April 6, 2025 • 41 mins
When Robbie Mann sings his song "Home," something remarkable happens. Though he might be standing in Brisbane's Queen Street Mall, in his mind he's transported to the red dirt roads of Joskeleigh, the South Sea Islander community where his family has lived for generations. It's this powerful connection between place, identity and artistic expression that forms the beating heart of our conversation.
A Durumbal man with deep ties to Vanuatu and New Caledonia, Robbie takes us on an intimate journey through his childhood, his musical roots singing in church with his siblings and his ongoing mission to preserve Australian South Sea Islander history and culture. With remarkable vulnerability, he performs "Home" - a hauntingly beautiful tribute to his heritage that encapsulates the emotional complexity of belonging to multiple worlds.
Robbie's story illuminates a little-known chapter of Australian history: the period between 1863 and 1904 when Pacific Islanders were brought (often through trickery) to work Queensland's cane fields. This legacy shapes his sense of purpose today as he works to bridge cultural gaps and document stories for future generations. "In a hundred years' time, we are going to be the ancestors our descendants are talking about," he reflects with profound clarity.
The conversation weaves through Robbie's experiences balancing artistic passion with family responsibilities, his work on the "Say Our Name" exhibition at Queensland Museum, and the spiritual dimensions of cultural reconnection. For anyone grappling with questions of identity or seeking to understand Australia's multicultural tapestry more deeply, Robbie's wisdom offers both guidance and inspiration.
Listen in as we explore the powerful intersection of music, heritage and belonging through the eyes of an artist committed to keeping cultural flames burning bright. What parts of your own heritage are waiting to be reclaimed?
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Robbie, thanks so much for joining us on the
podcast.
Thanks for having me.
Brother, we go back.
I've been really excited toyarn to you, so let's start with
name mob and what you're up to.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
Sure, robbie Mann, durumble Mann, from Rocky in
South Zealander, from Vanuatu,new Caledonia.
What I'm up to?
I'm a husband, father of twoboys, work full time and, when I
get the chance, perform as well.
So singer, musician andsometimes songwriter you are
(00:40):
very, very modest.
Speaker 1 (00:42):
You're an incredible.
That's that's how we met.
Yeah, through mob, through thearts.
Let's visit those early 10 to15 years childhood, a bit of
schooling, identity.
Speaker 2 (00:54):
Let's start there yeah, so I was born in
Rockhampton.
At that time when I was born,my family were living in a small
railway town called Ogmore,which is about an hour and 45
north of Rockhampton.
So our early childhood was wehad a bit of moving around.
(01:15):
So after that moved up to Ithink I was less than two when
we moved to Carmilla, which isjust south of Serena, than two
when we moved to Carmilla, whichis just south of Serena.
And then after that our familymoved down to Griffith, new
South Wales, in the later 80s,and then we eventually moved
(01:36):
across to Bourke and we were inBourke till about 93, moved
across to Wilcannia and we werethere for about a year, just
under a year, and then weeventually moved back home to
Rocky.
And so through those yearswe'll go to school and then
eventually once we like throughGriffith and Bourke.
(01:58):
And then when we moved across toWilcannia my parents put us,
started homeschooling us.
So mum was our teacher and thenwhen we returned back to Rocky
we continued homeschooling for alittle while and then we
eventually went.
She returned to work after Idon't know, maybe 20 years or so
(02:18):
after raising all the childrenand then she put us into mum and
dad put us into a school, andso I finished out my years at
school.
I got a grade 10 education.
That was as far as my educationwent and could take me, I'm
(02:43):
happy with that to where I amtoday.
Speaker 1 (02:44):
And grade 10 was yeah it's tricky when you're that
age because grade 10 yousometimes you've learned what
you've needed to at grade 10.
And then there's role models,there's people in the community,
there's there's work you can gostraight into.
So, yeah, now we met in brissy.
You know let's go from sort ofyear 10, transition to Brisbane.
Young adulthood, yes, identity,yeah.
(03:07):
And then you know, obviously usmeeting.
That doesn't need to be saidLike it's an important thing, us
meeting.
But you know, let's just takeus through those years.
Speaker 2 (03:15):
Yeah, yeah.
So yeah Was working up in Rockyfor like a number of years and
then decided to I relocate.
I decided to locate to Brisbanein 2006.
So I think it was around.
I reckon it was about 2008,2009 when I first met you here
(03:39):
in Brisbane.
Speaker 1 (03:40):
There was a lot of arts things and a lot of arts
around a lot of music, a lot ofcultural events around.
Now I tell everyone that I knowyou know singer, writer.
When did you first fall in lovewith music, singing, and where
did you start to embrace it andstart performing?
Speaker 2 (04:01):
Well, we were brought up in the church.
So, you know, we were broughtup in the church, so we were
singing every weekend and withour family, the Mann family, we
were always known to beguitarists and singers and so
it's a common trait in ourfamily.
So that just came natural.
(04:23):
So that just came natural.
So five of my siblings, we wereall guitarists, singers, bass
players, drummers, so we werebasically the church band.
(04:44):
And then the sister above me,she was sort of like, I guess,
the main female singer of thefamily.
And yeah, so just growing up,you know, learning to sing
together, harmonising, you know,that was where I got a love for
background vocals.
I love background vocals.
I don't, you know, I will, youknow, I'll step up to be a lead
(05:05):
vocals, but I love to be a BVbecause I find it the challenge
that I like, and it's thatintricate work vocally that I
like to be challenged in toremember my parts.
I don't like to read the music,my parts.
(05:25):
I don't like to read the musicLike as in sing with it in front
of me.
I need to remember it in myhead.
It needs to almost be likewithin my fibre of my being.
I should be able to just singit and it will just, it'll sit
in there and it should justnaturally come out.
That's, I guess, my expectationof myself when I sing can you
(05:46):
explain that to me?
Speaker 1 (05:47):
because I'm sitting here without that knowledge,
without that you know experience.
Yeah, can't sing to save myself, but background vocals you know
.
It's easy I'm not saying easy,easy for an artist to just learn
a song, learn the lyrics, butwhen you're performing live,
(06:09):
what's involved in that process?
Give us an example of maybe apopular song and how you'd break
that down.
Speaker 2 (06:14):
Yeah, so definitely working with the artist of
understanding what they want,firstly is understanding what
they want from us and, if thereare a number of backing vocals,
understanding what each personis doing besides yourself.
(06:35):
This is my expectation.
It just might be different foreverybody, but for me I I need
to understand what you do, whatthat that person does, so I know
where I should be fitting inand learn that and really
ingrain it in.
So it just becomes my secondnature when I hear that song.
It should just.
(06:56):
It's like my brain gets intothat realm of that song and I'm
just all in.
And then, like there's beenmoments when I haven't pitched
it right and I'm just like, no,you know I do.
Okay, get back on the horse andkeep going.
Basically, yeah, but alsounderstanding the song.
(07:19):
What was, why was the songwritten?
