it from the App Store or Google
play Store, or visit the mentalfitnessgym dot org. If anything
in this episode brought something up for you, you don't have
(31:31):
to worry alone. Reach out to a trusted friend or
family member. And know that support is available. You can
contact Lifeline on one three double one one four or
one three yarn at one three nine two seven six
for free and confidential support for Aboriginal and torrostraight Islander people.
If you enjoyed this episode, leave us a rating, share
(31:53):
it with someone in your village, or drop us a message.
We'd love to hear what you think, and don't forget
to follow Black Magic Woman and Gotcha for Life on
all socials to keep the conversation going.
Black Cast nine. Our voices.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
Gotcha for Life and Black Magic Woman Podcast acknowledges the
traditional owners of the land which we recorded this episode.
We also acknowledge the traditional owners of the land from
where you, the listener or viewer, are tuning in. We
would like to pay our respects to elders both past
and present. We acknowledge that this land always was and
always will be Aboriginal land. This podcast talks about mental health, suicide,
(00:33):
and lived experience. If that brings anything up for you,
please take care while listening and remember you don't need
to worry alone. Welcome to Mental Fitness Conversations, a podcast
about how real people build their mental fitness through connection, community,
and simple everyday actions, brought to you by Gotcha for
Life in partnership with Black Magic Woman.
Speaker 1 (00:55):
Here's your host, Monda Narrabels. Nice to have you back
to listen to another amazing episode of the Gotcha for
Life and Black Magic Woman podcast partnership series. We're yarning
with mob from right across the country, and we are
(01:16):
here to talk about resilience, culture, community, connection and also
about building your mental fitness. It's very important for us
as blackfellows to be able to have or even make
space for these conversations. I really do hope that you
enjoy this yarn. Coming from the beautiful lands of the
(01:39):
Camagle people, which is just over the Harbor Bridge here
in Sydney and growing up here in Redfern, I was
introduced well, actually before I was even born. Uncle Dave
was part of our family growing up back in the eighties.
And Uncle Dave, who's my guest today, is an elder
(02:02):
also expected boxer back in the day, right, one of
your achievements in the boxing world. But you've also had
some experience uncle, back in those early days working with
the police force as the first Aboriginal liaison. I remember
you back in those days, and that was, like, you know,
(02:24):
really kind of it was. It was a big thing
in our community to see one of our mob working
in the police force and trying to support our community.
But here we are today and I can't wait for
you to hear Uncle Dave's stories. So Uncle, the best
person to tell your story is you. So do you
want to share with my listeners? And now we've got
(02:45):
people on YouTube watching this right around the world. Tell
us who you are, you name your mob, and a
little bit about where you grew.
Speaker 3 (02:53):
Up, yeah, Yama, Yeah, it's a bit emotional when you
introduced me on that, Mara, you know what I mean,
cause we go way back with your mother, you know,
and right Redfern, Redfern is where we grew up, little
paper boy at seven cents when the papers were there
back in the day. But you know, you learn your
(03:13):
tools from your elders, you know. And this is what
this chat's all about. And it's about listening to your bokers,
opening their bookers, to listening to our aunties, our uncles,
you know, our activists back in the day, because they
brung Muhammad la here, they brung Woopy Goldberg, you know, Aprah.
Speaker 1 (03:35):
Winfrey, Michael Jackson.
Speaker 3 (03:37):
Yeah, and they all come to the block Woopy Goldberg,
you know. So you know, just to have a place
where GoF Whitlam handed it back in the seventies, you know,
and how the Aboriginal people had to adapt because they
come from country areas, you know what I mean. And
all that storyline is ingraded with us, you know what
(03:58):
I mean. To listen to all these arties and your mother,
you know, sitting around that table. You know, that's where
I got my lai from. You know, so that connection
to country in Redfern where the stolen generation like they.
Speaker 1 (04:16):
All gathered, that was like a melting pot of stolen
gen mob.
Speaker 3 (04:20):
Yeah, so you know, they didn't even know their own
brothers and sisters, you know, in that space and we
until we still talk about that today. I think they
had a thing at Central Railway Station the other day
about the Stolen Generation and Annie Fayim Mosley and all
the elders come in there and talked about how they
were heard away like cattle.
