Unlocked Balund-a 2018 with Lionel Fogarty & Joe Geia Lionel Fogarty

A Murri man, Lionel is a leading spokesman for Indigenous rights in Australia, particularly deaths in custody following the death of his broth- er, Daniel Yock, in 1993. His poetry expresses the need for innovation and urgency. In doing so, it is sometimes surreal, sometimes confronting and includes large amounts of Bandjalang dialect and vernacular. Red Room Poetry Lionel Fogarty was born on Wakka Wakka land at Barambah, now known as Cherbourg Aboriginal Reserve near Murgon, Queensland. His traditional Red Room Poetry inspires students and teachers to create, background is the Yoogum and Kudjela tribes and he has relations from the perform and publish poetry. We enliven experiences with poetry Goomba tribe. by bringing contemporary poets into classrooms across Australia In the early 1970s Fogarty became actively involved in Aboriginal politics to run dynamic writing workshops that awaken imaginations and after a realisation of the injustices experienced while growing up on the support creative opportunities. Reserve. His involvement in the political struggles of the Aboriginal people has been through various organisations including the Aboriginal Legal Service, Aboriginal Housing Service, Black Resource Centre, Black Community School and Murrie Coo-ee. As a legal and political activist, and Balund-a as a community leader, his work has also been directed towards the reality of Aboriginal deaths in custody. The Balund-a Program is an innovative residential Joe Geia diversionary program for male offenders over 18 years of age. Located at Tabulam, within the Bundjalung Nation, the program’s Joe Geia is an Australian musician of Murri Aboriginal heritage aim is to reduce re-offending and enhance skills within a cultural from North Queensland. He is best known as the composer of the song and supportive community environment. The Aboriginal name, “”, which has been recorded by many other artists including Paul Bugilmah Burube Wullinje Balund-a roughly translates as “Be good Kelly, , , and most recently by the Singers for the now you have a second chance down by the river”. Red, Black and Gold, which included , Renée Geyer, Tiddas, Paul Kelly, and .

© Red Room poetry 2018 Because of You Balund-a 2018 song

Because of you I can Bugalbeh Balund-a Because of the Elders I get a second chance Because of you I can Because of her I’m free Because of you I can Jingiwalla Because of you I can Because of you I can Because of you I can Because of you I can Because of you I can On the darkest night you are my light Because of you I can Because of you I can Because of you I am a proud black man Because of you I can Able to walk our land Because of you I can I knew this would be the one My culture is strong Will you be there? Only time will tell Proud black man Because of them I’m a dad Black Red Gold are the colours of my life Because of them I’m so happy Because of you I can Because of them I’m alive Jingiwalla – bugal Because of you I can Because of them I’m stronger Because of you I can Balund-a ------One Love Because of you I can Because of you I can Let’s get together and feel alright Because of you I can Balund-a ------a second chance I‘m a white man and have a second chance Because of you I can Give thanks to the Warhlubal tribe Thanks to the Bundjalung Because of you I can ‘Cause we’re on their land

Because of you I can But for now I’m just Let’s get together and feel alright Because of you I can Another man from Bligh Park Give thanks to the Warhlubal tribe Because of you I can ‘Cause we’re on their land Because of you I can Because of you I can REPEAT Because of you I can Who are they to call us bad? Because of you I can Why do we let them make us mad? Because of you I can *Bugalbeh - ‘very good’ (used in greeting) Because of you I can *Jingiwalla - ‘welcome’ Because of you I can *Warhlubal tribe - west Bundjalung Indigenous Because of you I can community Because of you I can Because of You I Am – to the Elders By Adam having a second chance was something that I took for granted COZ OF HER Doing this and that was By Linden the normal for me Bettering myself was a dream Coz of her I can a dream that I was never going to accomplish Coz of her I’m alive You give me hope, you made me believe, believe Coz of her I have love not only in myself but believe that my life can be better Coz of me I’m here Cance after chance you gave me and I took each one Coz of me she is sad without another thought Coz of here I’m good Because of you I can be a Coz of then they think I’m bad Better man; Because of you I am a better man Because of Balund-a I am Because of You I Can By Adam