What is the artist trying toconvey with their song?
Because I might, I might listento a song and it's happened
where I've listened to a songand I've got my interpretation
of it and then I've actuallygone to the artist.
I said, oh, so what's what?
What does this song actuallymean for you?
Why did you write it?
And I've been on the other sideof the earth, like I had it
(07:43):
completely wrong, but althoughit made sense in my mind.
But then when I heard theactual story of why that song
was written, I was like oh wow.
Speaker 1 (07:53):
Okay, that's, there's a real art to background vocals
.
Yeah, this is ignorance.
Right now, I just I'll watch aperformance live.
Speaker 2 (08:00):
Yeah, I'll see the background vocalists, yeah, and
I just think my harmonies,harmony, yeah, so I, um, I still
sing in church.
So it's like if, if I get tolda song like the day before that
(08:21):
and I've never sung it before,it's no pressure for me because
I know, I just know now what,what I need to do.
I have my own uh processes inmy, my brain of how I need to go
and learn this song, and butthen I know when to stop
learning, because then it's I'mjust sort of over stimulated in
my brain and then it takes toolong for me to get out of that.
(08:43):
So I I'll, I'll listen to asong a few times before I even
go and read the lyrics, becauseI want to hear the music, I want
to feel the beat, I want tohear the rhythm and then hear
the lyrics, and then I'll breakit down.
I'll hear the song a few timesin full, then I'll break it up.
What's the first verse?
What's the intro and the firstverse?
(09:04):
First verse and chorus.
Speaker 1 (09:12):
First verse, chorus second verse.
So that's how I process in mybrain around music I love that,
and then with songwriting aswell.
Was that something that camenaturally with the singing or is
it something you explored,possibly through maybe an outlet
?
Was there a time in your youngadult life where maybe music was
a savior for you to to help youthrough possibly a tough time?
Speaker 2 (09:30):
yeah, it definitely.
I've actually found songwritinga challenge.
But then I've gone through acouple of moments where I've
just had a bright idea and it's,and it's always that wee hours
of the morning that a song hascome to me and I've gotten up to
(09:52):
go and write it down and I'vegone to sleep, had a peaceful
sleep, and then I wake up andthen I can hear something
running through my brain.
I can hear a tune, I can hear ahum.
I sort of feel like, oh, what?
Yeah, okay, let's see wherethis like emotion has taken me
on this with these lyrics thatI've written down.
So, and then you know, andthere's some songs that I'm I've
(10:17):
written but I won't sing inpublic.
And then there's there's acouple that I will sing but then
the rest I won't.
I think then it's not the righttime for me to sing them songs,
for whatever reason.
I just don't feel that.
I think I wouldn't be able todo the song justice what I want
(10:39):
to say in it.
So I don't really want to thengo and make, you know, my
audience feel uncomfortable orfeel a bit, oh, he's a big
gammon, this fellow.
So you know, whenever I sing,whether if I am doing a solo gig
or if I am backgrounds, I'm100% in and I'm committed to it.
(11:03):
I've written one song and it'sbasically just dedicated to my
South Zealand heritage and it'scalled Home.
It's really simple, but it'sthe emotion of the song that
just takes me on this journey,where I've sung it in the Queen
Street Mall and I feel like I'msitting down at our place up
(11:25):
home called Joskalee.
It's a small South Yongecommunity outside of Rocky and I
feel like I'm sitting back.
We call it the block.
I feel like I'm sitting on theblock in the middle of like it's
.
We don't have many trees on theblock so it's quite open spaced
and you know, my parents anduncles and aunties are still on
(11:46):
that block.
So I feel like I'm on the redroad that we drive down, just
sitting on it, singing to justnature.
But I'm sitting in Queen streetmall.
Wow, yeah, it's a song that Iwill sing with my eyes closed,
because for me I'm sort ofwhat's the word I'm trans
(12:07):
Transporting, ported Out of body.
Yeah, that's a spiritualconnection for me and it's about
it's combining the two places,vanuatu and Juskali, of my
family, my roots, culture, butalso acknowledging culture that
has been lost and the languagethat has been lost, and you know
(12:34):
, to no fault of our own, to nofault of our own, but having the
agency to own that, no, we'regoing to take it back.
Speaker 1 (12:47):
Yeah, I love that It'd be great to at a later
stage.
Maybe we could record that songof you singing and we could put
that into this episode to showeveryone.
Speaker 2 (13:00):
That'd be great.
Speaker 4 (13:17):
A place of people and life, a place where custom is
(13:38):
right.
It's where I belong.
A place where people are free,a place where you bore me, where
(14:24):
I belong.
Ooh Ooh Home.
My home.
(14:47):
Take me home, my home.
Behold, my home where I belong.
(15:13):
Chained to another place, adesert land, he's now my hope.
(15:41):
My back aches, my heart achesFor home.
(16:07):
Can't go home Too far from home.
Home, my home.
(16:35):
Take me home, my home, where Ibelong.
Ooh.
(17:04):
I can't go home Too far fromhome.
Home, my home.
(17:27):
Take me home, my home, my home,sweet home, my home.
(17:53):
Take me home, my home, where Ibelong.
Speaker 2 (18:31):
Yeah, man, I don't know, I think it's I get so
emotionally choked up about it,um, because I'm so, um, I think,
just in love with where I comefrom and who I am.
Um, and so it's, you know, I, I, I have a lot of people ask me,
(18:59):
you know, why do you do so muchwork for Vanuatu, or your
family in Vanuatu?
Why do you travel so much?
And I'm like, I honestly thinkit's actually part of my destiny
, like it was part of my life'scalling, of why I do what I do
and why I'm so connected to myVanuatu heritage.
(19:23):
And when I'm there I'm home.
I don't think about Australia.
It's so weird.
Like I'm from here, I'm got mobin Rocky, like I'm Durrambul,
so it's like I have two homes.
I'm at home when I'm home herein Rocky, josco, but I'm also
home when I'm over there.
(19:43):
And so it's the first time Iwent it was 2003.
And it was a surreal experienceof landing.
And it was a surreal experienceof landing and just the time I
(20:08):
spent there was as if almost itwas a familiar place.
I saw people that looked likemy family.
I saw the food that hadsimilarities to what some of our
families were still able tocook here.
You know that, um, the oldpeople were handing down through
our cooking.
That's why my son loves to cook.
(20:29):
We have that family tradition aswell, um, and so I wanted to
know more about why we lookedthe way we looked, why our
family has different features,why we have different types of
hair, why we have different skintextures.
(20:49):
So it's been my I think it'sjust my life's journey to do as
much work as I can and learn, topass on, because I want to try
and bridge the gap from what wastaken from us and where we were
taken from.
(21:10):
So when my time on earth isdone, I know that I will have
done enough for the nextgeneration of Karen, whether
it's my kids or relatives orcommunity members.
I'm always conscious to knowthat we have young people in our
(21:32):
community watching us and whatwe do, how we conduct ourselves
and how we represent ourcommunities.
