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Violet Sheridan: I hope these goggles work for me because it's
a bit dark in here. Evening all. First before I do a welcome I always like to introduce
myself and tell you a little bit about where I come from and about my people.
Like I said my father was a Wiradjuri man. My mother was a Ngunnawal woman. But because
I've told for years and years and years that I follow my mother's bloodlines, so that makes
me a Ngunnawal.
My people are - some people in this room might know them - by the Merits, the Carols, the
Lowes, the Lanes - my grandmother live around - my great great grandmother actually - lived
around Rye Park, Boorowa area there. There's a little property they had out that way and
they used to call her Queen Caroline Chisholm-Lane. She's actually buried out that way. My grandfather
was born and his brother's - a couple of his brothers - at Edgerton Station at Murrumbateman
there, if anyone knows that. Most of my other family, the Lowes, are actually around Queanbeyan
area. Most of them are buried over in the Queanbeyan cemetery.
So that's my little story. I have four children and 18 grandchildren and I love them to death.
Before I do the welcome I always like to know why I'm welcoming the audience. Not only that,
I'm a sticky beak so I want to know why you're here today. So I gather that Melissa sent
you a little bit of information in regards to - I used to work for Families First. It
was a programme introduced by the New South Wales government to different organisations
- I was a senior support officer and I was actually stationed in Queanbeyan and I gather
that the little bit of - what we had to do, we had to meet all different agencies - health
services, all services that provided services to children or families with children nought
to eight.
So it was all about networking, sharing information so we wouldn't duplicate programmes. So I
gather that this is a little bit about what's happening here this afternoon. Am I right?
So I won't go on further but the only biggest concern I had back them days has probably
changed now to what it is now because it's been years since I've worked for Families
First, was particularly for young pregnant Aboriginal mothers that moved around the country
because they don't' stay in one place for long.
It was taken, if they went to a doctor, that they'd take that information onto the next
town, a little booklet where they can show the doctor this is what the last examinations
were, this what the last blood pressure was, so it's - and tell them how far along. So
that was the biggest concern I had back then. So I'd like to go onto the welcome now. So
I just want to let you know that I understand a little bit about why you're all here today.
So I don't want to come in and say blah, blah, blah, blah.
So I would like to acknowledge - pay my respect to elders past and present and also extend
that respect to other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders present. I would also like
to acknowledge any special guests that's here tonight and ladies and gentlemen, is in keeping
in the general spirit of friendship and reconciliation it is with great pleasure that I welcome you
all here this evening and hope you have - on traditional owners, my people, my mother's
people, the Ngunnawal people and hope you have a successful evening and a good workshop.
Thank you very much. Now all close your eyes for 10 minutes. Thank you.