Mirror Mirror Series: May O'Brien
Since we’ve been looking so much at amazing women abroad for the last few Mirror Mirror instalments, I thought it time to look to our own shores for a while. Today we look at the MOST influential Indigenous Australian woman, May O’Brien.
Born in Western Australia, in1933 to the Wongatha people May was part of ‘The Stolen Generation’, however, as she tells it she was not ‘stolen, but displaced by circumstances out of her control’. An abusive mother and an absent father, meant May spent plenty of time in institutions. She may not have been stolen, however, she would have been treated no differently than those who were.
Despite her disadvantages, May blossomed into an activist, an author, a teacher and a forward thinker. She was taken in by a part-Aboriginal couple, who were unable to adopt her because of the then ‘native welfare laws’. In turn, this lead her to the Mount Margaret Mission.
For a decade May worked and studied at Mount Margaret. She went onto school and then to college (which was almost unheard of for an Aboriginal woman) and returned to Mount Margaret Mission to teach in 1954. As the first female Aboriginal teacher in Western Australia, she has earned her title as a trail blazer.
She spent 25 years working in education, and was eventually given the chance to begin planning programs designed to benefit indigenous children in the education system.
In 1977 she was awarded the British Empire Medal, opening doors toward further recognition including the Churchill Fellowship in 1984. This particular medal allowed her to study other indigenous cultural issues in Canada, Great Britain and the USA.
Up to this point she had worked tirelessly against racism and sexism.
Retirement from the Education Department has not seen May slow down a whole lot. She is still an ambassador for Literacy and Numeracy, is involve in her community and has written many children’s books.
I encourage you to look more into the Stolen Generation, and have a little empathy for those who made the most of their situation and worked to change the laws, change society and fought to give the following generations a better chance of success.
Sources
http://www.filmaust.com.au/australianbio11/AUSbio11-TN_MO.pdf
http://www.womenaustralia.info/biogs/IMP0135b.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/May_Lorna_O’Brien
Some of May’s children’s books
The Legend of the Seven Sisters