So I know that's a bigresponsibility on all of us.
So we want to do it to the bestof our ability, because they
know when we're gammon and theywill tell us and they will keep
(21:56):
you humble.
Speaker 1 (21:57):
Now that first experience going home and I use
that word home to some of thework you're doing now in the
community here, can you sharesome of that work in the
community, the South SeaIslander community, just to
bring awareness to?
Speaker 2 (22:12):
that?
Yeah, definitely so.
Last year we celebrated the30th anniversary of the
Commonwealth recognition forAustralian South Sea elders.
So it was only in 1994 that wewere formally recognised by the
government as being our owndistinct cultural group.
So you know, I was fortunateenough to be a part of a small
(22:39):
community group that were ableto work with the Queensland
Museum and do a number ofworkshops to help support
Australian South Sea IslanderSay Our Name exhibition, which
opened in August last year andwill close in July.
So it's running for 11 monthsstraight and it takes you on a
(23:03):
journey of the past, the present, but also what you know, I
guess, our future, the futuregenerations.
It highlights amazing artists,um it, um.
It brings a lot of awarenessabout our community, um, but,
(23:24):
it's but and also how we, um, Iguess, identify, like you know,
our family shirts like my mind'sjust going through the museum
now, Like there is this nicesection about of just shirts
from within the communities thatthe community and different
families, like their reunionshirts or different South
(23:45):
Zealand shirts that have beenmade over the years, because
they actually all mean something.
They have a lot of meaning toour community.
To the average person walkingdown the street they wouldn't
know.
It's just like you know wearingmob shirts and things like that
.
That's right, we will all takethat.
Second look to see that shirtand who owns that shirt, or
(24:07):
where does that shirt come from?
It's the same thing with thefamily reunion shirts of oh, you
belong to that family, oh okay.
Oh well, I'm related to them,so it's actually also a
conversation starter and so agreat feature in it is also
digital storytelling, digitalstories, which is I love digital
(24:31):
stories, and you know we wereyarning before about the
importance of preserving historyand but also, you know, in a
hundred years time we are goingto be the ancestors our
descendants are going to betalking about.
So what?
Are we going to leave them?
Yeah, if we don't do any worknow, they're not gonna have
(24:53):
anything.
Mm-hmm, we can't leave it up toyou know, the next person that
we hope that they're gonna.
You know, do the, do the work.
Maybe it's not their job, maybeit's your job.
Obligation, it's our obligation.
Mm-hmm and I was able to havemy, my eldest son involved and
he was 11 at the time.
He's 12 now.
(25:13):
I mean he has a passion forcommunity, he loves people, he
loves being involved, he's quitea social person.
So he's always out and about,never wants to stay home, so I
don't think there'll be anypoint of him renting a house
when he's older.
He'll never be home.
So having him involved he gotto really experience what it's
(25:42):
like doing community work,because we said in those
workshops that we were having,we're talking about ancient
stuff in there as well, andhistory and seen artifacts and
things like that.
So him at a young age, beingexposed to that, you know, I
(26:02):
hope guides him and helps mouldhim in the future.
Speaker 1 (26:08):
Now take us back to when you first became a father,
where you were emotionally,spiritually, and what has being
a father taught you?
Speaker 2 (26:25):
I became a father at, I think I was age 29.
It was a surreal experiencewhen you see that baby and hold
them in your arms and you'rejust like this is mine and my
instant feeling, or the I don'tknow, or if it's the nature it
(26:50):
was, you know how you have thelion and he is the one who is
guarding the tribe.
I am the lion, I am theprotector, and that's different
when you are an uncle, when youlike babysit the nephews or
nieces and things like that.
When you have your own child,it's, it's a whole different
(27:12):
feeling.
Um, but it's something that Idon't know.
I just like, naturally, justclosed in on.
It was like you are mine andI'll do everything I can to
protect you.
What parenting has taught mewas, um, it's, it's a different
love that you have for yourchildren.
(27:33):
And I'm realizing and my wifesaid the other day you're a
softie now, like I give in tothem too quick.
I give in to them too quick.
I've always got to remindmyself you've got to be an
active father.
You've got to be an activefather.
(27:53):
You've got to be an activefather.
Do not be complacent.
Being a father is just thegreatest joy above everything.
My professional career is allabout helping Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander people.
I think that's what balances me.
As being South Seander andAboriginal, we walk in both
(28:15):
worlds and I know a lot ofpeople don't like that and
that's a bit of a touchy subjectin itself.
South Yonder's been inAboriginal spaces, but with us
who have mixed heritage,basically I can't help who I am.
Yes, love me or leave me, yeah,but I'm here to help community
(28:39):
and I hope that my work, that Ido, my, you know, as we were
saying before, mob can seestraight through you if you're
gammon, yes, so I hope that myhonesty and my passion people
see that.
Firstly, you've just got to becomfortable and proud of who you
are and love where you comefrom.
Speaker 1 (29:01):
Let's touch on that.
Let's maybe we don't want totalk about stuff too traumatic,
but the blackbird in history inAustralia, yeah, the South Sea
Islanders that came over, yeah,let's bring a bit of awareness
about that, sure, for thosepeople out there that don't know
what South Sea Islanders- are.
If you want to take it away.
Speaker 2 (29:22):
Sure.
So who are Australian South SeaIslanders?
You will get just quite a broaddescription of, I guess, who we
are, how we come to be here.
You know 1863 was when it wasbasically legalised to bring in
Melanesian and PolynesianPacific Islanders to come and
(29:48):
work on the cane fields.
I guess what isn't reallydiscussed is how they were
brought on the cane fields.
I guess what isn't reallydiscussed is how they were
brought.
Trickery was some camewillingly because they were told
they were getting money, get athree-year contract and go back
home.
And that might be true to somefamily members, families.
But then the conditions is notwhat they signed up for.
(30:12):
No, the treatment, thetreatment of the wider Australia
community, that's not what theysigned up for.
I think our South Sea Islanderhistory from 1863 to 1904 was
when the white Australia policycame in.
All right, we basically haveenough for you, so you need to
(30:34):
go back home.
But during that time people hadmarried, intermarried, with
local Aboriginal groups fromwherever people were living,
stationed across Queensland.
They've had children.
Some people were taken back,others petitioned to stay, a lot
of petitioned to stay, becausethey had, you know, then made
(30:56):
home here.
So there's quite a blend, quitea, not a blend quite a complex
layer of identity within theSouth Zealand community.
Speaker 1 (31:10):
What are some of the hard lessons you've learned
balancing being an artist.
Speaker 2 (31:17):
I think I don't know, because I always used to say to
people and tell myself I neverwanted to be famous like a
famous singer, I never wanted totake it professionally, I never
wanted to take itprofessionally.
I think that type of talk in mybrain nowadays.
(31:39):
I think that sounds silly.
I think that limited me in whatI guess I, if I had fully
committed into that, you knowwhere it could have taken me.
