THE KOORI
 

WHO AM I?

WHAT AM I DOING?

MY NAME IS VICKI ARMSTRONG AND ALTHOUGH I WAS BORN AND RAISED IN LAUNCESTON, TASMANIA, MY MOB COME FROM CAPE BARREN ISLAND.

I MOVED TO VICTORIA IN 1994 AND IN SEPTEMBER 1998 BECAME INVOLVED WITH AN ASPIRANT INDIGENOUS RADIO STATION CALLED 3KND "KOOL 'N' DEADLY".  THE STATION HAS BEEN ON AIR BROADCASTING ON THREE DIFFERENT OCCASIONS, EACH LASTING FOR TWO WEEKS AT A TIME.
3KND WILL BE BACK ON AIR AGAIN IN 2000, SO LISTEN OUT FOR THEM.  YOU'LL HEAR MY SHOW "A KOORI'S KALEIDOSCOPE".
 

THE YEAR 2000 IS LOOKING VERY PROMISING, HERE'S WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT TO SEE HAPPENING

WITH THIS KOORI WOMAN
 

• RADIO SHOW ON 3CR CALLED "ILBIJERRI CHAT"

EVERY TUESDAY 9am to 11am 3CR is 855 on the AM dial
 

• KOORIE WOMEN MEAN BUSINESS CD PROJECT WILL GET UNDER WAY

• 3KND ARE BACK ON AIR STARTING IN MARCH 2000

• 3CR's  MAJOR ANNUAL FUNDRAISER 'THE RADIATION'

• PART OF DEB MORROW'S MANAGEMENT TEAM AS HER PUBLICIST

THE YEAR 2000's RADIOTHON WILL BE A BIG ONE FOR ME, I'LL PUTTING MY EFFORTS TOWARDS HAVING THE "INAUGURAL JIMMY LITTLE AUCTION"
 

WHILST PRODUCING AND PRESENTING MY RADIO SHOW ON 3CR IN 1999 I ALSO TRAINED SOME INDIGENOUS ART STUDENTS FROM SWINBURNE UNIVERSITY.
THEY WERE A TALENTED MOB, BUT SOME STOOD OUT MORE THAN OTHERS.  ONE PARTICULAR STUDENT HAD AN AMAZING TALENT WITH POETRY AND HE READ SOME OF HIS WORK OUT ALMOST EVERY WEEK ON THE SHOW.  BREEE-AN TOLD ME THAT HE HAD WRITTEN OVER TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY POEMS, ABOUT ALMOST EVERY THING THAT YOU COULD IMAGINE.  I ASKED HIM IF HE HAD ONE ABOUT HALFCASTES, HE SAID NO BUT I'LL WRITE ONE JUST FOR YOU.
THE FOLLOWING TUESDAY HE RETURNED TO THE RADIO STATION AND PRESENTED ME WITH MY POEM.
 
 

HALFCASTE BLUES

MY SKIN IS PALE
BUT MY SPIRIT IS BLACK, JUST LIKE YOU
IN MY BLOOD RUNS THE MEMORIES
OF LONG AGO, JUST LIKE YOU

THIS BLACK SPIRITUAL ESSENCE
OF MY PROUD ABORIGINAL HERITAGE
IT IS SAID BY SOME
THAT BLACK IS BLACK
BUT BLACK COMES IN MANY SHADES
SO WHAT MAKES YOU BLACKER THAN ME

IF WE SHARE THE SAME HISTORY
ARE WE THEN NOT THE SAME
BUT WHEN I LOOK INTO YOUR EYES
I CAN SEE YOUR DOUBT
YOU QUESTION MY BLACKNESS
THUS CAUSING MY HEART TO BREAK
EVERY DAY IN EVERY WAY
THIS IS THE AGONY OF MY HALFCASTE BLUES

I WALK IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF MY ANCESTORS
JUST LIKE YOU
WE SHARE THE SAME STRUGGLE
MY PROUD BROTHER AND SISTER
OUR ROADS ARE ENTWINED
TWISTED AND KNOTTED FOREVER
THIS GREAT DESTINY OF YOURS AND MINE

WE ARE DIFFERENT COLORS
BUT OUR BLOOD IS THE SAME
MY NOSE MAY NOT BE FLAT
OR MY SKIN NOT SO BLACK
BUT I STAND TALL WHEN I SAY
I'M A BLACKFELLA JUST LIKE YOU

BUT WHEN I LOOK INTO YOUR EYES
I CAN SEE YOUR DOUBT
YOU QUESTION MY BLACKNESS
THUS CAUSING MY HEART TO BREAK
EVERY DAY IN EVERY WAY
THIS IS THE AGONY OF MY HALFCASTE BLUES
THIS IS THE AGONY OF MY HALFCASTE BLUES

BREEE-AN MUNNS
10-8-'99

BREEE-AN IS AN AMAZING INDIGENOUS ARTIST.   REMEMBER HIS NAME AND WHEN YOU SEE HIS WORK PUBLISHED, DO WHATEVER YOU  HAVE TO DO TO BUY IT, BECAUSE HE WILL TAKE YOU ON A JOURNEY INTO ANOTHER WORLD.

BREEE-AN, MY PROUD BLACK BROTHER, THANK YOU.

WITH LOVE AND RESPECT FROM YOUR SIS,
                                                                   VICKI ARMSTRONG
 
 
 
 

DEB MORROW	CD PROJECT	3CR	KOORIE WOMEN MEAN BUSINESS	RETURN

WOULD YOU LIKE TO LEAVE A MESSAGE ON MY E-MAIL?
koorimusic@yahoo.com.au

The artwork in the background of this page is called Hunters and Gatherers and was created by Vincent Serico.

THE ARTISTS:
Vincent serico was born in southern Queensland on January 14, 1946, growing up on cherbourg Aboriginal Reserve close to the town of Murgon.  This was the traditional country of the Wakka Wakka and Kabi Kabi people.  Vincent's father is from Taroom in the Carnarvon Ranges, traditional Jimman Jimman country of north Queensland ahd his mother from Palm Island.  This links Vincent with the traditional cultures of these areas.

THE PAINTING:
Aboriginal people had lived in unity with the land for thousands of years.  Hunters used traditional weapons in the continuous search for food.  By watching the men, boys learnt how to imitate the animals both im sound and actions which would enable them to get close enough for an accurate kill.  Women and girls gathered all types of seeds, berries, small animals and wild honey.  As food was collected, it was placed in coolimons and dilly bags.  Food below the ground was dug out using a special stick that each woman had: this would have been given to her by her mother or aunt on reaching the age for a girl to join the women in the seriousness of food gathering.