Speaker 1 (04:40):
You know, so uncle, that's really important. They just mentioned that.
Sorry to interrupt you, but there was a a like
a ceremony at Central Station here in Sydney, platform one
or something, and that was the platform where young Aboriginal
girls and boys were then kind of dispersed or sent
(05:01):
out to institution, all out to cattle stations.
Speaker 3 (05:07):
Kuda Mundra, Kinchller Boy's home. You know the story with
kinch Lill Boy's home is they were given numbers like cowards.
You know how the cows we were labeled. Yep. And
you can see all the elders and when they talk
about the hurt and the destruction has come out and
this is what we want to talk about today, especially
about the healing, especially about the mental fitness like you're saying,
(05:31):
and you know, as a sportsman, to come through that foundation,
especially in Redfern, you know, I mean you're going to
learn how to fight, especially if your fair skinned like us, Uncle.
Speaker 1 (05:41):
Dave, you was in your prime, you were a boxer.
Speaker 3 (05:45):
Yeah, number two in Australia for a couple of Australian titles.
So you know I had good mentors like Uncle Alan
Hilt and Wally Carr back back in the day. And
you know Uncle Tony Mundane had the gym down below
where Roy Carroll and him started where they got a
grant and now it's up the now so all then
(06:05):
foundation that was a safe place to give our kids
some tools, you know, to make sure these kids come
through this platform. And it was for the disadvantage Aboriginal people,
you know, but we shared that space. You know, it
doesn't matter what color or crete. And I think that's
ingrained with us and the way that we run our
programs now that we open the door for everyone.
Speaker 1 (06:26):
And Uncle from boxing back in the day to now
living out in Western Sydney, what what do you do
in your community and what do you want to share
with us with some of the work and some of
the some of the challenges even working in community and
running those programs for young people today.
Speaker 3 (06:44):
Yeah, well I've been doing this for nearly thirty five years.
When you know, I was on a grade eight there
in Redfern and Pimmy got my old son, pamelway, he
got a lot of asthma. So we said we have
to make a change and go out to Campbelltown and
that's where you know, I give up twenty five years
of voluntary work to give back to the community. It's
(07:06):
still happening to the day and we're building all these
foundations now, especially like cost of living, the food, you know,
and we're doing a lot with minto Cobras. So the
challenges are that we want to have a pathway for
the girls through Rugby league and then make sure that
(07:26):
all them role models come through us where for our
image and trying to make them better people in society,
you know. And you know there's a lot of temptations there,
especially with the youth, like you're saying, you know, like
the peer pressure, social media well being, you know, but
education is the key and what we try to do
with these kids, is making sure that they're at school.
(07:47):
You just heard what down done with Get Black on
your Feet and all this other stuff that we're doing
in the schools and the culture. It's connecting, you know,
it's connecting the culture, but not only on an Aboriginal perspective.
It's the mainstream side of it too as well, to
educate both sides.
Speaker 1 (08:02):
So culture has been your founds.
Speaker 3 (08:05):
And you know, like I've had that gifted to me
by elders, and you know, I've gone through my second
initiation myself, you know, for l Ori, and it's you know,
it's dynamic to learn all this stuff that you can
hand on to our kids because you know, having borer
grounds and sacred sites and the rivers. If we don't
(08:27):
look after our river, we all die, you know what
I mean. So this is what we're trying to teach
our young ones out there, to make sure that the
rivers there to be cleansed and go through our own
little ceremonies to make sure these kids are connected back
to our land, you know. And you know the river
is a big part of that, you know, so that
that's where a lot of creation stories happen, a lot
(08:49):
of the creation stories to the stars. You know, all
the astronomy astronomers. You know, we used our stars as
navigation and you know you can see that our creation
story is Stuart. We're there with the EMI and all
that and.
Speaker 1 (09:03):
Talking about culture. How important is how important is it
Uncle Dave in today's world with the work that you're
doing in your community with these young people, how important?
Like how are you passing on that culture to them?
You've got to try and get them to be strong
and proud in culture.