But then I was also consciousof becoming a father and bills
need to be paid, food needs tobe on the table, you have
children, you haveresponsibilities.
That's priority number one.
(32:02):
So then I made the decision ofI need to work full time and
sort of do performing on theside.
And when I made that decision,going down that road of working
full time and sort of doingperforming on the side, and when
I made that decision, goingdown that road of working
full-time and sort of doingperforming on the side, being
involved around arts and thingslike that, I think it's popped
up at the right time and peoplehave popped up in front of me at
(32:24):
the right time being able tostill hold on to the arts, the
performing side, even if I goand see a play or I go and see a
live band, that the arts, theperforming side, you know, even
if I go and see a play or I goand see a live band, I just feel
that the flame sort of justlights back up again.
I'm like, oh, you know, I justlove it.
Some of the hard decisions thatI've made, I think although I
(32:51):
wasn't too sure if they were theright decisions I made they are
.
Yeah, I'm pretty happy withwhere I've landed myself, but I
think, you know, making the harddecision but being able to
still have that door open, aclose friend here in Brisbane
will message and say I got aticket to a show.
Like I don't even I'm there,let's go, thank you.
(33:16):
Thank you so much, because forme I just, you know, when I see
mob there, it's just almost likea reunion.
I'm there for the reunion andthen for the show.
You know, it's great to catchup with everyone.
Speaker 1 (33:30):
You're an artist.
Speaker 2 (33:32):
You're always going to be an artist.
When we yarn this morning, it'sgreat to catch up with everyone
.
You're an artist, yeah, youalways have to be an artist,
yeah.
Speaker 1 (33:34):
When we yarn this morning.
You know I'm talking about yourmusic, that's the first thing I
talk about.
And we have culture and we haveall this stuff and we're going
to keep doing that and tellingstories.
But you know, I love that youshared that, because the artist
struggle is real.
The responsibilities, the lackof support for artists yeah, um,
(34:01):
just look at covet and thenwhat happened there with the
supporting of the arts.
Yet for two years plus, peopleare surviving by consuming art
watching TV, reading books,listening to music but they
didn't deem it essential.
Society needs us Absolutely.
(34:25):
It's soul food.
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (34:29):
And I'm saying it raises that awareness.
It brings history to life.
It brings topics that peoplearen't bold enough to talk about
.
Yes, people will put it onstage and people will actually
go and watch that.
People want to watch that.
People want to go and see it.
Speaker 1 (34:48):
They need it.
They need it.
They don't know if they do, butthey need art.
Yeah.
How awesome was it and I knowyou'd be really proud as well
when you saw Black Snow firstcame out and there was South Sea
mob represented in film.
Yeah, how good was it.
Speaker 2 (35:04):
That was amazing.
I think I just smiled throughthe whole thing, Just so proud,
so proud.
So many of my family members,relatives, cousins, were in that
series and just, oh, I couldn'tstop.
I couldn't stop promoting itwithin family work.
(35:24):
My gym crew like just talkedabout it everywhere because I
was just so proud of it.
Speaker 1 (35:32):
I was down here, of course, living down here,
they're shooting back up closeto home and I'm down here like
fuck, I wish I was back up homebecause obviously I'm involved
in film and stuff and I was justreally excited and I don't get
FOMO for anything, I stay in mylane but it was like nostalgia
(35:52):
and home and representation andthere was part of me that just
yearned to be up there.
Yeah, you know.
So it was really cool, yeah, todo that.
Yeah.
And now we're sort of bringingagain awareness to South Sea
Island and Mop yeah, to set yourmind.
Speaker 2 (36:08):
Yeah, and that definitely opened up a number of
conversations with peoplewithin different circles of my
life of, oh, I didn't know thatyou went through this or I
didn't know that's how you gothere.
How long have you known me for?
Like, we're social mediafriends.
Speaker 1 (36:31):
Like surely by now you can put one one together
yeah yeah or click on one of mymany things that I've put up.
Speaker 2 (36:40):
Yeah, that is bringing awareness to bringing
awareness, promoting,highlighting the goods and the
bad things that happened yeah,you said early on, very early on
, your mission.
Speaker 1 (36:53):
This is, this is your mission, hmm, and I'm very
excited for it yeah and I thinkthe timing of us just
reconnecting yeah, after we, wesaid what?
Maybe a decade?
I think about more.
Yeah, and we were just artistsat the time.
Yeah, you know, just trying tomake it.
Yeah, making out and trying tomake it.
(37:16):
Yeah, we were trying to make outbe deadly.
Yeah, and you know doing ourthing.
Yeah, You're just young and nowit's like there's so much
purpose now.
Yeah, and alignment, yeah, Ithink it's very important the
work you're doing.
Brother, we could keep yarning,but I want you to leave a
message for young mob out therethat might be trying to retrace
(37:38):
their South Sea Islander, theirAboriginal, their Torres Strait
Islander heritage.
You know a message to them.
Speaker 2 (37:46):
I can see, you know, young people looking for their
identity.
They want to know who they are,where they come from.
For my journey.
I had a few ups and downs inthat journey of there was
moments when it wasn't the righttime and things were happening
and I'm talking about differenttype of spiritual things were
(38:10):
happening.
That's an indication that's notyour right time, yes, and
that's okay.
Just pause, don't stop.
Just pause because the doorwill open when it's your turn.
But then I think, when it'stime to move forward with that,
(38:31):
be ready for a long walk on thatjourney, because it can be slow
, it can be there's highs andthere's lows.
You might think you've come to adead end on your research.
Or talking to family members.
Or talking to family members,my grandmother, one of them, was
(38:54):
like oh, george, you knowthat's my middle name.
She'd call me George.
George, you know, don't worryabout it, you live here now.
But I said no, no, no, I needto know who I am and where I
come from.
I need to know about all myfamily.
So I think, being brave enoughto ask the old people and they
(39:14):
might say no, so just acceptthat at that time.
Yes, but that doesn't stop youfrom doing your own personal
work.
And you know, I think, knowingpeople from your own community
and who are those knowledgekeepers, and you know there's
Maori organisations aroundQueensland, there's South
(39:37):
Sealand organisations aroundQueensland that you know.
I think sometimes it's justtaking that first step to making
contact with those agencies orthose you know, organisations
that you know you can go andjust start, yeah, and I think
another thing is culturaladoption is a big thing, like in
(40:07):
the South Zealand community, ofcourse.
I've got it in my own familywhere relatives are like, oh,
but we're not, we're not bloodthis.
I'm like, oh, but this is whatthe elders have said.
That person was brought up thatfamily way.
They only knew that family way.
(40:28):
So let's not get that Westernthinking into this space.
This is our family, this isculture.
That's actually custom.
Yes, so we need to learn thatourselves, to understand the
uniqueness and complexities ofour own cultures and how it was
(40:50):
brought across from the islandsto here and how it continued for
a number of generations.
And so I think I find I holdthat quite close and I find it a
joy to hold that type ofinformation.
