Aunty' Hilda's story

Delsey Tamiano, in the Northern Territory for Koori 
Mail newspaper, talks with Aunty Hilda Jarman Muir, who has 
recently published the story of her life as a stolen child.

From the Hollywood Hills in the United States where the rich and 
famous play, to the gates of Buckingham Palace in England, long-
time Darwin resident Aunty Hilda Jarman Muir has experienced more 
of the world than most of us could ever imagine.

This delightful soul has tasted the cultural delights of many 
exotic places, from the islands in the Pacific to New Zealand, 
and she even tried her luck amid the bright lights of Las Vegas.

But things might have been very different had it not been for a 
cruel twist of fate that was to change her life forever.

Taken from her beautiful Yanyuwa country (near Borroloola), Aunty 
Hilda Muir's incredibly moving life story of being separated from 
her mother and homeland at the tender age of eight is captured in 
her book, Very Big Journey: My Life As I Remember It.

Supported with funding from the Australian Institute of 
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS) and the 
Aboriginal Arts Board (AAB), the book was launched by the 
Northern Territory's Chief Minister Clare Martin.

The ceremony was attended by many family and friends, including 
AIATSIS Chairman Mick Dodson and Centrelink deputy chief 
executive officer Pat Turner.

Addressing the audience, Aunty Hilda said: "I am proud to stand 
in front of you all today. It's another great milestone of my 
journey. The title of my book was chosen to highlight the long 
journey I took as a child from my country in the Borroloola area 
to Larrakia country here in Darwin. The book too was a very long 
journey, taking nine years to complete.

"I hope this book will bring greater understanding of the cruel 
government policies that separated Aboriginal children from their 
families in my time of growing up. I want to urge everyone to 
write their memoirs. It is very important to tell our stories and 
to pass them on to future generations."

Aunty Hilda acknowledged the love and support of family, the work 
of Isaac Brown, Barbara Cummings and the AIATSIS staff, 
particularly Stephen Larkin, Melissa Lucashenko, Rhonda Black and 
Jackie Huggins.

The idea for the book developed when eldest daughter Cecilia 
suggested that her Mum write her own story and in a style of 
traditional storytelling that is so much a part of her cultural 
identity.

Aunty Hilda carefully began to recount the many events that have 
shaped her life.

"Oh, look, the memories just flashed back — like you know, 
happened just not so long, the memories just stored there, 
wonderful memories. When I wanted to write about it, it all just 
flashed back like happening yesterday or last week, I couldn't 
believe it."

Aunty Hilda was born in a "proper bush birth" to a Yanyuwa woman 
and an unknown white father in 1920. She was raised as a bush kid 
and clearly remembers those early years with her mother and 
family.

"Oh, I still got strong memory of how we travelled around in the 
bush and hunting and looking for sugar-bag. I used to love that 
and camping beside a billabong where there's lily there, we 
travel and travel and always camp where there's a billabong or 
creek or something where there was water. That's the lifestyle 
that I lived with my family", she said.

Speaking about being collected by the policeman from Borroloola 
along with several other fair-skinned children and travelling by 
horseback to Mataranka before going by train to Darwin, she said: 
"I didn't know what's happening because I still had my countrymen 
travelling with me, I thought maybe I'm still going on another 
walkabout."

It was only when she had reached her destination and began to 
experience the isolation and mistreatment by the Kahlin "half-
caste" home's managers that the terrible realisation of what was 
to come began to dawn on her.

Identity lost

"Once we were taken away we were made to forget our identity and 
our Aboriginal family and our language oh, that was the cruel 
part of it. You just ignorant or whatever or got no knowledge of 
what's happening, just accepted that you been taken away and then 
you going into this home there", she said.

"You haven't got your Mum or Dad there, and of course all these 
other little children, they all come crowding around you and then 
you get into little groups and as a little family together, 
that's all, you are happy now, you in a little group and like 
sisters and brothers.

"That was just one of those things, you didn't sort of still feel 
lost or sad or nothing because you have these other little 
children.

"If somebody went and get bit of scraps out of garbage and your 
friend was there or if you was on your own and you went and get 
bit of scraps from garbage next door, or people used to throw bit 
of scraps for the chooks — but I think we used to beat the 
chooks sometimes — potato peel, onion, cabbage, and other kids, 
whoever saw you (said): 'Hey come on, what you got, I'm gonna 
call Matron'.

"All right, you start sharing these bloody peels to shut them 
singing out to Matron because when we got flogging, oh, we didn't 
get little flogging  big cane, you know, so sad to remember but 
that's how it was with us, you know. Just for a bit of survival, 
you even scratch the ground for wattle seeds."

In the book, Aunty Hilda tells of her life in the Kahlin 
compound, meeting future husband William (Billy) Muir, becoming a 
mum, the tragedy of Cyclone Tracy and the hardships that 
followed.

During one of the more happier times, Aunty Hilda recalls seeing 
a Harriet jet (in London, England) for the first time and 
thinking, "They'd be a good plane for the Flying Doctor I reckon, 
they can land anywhere", she said.

Aunty Hilda described the mixed emotions she felt upon returning 
to her country 45 long years after she was first taken and the 
sad news that awaited her.

"They said that my mother would look at that road every day, just 
looking for me to come back  no, I never got to see my dear old 
Mum", she said.

Despite so much sadness in her life, Aunty Hilda's courage in the 
face of adversity is an inspiration to all.

She is the first to say that although she often wishes to have 
been able to see her dear old Mum again and perhaps have had the 
chance to experience growing up with her natural family, she has 
no regrets.

If she hadn't made the most of the cards that life had dealt her, 
then she may not have experienced the same joys of family which 
make her so treasured and adored today.

Towards the end of our interview, the monsoon rain was absolutely 
bucketing down outside.

Aunty Hilda looked out the window and said to me with a smile: 
"Oh isn't it beautiful that rain?"

As I looked back at her, I realised what a remarkable spirit this 
incredible woman had and I finally understood what it was that 
had gotten her through all of the trials and tribulations of her 
life.

I just nodded and said, "Yeah, it is Aunty. It's really 
beautiful."

* * *

*Very Big Journey retails for $29.95 and can be found in(or 
ordered from) most bookshops.