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Guard of honour to remember Aunty Phyllis Corowa

A guard of honour will be held on Friday before the funeral of Aunty Phyllis Corowa. All are invited to attend.

Indigenous rights pioneer and Tweed resident of almost 70 years, Aunty Phyllis Corowa, will be honoured and respected with a guard of honour in Chinderah on Friday the 8th April 2016.

Aunty Phyllis, 95, who died peacefully at her Chinderah home on Sunday, will be remembered for her pioneering work in the Tweed community as a founding member of the Australian South Sea United Council (now the Tweed South Sea Islander Association, TWSIA).

She was also a founding signature in establishing the Minjungbal Museum, and a key figure in speaking out against injustices carried out upon her people.

A descendant of the South Sea Islander people taken from Vanuatu to work in Queensland’s sugar industry in the late 1800s, Aunty Phyllis lived for the majority of her life in Chinderah, not far from the burial ground of many of those indentured workers.

Aunty Phyllis Corowa (right) with Emily May Enares (mother).

Niece Louise Togo, who remembers Aunty Phyllis fondly for her work in providing her people with a voice, said her Aunty was held in the highest regard within the community.

“She was such a such an activist in a generation that were really well known and respected in the community,” Miss Togo said.

“While she was an activist for Aboriginal and South Sea Islander human rights, she was very graceful, was a lady and was highly respected.”

A guard of honour for Aunty Phyllis will be held along Wommin Bay Rd on Friday before a funeral service at Tweed Heads Memorial Gardens from 1pm.

The guard of honour, to which all of the Tweed community is invited, will span from Wommin Bay Rd to Jenners Corner as Aunty Phyllis’ hurse makes it way along the riverfront, past Corowa Park (named after Aunty Phyllis), and the First Chinderah Scout Hall where the original TWSIA was gathered.

“We’re hoping that the community will come together for a send off in Chinderah that Aunty Phyllis deserves,” Miss Togo said.

FUNERAL:

Friday, April 8 at Tweed Heads Memorial Gardens (chapel),
176 Kirkwood Rd W, Tweed Heads South.

GUARD OF HONOUR:

The guard of honour will precede the funeral service and residents are invited to join in between Wommin Bay Road and Jenners Corner at 12.00pm.

Sydney Local Women of the Year 2016

Congratulations to the finalists and many women of NSW that work tirelessly for their communities.

We look forward to continuing our collaborative working relations with our diverse communities and Parliamentarians. Mr. Alex Greenwich, Member for Sydney put forward the motioned on 15 August 2013 in NSW Parliament which saw bipartisan support recognising Australian South Sea Islander forebears contribution to the nation with a strong commitment to social justice and census recognition.

NSW motion / debate videos can be viewed HERE.

Extract from program: EMELDA DAVIS – Nominated by Alex Greenwich MP, Member for Sydney. Emelda has led the NSW Australian South Sea Islanders since 2009, enabling official recognition of indentured labour trade akin to slavery of South Sea Islanders that occurred between 1847 and 1908.

By building relationships with demographers and government at all levels, Emelda has built the profile and acknowledgement of this vulnerable community.

Lord Mayor of Sydney, Clover Moore and Emelda Davis (ASSIPJ) leading Sydney’s Climate Change march.

Lord Mayor of Sydney, Clover Moore and Emelda Davis (ASSIPJ) are amongst supporters and friends leading Sydney’s Climate Change march.

Article: Cairns Post – Huge crowds march in Sydney climate rally. (images)

THOUSANDS of protesters have marched through Sydney CBD to the Opera House to rally for action on climate change ahead of the United Nations climate summit in Paris.

THE giant costumed figures of Malcolm Turnbull and Tony Abbott greeted scientists, activists, families, elderly and youth that gathered at the Domain on Sunday to urge leaders to shift more rapidly to renewable energy and cut carbon emissions worldwide.

People have waved placards to the sound of drums while others have broken into dance and worn costumes of marine life that would be affected by increasing global temperatures.

“Minds change or climate change” read one placard, while another said “there is no Planet B”.
Climate Council’s Professor Tim Flannery addressed the crowd before they marched, saying a successful outcome at the UN summit was vital.

“Do your utmost to see success at Paris, we won’t accept anything less,” he said to the cheers of the crowd, which he described as “the biggest climate march” in Australia’s history.

The rally observed a minute’s silence to acknowledge those most affected by climate change, especially Australia’s neighbours in the Pacific.

Earlier, deputy federal Opposition Leader Tanya Plibersek said the government had to take action now before the cost of reducing emissions increased. “The sooner we start making cuts to our carbon pollution, the cheaper it’ll be to get there,” she told reporters in Sydney just before the rally. “Climate change is not a distant future threat for our Pacific neighbours, it is happening right now.”

Protester Fiona Ng, who wore a jellyfish costume, said she had joined the march because Western countries had an obligation to help poorer nations tackle the problems caused by climate change. “People are losing their heritage, land and culture,” the 34-year-old told AAP. “There’s really a lot of injustice.”