You know, there's stuff thatI've heard that I can't talk
(41:11):
about and I don't know if I'mallowed to.
Maybe there's some point at.
You know, when I'm older, thatyou know, I know that it's the
right time to talk about it, butif it's not, then you know it's
.
There are things that peoplearen't allowed to talk about and
that's okay.
Yeah, yeah, I think it's beenwise not to share it.
(41:31):
That's right.
If you've been told by an eldernot to share it, don't share it
.
The spirit will guide.
The spirit will guide, or aspirit will come and visit you.
Speaker 1 (41:42):
A spirit will let you know.
Speaker 2 (41:43):
Someone will let you know, a spirit will let you know
, brother.
Speaker 1 (41:46):
Thank you so much.
I appreciate your time, Iappreciate you sharing?
Robbie, thanks so much for joining us on the
podcast.
Thanks for having me.
Brother, we go back.
I've been really excited toyarn to you, so let's start with
name mob and what you're up to.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
Sure, robbie Mann, durumble Mann, from Rocky in
South Zealander, from Vanuatu,new Caledonia.
What I'm up to?
I'm a husband, father of twoboys, work full time and, when I
get the chance, perform as well.
So singer, musician andsometimes songwriter you are
(00:40):
very, very modest.
Speaker 1 (00:42):
You're an incredible.
That's that's how we met.
Yeah, through mob, through thearts.
Let's visit those early 10 to15 years childhood, a bit of
schooling, identity.
Speaker 2 (00:54):
Let's start there yeah, so I was born in
Rockhampton.
At that time when I was born,my family were living in a small
railway town called Ogmore,which is about an hour and 45
north of Rockhampton.
So our early childhood was wehad a bit of moving around.
(01:15):
So after that moved up to Ithink I was less than two when
we moved to Carmilla, which isjust south of Serena, than two
when we moved to Carmilla, whichis just south of Serena.
And then after that our familymoved down to Griffith, new
South Wales, in the later 80s,and then we eventually moved
(01:36):
across to Bourke and we were inBourke till about 93, moved
across to Wilcannia and we werethere for about a year, just
under a year, and then weeventually moved back home to
Rocky.
And so through those yearswe'll go to school and then
eventually once we like throughGriffith and Bourke.
(01:58):
And then when we moved across toWilcannia my parents put us,
started homeschooling us.
So mum was our teacher and thenwhen we returned back to Rocky
we continued homeschooling for alittle while and then we
eventually went.
She returned to work after Idon't know, maybe 20 years or so
(02:18):
after raising all the childrenand then she put us into mum and
dad put us into a school, andso I finished out my years at
school.
I got a grade 10 education.
That was as far as my educationwent and could take me, I'm
(02:43):
happy with that to where I amtoday.
Speaker 1 (02:44):
And grade 10 was yeah it's tricky when you're that
age because grade 10 yousometimes you've learned what
you've needed to at grade 10.
And then there's role models,there's people in the community,
there's there's work you can gostraight into.
So, yeah, now we met in brissy.
You know let's go from sort ofyear 10, transition to Brisbane.
Young adulthood, yes, identity,yeah.
(03:07):
And then you know, obviously usmeeting.
That doesn't need to be saidLike it's an important thing, us
meeting.
But you know, let's just takeus through those years.
Speaker 2 (03:15):
Yeah, yeah.
So yeah Was working up in Rockyfor like a number of years and
then decided to I relocate.
I decided to locate to Brisbanein 2006.
So I think it was around.
I reckon it was about 2008,2009 when I first met you here
(03:39):
in Brisbane.
Speaker 1 (03:40):
There was a lot of arts things and a lot of arts
around a lot of music, a lot ofcultural events around.
Now I tell everyone that I knowyou know singer, writer.
When did you first fall in lovewith music, singing, and where
did you start to embrace it andstart performing?
Speaker 2 (04:01):
Well, we were brought up in the church.
So, you know, we were broughtup in the church, so we were
singing every weekend and withour family, the Mann family, we
were always known to beguitarists and singers and so
it's a common trait in ourfamily.
So that just came natural.
(04:23):
So that just came natural.
So five of my siblings, we wereall guitarists, singers, bass
players, drummers, so we werebasically the church band.
(04:44):
And then the sister above me,she was sort of like, I guess,
the main female singer of thefamily.
And yeah, so just growing up,you know, learning to sing
together, harmonising, you know,that was where I got a love for
background vocals.
I love background vocals.
I don't, you know, I will, youknow, I'll step up to be a lead
(05:05):
vocals, but I love to be a BVbecause I find it the challenge
that I like, and it's thatintricate work vocally that I
like to be challenged in toremember my parts.
I don't like to read the music,my parts.
(05:25):
I don't like to read the musicLike as in sing with it in front
of me.
I need to remember it in myhead.
It needs to almost be likewithin my fibre of my being.
I should be able to just singit and it will just, it'll sit
in there and it should justnaturally come out.
That's, I guess, my expectationof myself when I sing can you
(05:46):
explain that to me?
Speaker 1 (05:47):
because I'm sitting here without that knowledge,
without that you know experience.
Yeah, can't sing to save myself, but background vocals you know
.
It's easy I'm not saying easy,easy for an artist to just learn
a song, learn the lyrics, butwhen you're performing live,
(06:09):
what's involved in that process?
Give us an example of maybe apopular song and how you'd break
that down.
Speaker 2 (06:14):
Yeah, so definitely working with the artist of
understanding what they want,firstly is understanding what
they want from us and, if thereare a number of backing vocals,
understanding what each personis doing besides yourself.
(06:35):
This is my expectation.
It just might be different foreverybody, but for me I I need
to understand what you do, whatthat that person does, so I know
where I should be fitting inand learn that and really
ingrain it in.
So it just becomes my secondnature when I hear that song.
It should just.
(06:56):
It's like my brain gets intothat realm of that song and I'm
just all in.
And then, like there's beenmoments when I haven't pitched
it right and I'm just like, no,you know I do.
Okay, get back on the horse andkeep going.
Basically, yeah, but alsounderstanding the song.
(07:19):
What was, why was the songwritten?
What is the artist trying toconvey with their song?
Because I might, I might listento a song and it's happened
where I've listened to a songand I've got my interpretation
of it and then I've actuallygone to the artist.
I said, oh, so what's what?
What does this song actuallymean for you?
Why did you write it?
And I've been on the other sideof the earth, like I had it
(07:43):
completely wrong, but althoughit made sense in my mind.
But then when I heard theactual story of why that song
was written, I was like oh wow.
Speaker 1 (07:53):
Okay, that's, there's a real art to background vocals
.
Yeah, this is ignorance.
Right now, I just I'll watch aperformance live.
Speaker 2 (08:00):
Yeah, I'll see the background vocalists, yeah, and
I just think my harmonies,harmony, yeah, so I, um, I still
sing in church.
