Deadly Voice

As told by

Bethan Gillane

and illustrated by

Charlotte Craven-Miller

Acknowledgements

We acknowledge the Wonnarua people of the Hunter Valley, New South Wales.

We pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging.

Deadly Voice
Story by Bethan Gillane
Illustrated by Charlotte Craven-Miller

This digital book was commissioned by

Wonnarua Nation Aboriginal Corporation (WNAC)

and

Australian Catholic University

Australian Catholic University acknowledges that

this digital storybook embodies cultural knowledge of

the Wonnarua community.

Charlotte Craven-Miller

Charlotte Craven-Miller is a proud Wonnarua full-time artist. The Wonnarua Nation belongs to the Hunter River Valley region of New South Wales. Her artistic skills and works encompass realism, portraiture, images, and abstract art. Her artistic works are inspired by her rich Wonnarua cultural heritage drawing upon The Dreamings and the Wonnarua peoples’ connection and belonging to Country. She is the artist of the seminal Wonnarua portraiture entitled: Wonnarua Elders commissioned by the Wonnarua Nation Aboriginal Corporation. She is the illustrator of the e-book The Frog that Grew commissioned by the University of Technology and Science, New South Wales. She was commissioned by the Australian Catholic University Limited and the Wonnarua Nation Aboriginal Corporation Australia to write and illustrate the children’s e-book Burning Mountain and illustrate Creation of the Hunter Valley, Deadly Firestick Farming, Deadly Community, Deadly Voice, Jimmy and the Water Cart and Baiame Cave and St Clair Mission. She is the recipient of two Mil-Pra Aboriginal Education Consultative Group Indigenous Art Prizes, the Riverwood Youth Art Prize, and her works have been purchased and commissioned by governments, universities, organisations and individuals.

Email: [email protected]

Photo of Charlotte Craven-Miller

Bethan Gillane

Bethan Gillane is a proud descendant of the Gringai
clan of the Wonnarua tribe located in the Hunter Valley, NSW. Bethan is very passionate about her culture and was thrilled to contribute to creating these books to help other children learn more about her culture. Bethan loves writing stories and attends drama lessons in her spare time as she aspires to become an actress when she finishes school.

Photo of Bethan Gillane

Photo courtesy of Tracey Schramm

Hi I’m Beth.

I am a Wonnarua girl from the very beautiful Hunter Valley.

I am in Year 4.

I have just started in a new school and I can’t wait to meet the other girls.

My new school has an Aboriginal class that
Mrs Mills teaches.

In this class Aboriginal girls get to learn more
about our culture together. It is called the
“Sistas Group.”

I can’t wait to go!

Finally, it was time to go to the Sistas group.

I walk in very excited. I was looking forward to making new friends.

The girls started to come in and the class was about to begin.

We all introduced ourselves and talked about what mobs we were from.

I proudly said “I am Wonnarua from the
Hunter Valley and my totem is Kawul the
wedge-tail eagle.”

It was great to meet the other Aboriginal girls.

I started chatting to the girls.

One of the girls, Lani asked me “Are you really Aboriginal?”.

I was confused by this question and said to
Lani “Why did you ask me that?”.

Lani replied, “Well, you don’t look
Aboriginal?”.

I replied to Lani:

“Yes, I have lighter skin and freckles. And yes,
I have red hair, but I am Aboriginal.

My mother has darker skin than me. She is
Aboriginal.

My father is from Wales and he has light skin
like me.

My mother has always taught me about my
people and my culture and I am very proud to be Aboriginal”.

I could tell Lani did not believe me.
This made me really sad and very angry.

When the class was over, I chatted with one
of the other girls named Kylie on the way
back to class, luckily we were not in the same class because we would’ve talked all the way through class. I thought I was making a really nice friend. So I was happy.

At break I sat with Kylie and her friends and
asked if I could play, and they said “No.”
I went to another group of girls and they said the same thing. This time I was feeling very sad and rejected.

I played all by myself, I felt so sad like I didn’t belong. Every day I would go home feeling sad and I would keep it all to myself.

My mother noticed that I wasn’t happy and
asked me what was wrong. I told her about
the girls and the Aboriginal group at school.
Then I told her how the girls didn’t believe me about being Aboriginal. I told her that I didn’t fit in anywhere.

Mum thanked me for telling her what was
wrong and said to always come to her or dad
when I have a problem – big or little. She gave me a hug and told me to stay strong, things will work out.

A few days later my mother told me that
she had been contacted by Mrs Mills, the
Aboriginal group’s teacher. Mrs Mills asked
mum if she would come into the class and
talk to the girls about culture. My face lit up!
The girls will meet my mum.

The next week mum came into our Sistas
group. She introduced herself and told the
girls that she was a proud Wonnarua person from the Hunter Valley. All the girls were surprised.