Speaker 3 (09:24):
Yeah, well, it's all about leadership, you know, like a
lot of the kids, don't. You know, us elders are
getting a little bit on now. So we we navigate
about four young fellows that learn from us. So they've
got to go through their own ceremony, they've got to
go through their own little law, you know, guidance, these
little steps and what it is. It's you know, it's
(09:46):
building foundation and you know yourself, Mara, women's business and
men's business a whole total different ballgame out there, you
know what I mean. And it's protocol for us. You know,
we've got Annie Verner, Barker only Amanda Hall, you know
our aunties. You know that that do that eucalyptus ceremony,
you know what I mean. And you know, it feels
(10:08):
like they're really connected to society to share their culture
and with us. We've got to boro ground out there
that's so sacred that they don't even know. It's in
Minto and it's only five minutes from Minto area that
the Aborigine or Men's group has utilized that for thirty
five years, but sixty five years, thousand years before that.
Speaker 1 (10:29):
Uncle men's business and women's business is a very important
feature of Aberisal culture. So I love the fact that
you mentioned you've got these old aunties here that work
with the women and young girls, and then you've got
the older men to work with the young boys and
young men in terms of bringing that community together. What
are some of the programs that you've been running out
(10:51):
in Western Sydney.
Speaker 3 (10:52):
Well, you know you mentioned that like boxing, you know,
two thousand and one of you go to our website
Young Spirit Mentoring in the WordPress one you'll see all
the work that we've done. I mentored dearly seventeen thousand kids,
you know, so and now the parents of them, they're
all parents now and they're bringing their kids, you know, say,
all this foundation that we've set up and we want pathways,
(11:13):
we want goals for these kids. We don't want I'm
sitting around doing nothing, you know, because and this is
where we go into the schools to lay down the
foundation with a lot of the people that work in
that sector. And one of the things is that we
want to educate the principles the teachers and bring them
out to our space on our lens, you know what
I mean, and then capture that education that sew us
(11:36):
streams down to the school. And one of the things
with Uncle Dear Smith, one of our elders there, he
was a foundation of the Aboriginal housing in Dubbo. It
was the first one forty years ago. And Uncle Daz
his dream is to have our own Aboriginal school, you know,
And that's that's what we're focused on. It might take
us ten years, but we'll get there because we want
(11:57):
to leave his legacy. He is such a beautiful man
and he brings a lot to our men's group, and
it's all about trying to listen to his stories because
if you have a look at the heartache that he
talks about, especially in the court system that we work in.
The circle and sentencing, and this is all about this
journey on what you're talking about got you for life.
And you know that circle of sentencing where the decision
(12:21):
makers in the court right on all of our people
that come through there, it's the last chance before they
go to jail. Right, So what happens with all that stuff.
Everyone in that room is getting paid except the elders
right now. That's disrespectful, you know what I mean. And
we're making the decisions that we're putting these people on like.
Speaker 1 (12:42):
Like probation, yes, yeah.
Speaker 3 (12:45):
And that journey in itself, you know, I think two
hundred and sixty seven Aboriginal people that have come through there,
we've only one that's.
Speaker 1 (12:53):
How to go to prison, how to go get And
this is what you do, day in, day out, is
you're trying to make sure these younger people don't end
up in prison. You're trying to make sure that these
younger people can go to school and get an education,
and also when they go home, that they've got a
meal to eat. I've been watching you and supporting you,
(13:13):
uncle for a while. I wish I could do more.
But these young people that you're engaging with every day,
what's some of the struggles that they're dealing with, well.
Speaker 3 (13:25):
A lot of them haven't got a father figure either, mama.
And the biggest thing with that is that we go
into the home, we have a cup of tea, and
if we see some red flags there, we're not going
to go and ring docs. And I think we're going
to give these people the proper referral to make sure
that these people are healing themselves. Because intergenerational trauma, it's
(13:47):
not a myth, it's a big thing with our people.
Speaker 1 (13:49):
It's proven. It's scientifically proven intergenerational trauma, so people should
google it. Trauma is in the memory of our DNA,
So trauma is actually transferred through DNA, not through share
and sad stories. So some of our kids it's like
they've got no hope in trying to break that cycle
of this trauma.