The “climate injustice” was also the reason for Marist religious brother Justin Golding’s attendance along with students from Marist high schools. “I’m here looking for a change in the heart of people,” he told AAP.
“I work with young people who are passionate about climate justice … as a community we need to take action on a personal level, in our homes.”

Sydney march organiser Reece Proudfoot said those taking part in the Australian marches walked in solidarity with millions of people across the world as part of a global campaign.

Mr Proudfoot welcomed Labor’s pledge on Friday to cut carbon emissions by 45 per cent on 2005 levels by 2030, which is well above the coalition pledge of between 26 and 28 per cent.

More than 40,000 people marched in Melbourne’s central business district on Friday to kick off the weekend of climate marches, with dozens of events also taking place in regional towns across the country.

Slavery or Servitude

Shireen Malamoo listens to interview by Emelda… ‘Slavery or Servitude’ is an emotional and confronting insight into the domestic servitude forced upon Aboriginal women in Australia. Stolen as children from their parents and placed in girls training homes, they were trained as domestic servants: servants who would be absorbed by the new colony and modern industry.

National Australian South Sea Islanders Association Constitution

Draft 3 of the National Australian South Sea Islanders Association Constitution will be presented to the NSW and QLD delegates of registered bodies for adoption in Tweed Heads on the 15th August 2015. It is affirmed that this document has been consulted to the best of our ability over the past two years taking into account the platforms of formation and consultation since 2011 – 2015 (5yrs).

(extract of preamble) The company represents the interests of the Australian South Sea Islander (ASSI) people, one of the many contributing cultures of non-European origin in Australia. Our origins lie in the historical and ongoing struggle for equality and recognition for ASSI people in contemporary Australia. We support and promote ASSI culture, identity, economic and social well-being and education.

Gilbert + Tobin owns the intellectual property, including copyright, in the content of this Draft Constitution.

Download The Constitution (1.1mb pdf)

ASSI.PJ consultation feedback re Australian South Sea Islander Constitutional Developments

Purpose of the Meeting: The aim of the meeting is for the Chair of the National ASSI Working Group, Mr Greg Sutherland to feedback on his national consultations with ASSI communities and discuss ASSI.PJ perspectives on Checklist and Guide-Federation Model (National ASSI representative body) for the national constitution developments.

Summary: ASSI.PJ Board revisited the video recordings from constitutional meeting with Greg Sutherland and have agreed on the below dot points to be put forward to Gilbert & Tobin, NASSIGWG and the ASSI Community for wider consideration.

Please bare in mind that theses points are just suggestions and collated feedback from those who attended.

Download document HERE

Rainbow Warrior arrival in Port Vila

A very full and overwhelmed croud celebrated the Rainbow Warrior arrival in Port Vila, Vanuatu. Although this was not an official government ceremony the dancers were asked to enter the port to perform for the dedicated crew of the Rainbow Warrior. The TAFEA community and other groups celebrated in support of the arrival of the vessel which bought 2 x 20ft containers from Australia filled with donations and goods, such as tarpaulins and blankets sourced by ASSI.PJ.

Tafea men dancing for Captain Mike Finken and crew of the Rainbow Warrior – Port Vila docks 18-05-2015

The women of registered organisation the TAFEA Australian Community Connection rallied together from 6.00am yesterday morning 18-5-2015 to dress in tradition and face paint each other for a ceremony welkam in appreciation of the arrival of the Rainbow Warrior to Port Vila.

Emelda and ladies painted from TAFEA province.
Actionaid board member Sonia Zavesky and worker William Gray with Emelda Davis and Josephine Fred, Vice president of TAFEAACC.

Described by captain Mike Finken as being met by ‘a face of rainbows’, he stood at the entrance of the docks receiving gifts and praise for the support given by the Greenpeace crew.

The following weeks will see distribution of goods to the Tanna Island province who were devastated by cyclone Pam some two months ago.

The docks saw a frenzie of activity which also included Actionaid, Greenpeace and community volunteers unload the containers from the ship and repack ready for their depart to Tanna sometime today.

The docks saw a frenzie of activity which included Actionaid, Greenpeace and community volunteers

Great yarn with the women’s group today

Great yarn with the women’s group today about finding family – starting with the Enares (nee Innares) family.

These women are from Tanna Island – Middle Bush where my grandfather was taken from the beach at the age of 12 years old.

My grandfather gave his children a traditional name each to relink them to their homelands on Tanna. They are Phyllis Netuka, Emily Youko, Joyce Youma, Naru, Neru, Kias, William Diaho, Daniel Diking, David Nakapuai, Nasuven, James Naliene

Father-Moses Topay Enares who’s parents were listed as Tobo Enares and Netuka.

Mother-Emily May Enares born Irrawarra Plantation Dennison Far North QLD Australia to mother Bookey (Boak) Toar and father Tarre (Tarry) Sendy.