So it's like if, if I get tolda song like the day before that
(08:21):
and I've never sung it before,it's no pressure for me because
I know, I just know now what,what I need to do.
I have my own uh processes inmy, my brain of how I need to go
and learn this song, and butthen I know when to stop
learning, because then it's I'mjust sort of over stimulated in
my brain and then it takes toolong for me to get out of that.
(08:43):
So I I'll, I'll listen to asong a few times before I even
go and read the lyrics, becauseI want to hear the music, I want
to feel the beat, I want tohear the rhythm and then hear
the lyrics, and then I'll breakit down.
I'll hear the song a few timesin full, then I'll break it up.
What's the first verse?
What's the intro and the firstverse?
(09:04):
First verse and chorus.
Speaker 1 (09:12):
First verse, chorus second verse.
So that's how I process in mybrain around music I love that,
and then with songwriting aswell.
Was that something that camenaturally with the singing or is
it something you explored,possibly through maybe an outlet
?
Was there a time in your youngadult life where maybe music was
a savior for you to to help youthrough possibly a tough time?
Speaker 2 (09:30):
yeah, it definitely.
I've actually found songwritinga challenge.
But then I've gone through acouple of moments where I've
just had a bright idea and it's,and it's always that wee hours
of the morning that a song hascome to me and I've gotten up to
(09:52):
go and write it down and I'vegone to sleep, had a peaceful
sleep, and then I wake up andthen I can hear something
running through my brain.
I can hear a tune, I can hear ahum.
I sort of feel like, oh, what?
Yeah, okay, let's see wherethis like emotion has taken me
on this with these lyrics thatI've written down.
So, and then you know, andthere's some songs that I'm I've
(10:17):
written but I won't sing inpublic.
And then there's there's acouple that I will sing but then
the rest I won't.
I think then it's not the righttime for me to sing them songs,
for whatever reason.
I just don't feel that.
I think I wouldn't be able todo the song justice what I want
(10:39):
to say in it.
So I don't really want to thengo and make, you know, my
audience feel uncomfortable orfeel a bit, oh, he's a big
gammon, this fellow.
So you know, whenever I sing,whether if I am doing a solo gig
or if I am backgrounds, I'm100% in and I'm committed to it.
(11:03):
I've written one song and it'sbasically just dedicated to my
South Zealand heritage and it'scalled Home.
It's really simple, but it'sthe emotion of the song that
just takes me on this journey,where I've sung it in the Queen
Street Mall and I feel like I'msitting down at our place up
(11:25):
home called Joskalee.
It's a small South Yongecommunity outside of Rocky and I
feel like I'm sitting back.
We call it the block.
I feel like I'm sitting on theblock in the middle of like it's
.
We don't have many trees on theblock so it's quite open spaced
and you know, my parents anduncles and aunties are still on
(11:46):
that block.
So I feel like I'm on the redroad that we drive down, just
sitting on it, singing to justnature.
But I'm sitting in Queen streetmall.
Wow, yeah, it's a song that Iwill sing with my eyes closed,
because for me I'm sort ofwhat's the word I'm trans
(12:07):
Transporting, ported Out of body.
Yeah, that's a spiritualconnection for me and it's about
it's combining the two places,vanuatu and Juskali, of my
family, my roots, culture, butalso acknowledging culture that
has been lost and the languagethat has been lost, and you know
(12:34):
, to no fault of our own, to nofault of our own, but having the
agency to own that, no, we'regoing to take it back.
Speaker 1 (12:47):
Yeah, I love that It'd be great to at a later
stage.
Maybe we could record that songof you singing and we could put
that into this episode to showeveryone.
Speaker 2 (13:00):
That'd be great.
Speaker 4 (13:17):
A place of people and life, a place where custom is
(13:38):
right.
It's where I belong.
A place where people are free,a place where you bore me, where
(14:24):
I belong.
Ooh Ooh Home.
My home.
(14:47):
Take me home, my home.
Behold, my home where I belong.
(15:13):
Chained to another place, adesert land, he's now my hope.
(15:41):
My back aches, my heart achesFor home.
(16:07):
Can't go home Too far from home.
Home, my home.
(16:35):
Take me home, my home, where Ibelong.
Ooh.
(17:04):
I can't go home Too far fromhome.
Home, my home.
(17:27):
Take me home, my home, my home,sweet home, my home.
(17:53):
Take me home, my home, where Ibelong.
Speaker 2 (18:31):
Yeah, man, I don't know, I think it's I get so
emotionally choked up about it,um, because I'm so, um, I think,
just in love with where I comefrom and who I am.
Um, and so it's, you know, I, I, I have a lot of people ask me,
(18:59):
you know, why do you do so muchwork for Vanuatu, or your
family in Vanuatu?
Why do you travel so much?
And I'm like, I honestly thinkit's actually part of my destiny
, like it was part of my life'scalling, of why I do what I do
and why I'm so connected to myVanuatu heritage.
(19:23):
And when I'm there I'm home.
I don't think about Australia.
It's so weird.
Like I'm from here, I'm got mobin Rocky, like I'm Durrambul,
so it's like I have two homes.
I'm at home when I'm home herein Rocky, josco, but I'm also
home when I'm over there.
(19:43):
And so it's the first time Iwent it was 2003.
And it was a surreal experienceof landing.
And it was a surreal experienceof landing and just the time I
(20:08):
spent there was as if almost itwas a familiar place.
I saw people that looked likemy family.
I saw the food that hadsimilarities to what some of our
families were still able tocook here.
You know that, um, the oldpeople were handing down through
our cooking.
That's why my son loves to cook.
(20:29):
We have that family tradition aswell, um, and so I wanted to
know more about why we lookedthe way we looked, why our
family has different features,why we have different types of
hair, why we have different skintextures.
(20:49):
So it's been my I think it'sjust my life's journey to do as
much work as I can and learn, topass on, because I want to try
and bridge the gap from what wastaken from us and where we were
taken from.
(21:10):
So when my time on earth isdone, I know that I will have
done enough for the nextgeneration of Karen, whether
it's my kids or relatives orcommunity members.
I'm always conscious to knowthat we have young people in our
(21:32):
community watching us and whatwe do, how we conduct ourselves
and how we represent ourcommunities.
So I know that's a bigresponsibility on all of us.
So we want to do it to the bestof our ability, because they
know when we're gammon and theywill tell us and they will keep
(21:56):
you humble.
Speaker 1 (21:57):
Now that first experience going home and I use
that word home to some of thework you're doing now in the
community here, can you sharesome of that work in the
community, the South SeaIslander community, just to
bring awareness to?
Speaker 2 (22:12):
that?
Yeah, definitely so.
Last year we celebrated the30th anniversary of the
Commonwealth recognition forAustralian South Sea elders.
So it was only in 1994 that wewere formally recognised by the
government as being our owndistinct cultural group.
So you know, I was fortunateenough to be a part of a small
(22:39):
community group that were ableto work with the Queensland
Museum and do a number ofworkshops to help support
Australian South Sea IslanderSay Our Name exhibition, which
opened in August last year andwill close in July.