Speaker 3 (14:10):
Well, the education system goes against our protocol sometimes because
they say, and you can't discipline your child, you know.
And then this is why there's so many out of
control because the principles and the values that we were
brought up with have all gone, you know what I mean.
Speaker 1 (14:28):
So this has been disrupted and interfered with our way
versus a white fellow away, and now we're trying to
bring these two different worlds together, and our kids are
kind of stuck.
Speaker 3 (14:38):
So I think one of the big rewards that we're
going to we're working on through this healing process is
that we're going to take them back to country. We
want our mob to go back to country heal, and
that's where that's when the ancestors will guide us. Because
I hear your sister, when I go up there straight
break all guided by the ancestors. You know what I mean,
(14:59):
that's true. You know what I mean when we wake
up in the morning and you hear the our totems singing,
and you know, we're connected to the animals. We're connected
to nature, and you know, especially in medicines, and you
know all this flaora and faun and stuff you know
that we're working on, you know, So it's all that
native plants and all that stuff that's pure to us.
(15:20):
Because this is very critical. Our metabolism through mainstream is
not the same, and that's where we fail of having
the wrong food that's going into our metabolism.
Speaker 1 (15:34):
Like dairy for instance, because we never had cattle wheat
for instance, because we never had wheat.
Speaker 3 (15:39):
Bread's a big one.
Speaker 1 (15:40):
Bread's a big one. So how do you then when
these young people coming to your programs and a lot
of these kids that are struggling, how do you support them?
What do you do?
Speaker 3 (15:50):
Yeah, well, there's we've got little steps right, So we've
got it. We've got a little stream. So we've got
like a four streams. So we have the ones that
are really struggling that we have counseling for them. We
have the right mentor that comes through our pathways to
make sure that they listen to the story of these
young ones, because that's where it's got to start from
(16:11):
early intervention, and that's what we've we've we've done a
lot of schools on that, and especially when kids have
got behavioral issues, they will ring us up and we'll
take these kids out on country, especially the boys. We'll
take them out of that borer ground. We'll show them
why that purpose is therefore, and then we'll take them
down to the river so they cleanse and then they
(16:32):
have a little bit of a place where they can connect.
And then we take them out to and introduce them
to some animals and show them some really good sacred
stuff that we're doing out there, and we're planning to,
you know, to guide these kids. And you know, you
can't explain it to you've got to You've got to
live it.
Speaker 1 (16:51):
Yeah, you got to experience it as well firsthand to
really know what you're talking about. So with these young
people where you're trying to kind of you're trying to
ground them in culture uncle trying to embed that cultural
knowledge and that pride in their cultural identity to then
be able to go and participate in society. That's a
(17:11):
big job. Do you have a team around you to
help you and support you.
Speaker 3 (17:15):
We have, like I just said, like through the men's group,
we've got about say four or five young fellows that
are coming through their stage, and they connect to all
these young fellows, you know what I mean. So us
old follows are there just to make sure that they're
safe and their mindset's all right, because everything's about mindset
as well. But these kids that we're trying to think
(17:36):
they're going to be our role models in the future,
and you know, we can just give them some guidance
and hope and tell them our story and you know,
just trying to build that role model up in society.
So not only that it's the image that we're planning
to make sure that they've seen around of things, so
we need to help out there. It's all about incentives,
you know what I mean, trying to give these kids
(17:57):
a tracksuit or something to keep warm and winter, you know,
because they come to our programs. These programs are very
very hard, and you know, like we're putting them through
like seven rounds of boxing. But how this program works,
the mentor trains the mentee, the mentee becomes the mentor uncle.
Speaker 1 (18:15):
That is such a deadly it's just like the cycle
within our culture. So that aligns with our culture as well. Right,
you're learning from that young person and that young person
is learning. It's like reciprocity. I'm giving to you and
you've got to give back to me. Full circle.