Lani put up her hand and said “Beth said she was Wonnarua too”. She was looking at me with a sly smile as she thought she caught me out on a lie. But Mum replied “Yes, I know, Beth is my daughter”. The look on the girls’ faces was priceless. They were all so confused.

“When we are born, we all take after both of our parents” mum explained.

“Beth gets her red hair from her dad, Beth
is Aboriginal because of me, and she is very proud of our heritage.
Aboriginals are all shades of skin colour
and the most important thing about being
Aboriginal are that you are proud of your
culture, and you know who your mob is.
We are part of the oldest living culture in
the world. We have been around for over 60 thousand years”.

After class Lani came up to me and apologised. Lani said she now understood how I am like my father, and she thought my red hair was beautiful.

 
The other girls were sorry for leaving me out too. I accepted their apologies, and we all went to play in the playground. 

The next day there was a new girl at school. Her name was Lisa and she had red hair too. We were all told Lisa will be joining the Sistas group. The girls and I smiled.

This time all the girls, including me,  welcomed Lisa into the group.

We are all different, but we are one with our Aboriginality.

Hi I’m Beth.
I am a Wonnarua girl from the very beautiful Hunter Valley.
I am in Year 4.
I have just started in a new school and I can’t wait to meet the other girls.
My new school has an Aboriginal class that Mrs Mills teaches.
In this class Aboriginal girls get to learn more about our culture together. It is called the
“Sistas Group.”
I can’t wait to go!
Finally, it was time to go to the Sistas group.
I walk in very excited. I was looking forward to making new friends.
The girls started to come in and the class was about to begin.
We all introduced ourselves and talked about what mobs we were from.
I proudly said “I am Wonnarua from the Hunter Valley and my totem is Kawul the
wedge-tail eagle.”
It was great to meet the other Aboriginal girls.
I started chatting to the girls.
One of the girls, Lani asked me “Are you really Aboriginal?”.
I was confused by this question and said to Lani “Why did you ask me that?”.
Lani replied, “Well, you don’t look Aboriginal?”.
I replied to Lani:
“Yes, I have lighter skin and freckles. And yes, I have red hair, but I am Aboriginal.
My mother has darker skin than me. She is Aboriginal.
My father is from Wales and he has light skin like me.

Deadly Voice Full Text

My mother has always taught me about my people and my culture and I am very proud
to be Aboriginal”.
I could tell Lani did not believe me.
This made me really sad and very angry.
When the class was over, I chatted with one of the other girls named Kylie on the way
back to class, luckily we were not in the same class because we would’ve talked all the
way through class. I thought I was making a really nice friend. So I was happy.
At break I sat with Kylie and her friends and asked if I could play, and they said “No.”
I went to another group of girls and they said the same thing. This time I was feeling
very sad and rejected.
I played all by myself, I felt so sad like I didn’t belong. Every day I would go home feeling
sad and I would keep it all to myself.
My mother noticed that I wasn’t happy and asked me what was wrong. I told her about
the girls and the Aboriginal group at school. Then I told her how the girls didn’t believe
me about being Aboriginal. I told her that I didn’t fit in anywhere.
Mum thanked me for telling her what was wrong and said to always come to her
or dad when I have a problem – big or little. She gave me a hug and told me to stay
strong, things will work out.
A few days later my mother told me that she had been contacted by Mrs Mills, the
Aboriginal group’s teacher. Mrs Mills asked mum if she would come into the class and
talk to the girls about culture. My face lit up! The girls will meet my mum.
“When we are born, we all take after both of our parents” mum explained.

Credits

The next week mum came into our Sistas group. She introduced herself and told the
girls that she was a proud Wonnarua person from the Hunter Valley. All the girls were
surprised.
Lani put up her hand and said “Beth said she was Wonnarua too”. She was looking at
me with a sly smile as she thought she caught me out on a lie. But Mum replied “Yes, I
know, Beth is my daughter”. The look on the girls’ faces was priceless. They were all so
confused.
“Beth gets her red hair from her dad, Beth is Aboriginal because of me, and she is very
proud of our heritage.
Aboriginals are all shades of skin colour and the most important thing about being
Aboriginal are that you are proud of your culture, and you know who your mob is.
We are part of the oldest living culture in the world. We have been around for over 60
thousand years”.
After class Lani came up to me and apologised. Lani said she now understood how I
am like my father, and she thought my red hair was beautiful.
The other girls were sorry for leaving me out too. I accepted their apologies, and we all
went to play in the playground.
The next day there was a new girl at school. Her name was Lisa and she had red hair
too. We were all told Lisa will be joining the Sistas group. The girls and I smiled.
This time all the girls, including me, welcomed Lisa into the group.
We are all different, but we are one with our Aboriginality.In return, the land looks after us.