So it's running for 11 monthsstraight and it takes you on a
(23:03):
journey of the past, the present, but also what you know, I
guess, our future, the futuregenerations.
It highlights amazing artists,um it, um.
It brings a lot of awarenessabout our community, um, but,
(23:24):
it's but and also how we, um, Iguess, identify, like you know,
our family shirts like my mind'sjust going through the museum
now, Like there is this nicesection about of just shirts
from within the communities thatthe community and different
families, like their reunionshirts or different South
(23:45):
Zealand shirts that have beenmade over the years, because
they actually all mean something.
They have a lot of meaning toour community.
To the average person walkingdown the street they wouldn't
know.
It's just like you know wearingmob shirts and things like that
.
That's right, we will all takethat.
Second look to see that shirtand who owns that shirt, or
(24:07):
where does that shirt come from?
It's the same thing with thefamily reunion shirts of oh, you
belong to that family, oh okay.
Oh well, I'm related to them,so it's actually also a
conversation starter and so agreat feature in it is also
digital storytelling, digitalstories, which is I love digital
(24:31):
stories, and you know we wereyarning before about the
importance of preserving historyand but also, you know, in a
hundred years time we are goingto be the ancestors our
descendants are going to betalking about.
So what?
Are we going to leave them?
Yeah, if we don't do any worknow, they're not gonna have
(24:53):
anything.
Mm-hmm, we can't leave it up toyou know, the next person that
we hope that they're gonna.
You know, do the, do the work.
Maybe it's not their job, maybeit's your job.
Obligation, it's our obligation.
Mm-hmm and I was able to havemy, my eldest son involved and
he was 11 at the time.
He's 12 now.
(25:13):
I mean he has a passion forcommunity, he loves people, he
loves being involved, he's quitea social person.
So he's always out and about,never wants to stay home, so I
don't think there'll be anypoint of him renting a house
when he's older.
He'll never be home.
So having him involved he gotto really experience what it's
(25:42):
like doing community work,because we said in those
workshops that we were having,we're talking about ancient
stuff in there as well, andhistory and seen artifacts and
things like that.
So him at a young age, beingexposed to that, you know, I
(26:02):
hope guides him and helps mouldhim in the future.
Speaker 1 (26:08):
Now take us back to when you first became a father,
where you were emotionally,spiritually, and what has being
a father taught you?
Speaker 2 (26:25):
I became a father at, I think I was age 29.
It was a surreal experiencewhen you see that baby and hold
them in your arms and you'rejust like this is mine and my
instant feeling, or the I don'tknow, or if it's the nature it
(26:50):
was, you know how you have thelion and he is the one who is
guarding the tribe.
I am the lion, I am theprotector, and that's different
when you are an uncle, when youlike babysit the nephews or
nieces and things like that.
When you have your own child,it's, it's a whole different
(27:12):
feeling.
Um, but it's something that Idon't know.
I just like, naturally, justclosed in on.
It was like you are mine andI'll do everything I can to
protect you.
What parenting has taught mewas, um, it's, it's a different
love that you have for yourchildren.
(27:33):
And I'm realizing and my wifesaid the other day you're a
softie now, like I give in tothem too quick.
I give in to them too quick.
I've always got to remindmyself you've got to be an
active father.
You've got to be an activefather.
(27:53):
You've got to be an activefather.
Do not be complacent.
Being a father is just thegreatest joy above everything.
My professional career is allabout helping Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander people.
I think that's what balances me.
As being South Seander andAboriginal, we walk in both
(28:15):
worlds and I know a lot ofpeople don't like that and
that's a bit of a touchy subjectin itself.
South Yonder's been inAboriginal spaces, but with us
who have mixed heritage,basically I can't help who I am.
Yes, love me or leave me, yeah,but I'm here to help community
(28:39):
and I hope that my work, that Ido, my, you know, as we were
saying before, mob can seestraight through you if you're
gammon, yes, so I hope that myhonesty and my passion people
see that.
Firstly, you've just got to becomfortable and proud of who you
are and love where you comefrom.
Speaker 1 (29:01):
Let's touch on that.
Let's maybe we don't want totalk about stuff too traumatic,
but the blackbird in history inAustralia, yeah, the South Sea
Islanders that came over, yeah,let's bring a bit of awareness
about that, sure, for thosepeople out there that don't know
what South Sea Islanders- are.
If you want to take it away.
Speaker 2 (29:22):
Sure.
So who are Australian South SeaIslanders?
You will get just quite a broaddescription of, I guess, who we
are, how we come to be here.
You know 1863 was when it wasbasically legalised to bring in
Melanesian and PolynesianPacific Islanders to come and
(29:48):
work on the cane fields.
I guess what isn't reallydiscussed is how they were
brought on the cane fields.
I guess what isn't reallydiscussed is how they were
brought.
Trickery was some camewillingly because they were told
they were getting money, get athree-year contract and go back
home.
And that might be true to somefamily members, families.
But then the conditions is notwhat they signed up for.
(30:12):
No, the treatment, thetreatment of the wider Australia
community, that's not what theysigned up for.
I think our South Sea Islanderhistory from 1863 to 1904 was
when the white Australia policycame in.
All right, we basically haveenough for you, so you need to
(30:34):
go back home.
But during that time people hadmarried, intermarried, with
local Aboriginal groups fromwherever people were living,
stationed across Queensland.
They've had children.
Some people were taken back,others petitioned to stay, a lot
of petitioned to stay, becausethey had, you know, then made
(30:56):
home here.
So there's quite a blend, quitea, not a blend quite a complex
layer of identity within theSouth Zealand community.
Speaker 1 (31:10):
What are some of the hard lessons you've learned
balancing being an artist.
Speaker 2 (31:17):
I think I don't know, because I always used to say to
people and tell myself I neverwanted to be famous like a
famous singer, I never wanted totake it professionally, I never
wanted to take itprofessionally.
I think that type of talk in mybrain nowadays.
(31:39):
I think that sounds silly.
I think that limited me in whatI guess I, if I had fully
committed into that, you knowwhere it could have taken me.
But then I was also consciousof becoming a father and bills
need to be paid, food needs tobe on the table, you have
children, you haveresponsibilities.
That's priority number one.
(32:02):
So then I made the decision ofI need to work full time and
sort of do performing on theside.
And when I made that decision,going down that road of working
full time and sort of doingperforming on the side, and when
I made that decision, goingdown that road of working
full-time and sort of doingperforming on the side, being
involved around arts and thingslike that, I think it's popped
up at the right time and peoplehave popped up in front of me at
(32:24):
the right time being able tostill hold on to the arts, the
performing side, even if I goand see a play or I go and see a
live band, that the arts, theperforming side, you know, even
if I go and see a play or I goand see a live band, I just feel
that the flame sort of justlights back up again.
I'm like, oh, you know, I justlove it.