Speaker 3 (18:30):
Well, we're just the nation's football's coming up soon. And
what it is they couldn't they couldn't find an aboriginal dance, right,
So we just contacted Darren to get his support and
asked him could we use that his song and next
minute these kids with pride. Next minute we had we
(18:50):
just started off with about six kids. Now we've got
about eighty kids. They want to be involved with this one.
Speaker 1 (18:56):
Doing practicing traditional average or dance.
Speaker 3 (18:58):
Yeah, but not only not only not only that, it's
having other people learn from that as well.
Speaker 1 (19:05):
Uncle. It's all about community, right. We come from a
group based society and it got you for life. We
talk about your village and that you shouldn't have to
worry alone. So building mental fitness, how important is that
for even you?
Speaker 3 (19:21):
There were mental fitnesses you know, Like it's a deep one, Mara,
because what it is. You know, we've had a lot
of suicide lately and a lot of people with mental
health and it's what's in the inside. And you know,
our people they don't talk about that, you know what
I mean. We need more awareness about trying to get
(19:42):
that out if you hold that inside, you know what
I mean? And what we need more awareness And I
think what you're capturing through this podcast is going to
open up a lot of lot of doors. And especially
like with us, we're doing a certificate mental Health First
Aid and it's give us a lot of tools through
that to understand anxiety depression, you know, just having them
(20:06):
tools to work with that. And then the people that
are running that want to facility, say we would be
the best facilitators in that mm HM.
Speaker 1 (20:16):
So this is culturally appropriate mental health first day training. Yes,
So that's out there.
Speaker 3 (20:22):
Yes, So we're working with a couple of the big
industries on that. I've done that course and it's given
me a lot of tools to really sit back and
analyze the triggers that's out there. And you know when
you go in there and you see these first hands,
when we're going into the homes, you know, how do
we equip ourselves to make sure that we're educating the
(20:46):
family members, you know, because drug and alcohol is a
big thing in our society, you know what I mean.
And this is why we're building our own foundation to
get these temptations away from Thursday, Friday, Saturday, because that's
when everyone wants to go to the path, they want
to explore. You know, that's where they make a bad decision,
and that's when the mental health and all this fitness
comes into it, you know what I mean. So we're
(21:06):
working on a big thing like when Muhammad Ali had
a bear camp, right, So that's what we're trying to
do in a big picture. And I can try to
get Mike Tyson open this, so look.
Speaker 1 (21:17):
Out, uncle, you know, you are connected to community and
you're engaging with young people. What's some messages that you
want to share with some of the young mom that
might be listening to this podcast or watching it on YouTube.
Speaker 3 (21:32):
Yeah, I just want to We're only a phone call away,
you know, and you can look us up on any
of our media outlets, you know.
Speaker 1 (21:41):
To social media, on the website.
Speaker 3 (21:42):
Yeah. So we're a Young.
Speaker 1 (21:44):
Spirit Mentoring Program YMSP.
Speaker 3 (21:47):
Yeah, and it's a WordPress one anytime that you need us,
and you know, we want to take yous on our
little little journey. Come with us. You know we're there.
Get black on your feet. Uncle Darren, he's gone through
law and you know what we're saying to the kids
out there, you've got to earn the and sit at
the table with us, you know what I mean. So
keep that education up.
Speaker 1 (22:08):
They've got to go to school, keep all.
Speaker 3 (22:10):
That fitness level, especially the football and the fraternities that
we're with with Like I said with Mindowcoblis, that's a
big foundation that we're laying out there with the leadership
with their club.
Speaker 1 (22:21):
Uncle I saw you on TV. You got an award?
What was that?
Speaker 3 (22:27):
What? What was it?
Speaker 1 (22:28):
On the Today Show or the morning show. What happened there?
Speaker 3 (22:31):
Yeah, so Channel seven.
Speaker 1 (22:32):
Channel seven, and you won ten thous.
Speaker 3 (22:35):
And donated all back.
Speaker 1 (22:37):
And you gave it back to the community.
Speaker 3 (22:38):
I did, Uncle.
Speaker 1 (22:40):
There's not many people you know that. I know that
every day is a struggle for you. I know that
you're not on no big salary and you drive your
own vehicle until you don't have tires. So, Uncle, you've
dedicated your entire life to community and you're now getting
the next generation to step up. What's some things that
(23:01):
you could share with the older mob that might not
be involved in community yet, they don't know what they
want to do. What do you want to say to them?
Speaker 3 (23:09):
Fellows that are listening, Well, we're out there trying to,
like I said, with Arnie Werner and Arnie Amanda Hall.
And if you have a look at the foundations of
these two elders that I'm talking about. Her grandfather was
Roy Barker from Burke and he was an activist way
back then and a huge speaker on Aboriginal affairs and
(23:30):
all this other stuff. And Arnie Amanda's Hall's grandfather was
Vincent Hall, who was in the Freedom Ride.
Speaker 1 (23:37):
With Charles Perkins.
Speaker 3 (23:38):
Yes, so all these people that we're connecting, you know,
they've got huge stories to share. And this is what
we're saying. If there's any elders out there that need
our well, just connect with us, because we're out there.
We're looking for more elders to come in there. We're
going to go into the jail space, you know, because
we were working with Justice Health and we want to
(23:59):
make sure that these people that are hurting in there.
You know, they need a platform where they get out.
They need sustainability, you know, because we find out that
the first place they go it is cent Link, and
then they go and pick whatever, and then they get
into the bad crowd and fall back and it's like
a cycle.
Speaker 1 (24:20):
Yeah, the temptation. So if we if we ground more
of our community and our young people, if we ground
them in our culture and build those cultural foundations, then
they won't be tempted.
Speaker 3 (24:33):
It all starts with early intervention. Like I said earlier, Mara,
you know what I mean, early intervention. That's where we've
got to go back to these kids. We've got to
start from kindergarten all the way up, you know, because
that's where it's going to start. Because you know, by
the time they get into adolescence, you know, they're into
that peer pressure, and there's so much temptation out there,
especially now, you know, I mean back in the day,
(24:54):
you know, we could get away with a couple of
things that you listen to Jeffrey Morgan's story, you know
what I mean, all that stuff down today, crime doesn't
pay no And if.
Speaker 1 (25:05):
We show them the right way and give them the
right tools and access to people like you, we'll find
that our young people are going to be deadly, quite
successful and able to live a really good life.
Speaker 3 (25:20):
Well, I didn't understand practical and theory, you know what
I mean. And the first thing we'd done out there
the teeth is they said that they couldn't fill the
rooms with Aboriginal students. So what happened with Taithe out there?
I think it was nineteen ninety five that me and
Uncle Ivan went up there and we said, we want
to run a couple of programs like plumbing programs, horticultural
(25:45):
things that could make our kids.
Speaker 1 (25:47):
More look at different career paths, trage.
Speaker 3 (25:50):
And what it was when we started them three or
four things with Dave Roberts back out there, we had
to get two classrooms and we filled them, you know,
and I'm very proud about trying to when we've done that,
you know, because it's showed that we wanted to fit
them back into mainstream at the end of the day,
but we had to start this way where they connected
(26:12):
amongst themselves and all that brain storm and workshop and
you know, like that's where it all comes in, you know.
So just having some aims and objectives and just working
in the right like you're saying, that's what we're doing
with these kids having role models. You know, how good
is it going to be when we have our role
models that are wearing our gear. It makes us proud
(26:33):
in that community, you know.
Speaker 1 (26:34):
Yeah, And that's one of the biggest things Uncle at
gotcha for life. It's how do we support young people?
Because we roll out programs in primary schools, how do
we support young people to develop the skills, coping mechanisms,
to be able to build their mental muscle, so knowing
that they don't have to worry alone who are their community,
(26:58):
who can they talk to or who could they ring
Like we were to let our young people know from
a very young age that it's not weak to speak,
you know, that old saying well, especially with our young boys,
our young men, where they don't talk about their feelings
and their emotions.
Speaker 3 (27:14):
It is I think like farwell average of corporation has
come a long way, and I think they, you know,
as a medical fraternity out that way, Daryl writes, done
a good job on all that stuff. You know. So
it's having like mechanisms put in place in the in
these spaces that these kids need somewhere to go with.