Some of the hard decisions thatI've made, I think although I
(32:51):
wasn't too sure if they were theright decisions I made they are
.
Yeah, I'm pretty happy withwhere I've landed myself, but I
think, you know, making the harddecision but being able to
still have that door open, aclose friend here in Brisbane
will message and say I got aticket to a show.
Like I don't even I'm there,let's go, thank you.
(33:16):
Thank you so much, because forme I just, you know, when I see
mob there, it's just almost likea reunion.
I'm there for the reunion andthen for the show.
You know, it's great to catchup with everyone.
Speaker 1 (33:30):
You're an artist.
Speaker 2 (33:32):
You're always going to be an artist.
When we yarn this morning, it'sgreat to catch up with everyone
.
You're an artist, yeah, youalways have to be an artist,
yeah.
Speaker 1 (33:34):
When we yarn this morning.
You know I'm talking about yourmusic, that's the first thing I
talk about.
And we have culture and we haveall this stuff and we're going
to keep doing that and tellingstories.
But you know, I love that youshared that, because the artist
struggle is real.
The responsibilities, the lackof support for artists yeah, um,
(34:01):
just look at covet and thenwhat happened there with the
supporting of the arts.
Yet for two years plus, peopleare surviving by consuming art
watching TV, reading books,listening to music but they
didn't deem it essential.
Society needs us Absolutely.
(34:25):
It's soul food.
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (34:29):
And I'm saying it raises that awareness.
It brings history to life.
It brings topics that peoplearen't bold enough to talk about
.
Yes, people will put it onstage and people will actually
go and watch that.
People want to watch that.
People want to go and see it.
Speaker 1 (34:48):
They need it.
They need it.
They don't know if they do, butthey need art.
Yeah.
How awesome was it and I knowyou'd be really proud as well
when you saw Black Snow firstcame out and there was South Sea
mob represented in film.
Yeah, how good was it.
Speaker 2 (35:04):
That was amazing.
I think I just smiled throughthe whole thing, Just so proud,
so proud.
So many of my family members,relatives, cousins, were in that
series and just, oh, I couldn'tstop.
I couldn't stop promoting itwithin family work.
(35:24):
My gym crew like just talkedabout it everywhere because I
was just so proud of it.
Speaker 1 (35:32):
I was down here, of course, living down here,
they're shooting back up closeto home and I'm down here like
fuck, I wish I was back up homebecause obviously I'm involved
in film and stuff and I was justreally excited and I don't get
FOMO for anything, I stay in mylane but it was like nostalgia
(35:52):
and home and representation andthere was part of me that just
yearned to be up there.
Yeah, you know.
So it was really cool, yeah, todo that.
Yeah.
And now we're sort of bringingagain awareness to South Sea
Island and Mop yeah, to set yourmind.
Speaker 2 (36:08):
Yeah, and that definitely opened up a number of
conversations with peoplewithin different circles of my
life of, oh, I didn't know thatyou went through this or I
didn't know that's how you gothere.
How long have you known me for?
Like, we're social mediafriends.
Speaker 1 (36:31):
Like surely by now you can put one one together
yeah yeah or click on one of mymany things that I've put up.
Speaker 2 (36:40):
Yeah, that is bringing awareness to bringing
awareness, promoting,highlighting the goods and the
bad things that happened yeah,you said early on, very early on
, your mission.
Speaker 1 (36:53):
This is, this is your mission, hmm, and I'm very
excited for it yeah and I thinkthe timing of us just
reconnecting yeah, after we, wesaid what?
Maybe a decade?
I think about more.
Yeah, and we were just artistsat the time.
Yeah, you know, just trying tomake it.
Yeah, making out and trying tomake it.
(37:16):
Yeah, we were trying to make outbe deadly.
Yeah, and you know doing ourthing.
Yeah, You're just young and nowit's like there's so much
purpose now.
Yeah, and alignment, yeah, Ithink it's very important the
work you're doing.
Brother, we could keep yarning,but I want you to leave a
message for young mob out therethat might be trying to retrace
(37:38):
their South Sea Islander, theirAboriginal, their Torres Strait
Islander heritage.
You know a message to them.
Speaker 2 (37:46):
I can see, you know, young people looking for their
identity.
They want to know who they are,where they come from.
For my journey.
I had a few ups and downs inthat journey of there was
moments when it wasn't the righttime and things were happening
and I'm talking about differenttype of spiritual things were
(38:10):
happening.
That's an indication that's notyour right time, yes, and
that's okay.
Just pause, don't stop.
Just pause because the doorwill open when it's your turn.
But then I think, when it'stime to move forward with that,
(38:31):
be ready for a long walk on thatjourney, because it can be slow
, it can be there's highs andthere's lows.
You might think you've come to adead end on your research.
Or talking to family members.
Or talking to family members,my grandmother, one of them, was
(38:54):
like oh, george, you knowthat's my middle name.
She'd call me George.
George, you know, don't worryabout it, you live here now.
But I said no, no, no, I needto know who I am and where I
come from.
I need to know about all myfamily.
So I think, being brave enoughto ask the old people and they
(39:14):
might say no, so just acceptthat at that time.
Yes, but that doesn't stop youfrom doing your own personal
work.
And you know, I think, knowingpeople from your own community
and who are those knowledgekeepers, and you know there's
Maori organisations aroundQueensland, there's South
(39:37):
Sealand organisations aroundQueensland that you know.
I think sometimes it's justtaking that first step to making
contact with those agencies orthose you know, organisations
that you know you can go andjust start, yeah, and I think
another thing is culturaladoption is a big thing, like in
(40:07):
the South Zealand community, ofcourse.
I've got it in my own familywhere relatives are like, oh,
but we're not, we're not bloodthis.
I'm like, oh, but this is whatthe elders have said.
That person was brought up thatfamily way.
They only knew that family way.
(40:28):
So let's not get that Westernthinking into this space.
This is our family, this isculture.
That's actually custom.
Yes, so we need to learn thatourselves, to understand the
uniqueness and complexities ofour own cultures and how it was
(40:50):
brought across from the islandsto here and how it continued for
a number of generations.
And so I think I find I holdthat quite close and I find it a
joy to hold that type ofinformation.
You know, there's stuff thatI've heard that I can't talk
(41:11):
about and I don't know if I'mallowed to.
Maybe there's some point at.
You know, when I'm older, thatyou know, I know that it's the
right time to talk about it, butif it's not, then you know it's
.
There are things that peoplearen't allowed to talk about and
that's okay.
Yeah, yeah, I think it's beenwise not to share it.
(41:31):
That's right.
If you've been told by an eldernot to share it, don't share it
.
The spirit will guide.
The spirit will guide, or aspirit will come and visit you.
Speaker 1 (41:42):
A spirit will let you know.
Speaker 2 (41:43):
Someone will let you know, a spirit will let you know
, brother.
Speaker 1 (41:46):
Thank you so much.
I appreciate your time, Iappreciate you sharing?
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