And you know, like if you have a look where
(27:36):
I am, Amber Vil, Raise Medaw, you can just have
a look what I want to explain to you say,
it's hurting out there for our kids because they got
there's no no services there, and it's already stereotype. Like
you say Amber vail, they say Amber jail. And if
you say raise Meadows, says raise ghetto. So what's what's
what's that saying.
Speaker 1 (27:55):
About our saying? What is that saying to the young people?
Speaker 3 (27:58):
You know, it's degrading, you know what I mean? And
especially there's no services. I think there's a doctor and
fire brigade there and then they got a war. Worst
where are these kids got to go? You know? And
parents will agree with me because you know we put
this into our person who was running for parliament but
not Padel, and trying to give him a platform to say, well,
(28:20):
come with us and we'll show you what's going on
in our own community. Because there used to be leaders
Ecored John Threw was a Maury elder, Uncle Frank McDougall,
an average little man. You know, these fellows were on
the front line like me and Uncle Ive And you know,
I think there was a ride out there. The first
ones they come into the battle, they rang us up.
You know what I mean, where's all these people that
(28:43):
are getting paid these big, big dollars are not seen?
Speaker 1 (28:46):
Yeah, we need those service providers to really invest in
the local community so that these kids have got opportunities.
Speaker 3 (28:52):
Well there was in the agencies on a thing and
through COVID it never hasn't come back, you know. So
we need these people to come back. But not only
not only the service providers, having community sit in this
in that room as well.
Speaker 1 (29:05):
Uncle. We're running out of time, but I'm loving the
fact that I've been able to get you in here
from we're out in Western Sydney. Stop you from doing
what you do in community, to lend your voice and
your support behind. There's very important conversation around mental fitness
and getting amob in particular, to start developing those tools,
especially at a young age, accessing support, reaching out to elders,
(29:29):
participating in community events and initiatives and programs, coming down
and doing boxing with you fellers, but also for some
of the corporations and philanthropists. If you're listening to this yarn,
please reach out to Uncle Dave Bell. I'll make sure
that there's a link to the website because there are
funds that are urgently needed to go straight back to community.
(29:51):
This is a grassroots organization that has been operating without
support from governments and no funding, but every little bit helps,
so hopefully after people hear this, yeah uncle, they might
be able to put some money towards these really important programs.
That's really you know, putting the kids first and making
(30:13):
sure that they've got the best start to their little lives.
Speaker 3 (30:16):
And if anybody wants to come out there and do
the food with us, we're at Cozugay Park every Thursday
and Friday where the elders come and pick it up
and then we take it out and then we've got
a big contract with Costco, so we picked up cost
goes every Fridays and Saturdays, and all that goes to families.
Speaker 1 (30:32):
So you're doing food hampers and running around delivering food
hampers to families so that these kids are not going
without you.
Speaker 3 (30:39):
We've done that for thirty five years.
Speaker 1 (30:41):
Uncle Dave. I love you, love the work that you've
been doing. And you know, for our whole community, especially
here in Sydney, we're very lucky to have someone like
you that's still getting up early in the morning and
making sure that those kids have got programs, they got
somewhere to go after school, and they've got food in
(31:01):
their bellies and making sure that food go to those
homes to the people that need it.
Speaker 3 (31:05):
But thank you, Queen and Honor Yaalu.
Speaker 2 (31:09):
Deadly thanks for tuning in to mental fitness conversations. Keep
building your emotional muscles with the free Mental Fitness Gym app,
packed with tools, tips and everyday actions to support your
mental fitness. Download it from the App Store or Google
play Store, or visit the mentalfitnessgym dot org. If anything
in this episode brought something up for you, you don't have
(31:31):
to worry alone. Reach out to a trusted friend or
family member. And know that support is available. You can
contact Lifeline on one three double one one four or
one three yarn at one three nine two seven six
for free and confidential support for Aboriginal and torrostraight Islander people.
If you enjoyed this episode, leave us a rating, share
(31:53):
it with someone in your village, or drop us a message.
We'd love to hear what you think, and don't forget
to follow Black Magic Woman and Gotcha for Life on
all socials to keep the conversation going.
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