Jingiwalla bugal On the darkest night you are my light Because of Them Because of you I am a proud black man By Josiah Able to walk our land My culture is strong but yet we still fight Because of them I’m a Dad For our brothers and sisters who struggle Because of them I can change Because of them I can be a good role model Because of you I can – proud black man Because of them I’m so happy When I fall and stumble you are there Because of them I’m alive To pick me up, when I’m drowning Because of them I’m stronger You are the rock that I hold to pull Me up, you are my world, my everything Because of you I am a proud black man

*Jingiwalla - ‘welcome’ *Bugal - ‘good’ Because of Her I Can (4) Because of Her I Can (1) By Adam By Adam My head down feeling sorry for myself Because of her I can believe that I am Tears flowing like a river not wanting to stop Worth all the trouble that I have gone through The hate – the anger – the pain – the blame I can hold her, I can smell her hair, I can see It is at everyone but the one it should be What she sees, I can dream again, I can be me Hours become days, the days become weeks Again and it’s all because of her, I can Weeks become months and months turn into years Finally it comes time to go home, I’m scared That they will not see that I am now a better man Because of Her I Can (2) A proud black man, the man I always was By Adam The man that I hid Because of her, I can be everything, because of you On the darkest night you are my light Julie Perry, I am everything, not just a proud man, In the lowest time of my life you are my strength But a proud black man When I fall and stumble you are there to pick me up Because of her When I’m drowning in pain you are my rock that I I don’t count the days, I make the days count Hold to pull me up, you are my world, my everything Because of Because of you I can be a better man You I am

Because of Her I Can (3) Stolen By Adam By Jason

Because of her I can breathe again STOLEN by the Government Because of her I can hope and dream again Taken from family, her mob Because of her I can finally open All siblings put in an orphanage My eyes and see what has always Beaten for talking her native tongue Been right in front of me Mouth washed out with soap Because of her I can be what I was Why? Because she was half white Born to be; a proud black man Or half black – lost between two worlds Because of her I can believe that Lost her identity I’m worth all the trouble and heartache Where do I fit in? Because of her I am who I am Who am I? Black or white I love because I can but I’m proud to be black With my people IT Let Us Be Free By Tony By Scott

Because of IT I have lost so much in life This is where we all wouldlike Because of IT I am sitting where I am today To be. Hope and pray one day Because of IT I have lost my job The day will come for you and me And lost a lot of respect from my family mem- Here I sit – hope and pray for one bers Day to be free. My heart grows But because of where I am today Hard as I see my brother I am starting to earn that respect back Fall – not knowing what to Do as I can see a day Where we will be as one On this day we will all be free LIFE My hand is out By Stephen For all my brothers My heart breaks to see one of I am an Aboriginal and I’m proud of my colour Us fall. Stand as one and Since I’ve been in Balund-a I’ve been thinking of my mother We will be free I’ve been doing programs to get my certificates And it’s making me smarter When I go back to the community I can go to work and Be there for my partner Man from Bligh Park

So when I was younger I was always with my father By Matthew But I knew he was always my barber Bligh Park is where I live So I’d like to thank my family and siblings for being I feel left in the dark There for me when I was down Society has left a mark But I knew they was always around Sometimes I just feel like saying As time goes by Fuck – I find myself in the park I was always a family guy Sitting alone in the dark Since being at Balund-a I get along with all the fellas I wonder what mark They made me stronger and do the things I can I can leave in society So when I the program I can stand up Bur for now I’m just another And do the thing like a man Man from Bligh Park Thankful To Be Here The Poem By Trevor By Linton

I’m thankful to be here today The poem I write I’ve lived a life of drugs and crime Will sound alright I’m a white man and thought this was my land RollerCoaster Whether the words are said or read I’ve never been racist but just thought I had the right By Jason It will still be bright I went to school just here at Tabulam And mixed with white and black On my path – keep hitting The poem I write will But just thought that I had the right Roundabouts Be finished before bed All my life has been full of drugs Going round and round So don’t be misled And crime but I just thought that I had the right Going over the same old ground The screws won’t get in the way Which brings me to now Don’t know where to turn Of this in your head I’m thankful to be here today My head is spinning Even if it takes all night Now learning and getting another chance Loosing my mind The poem will be wrote Not from my people, the white man Where am I ? As of now But yes, the Elders, the black man and woman Where have I been This is the poem I wrote All these years? Lost my friends Amanda Family telling me to Get off that rollercoaster ride The Fun of Art I listened, and now I have a second chance By Linton Make the most of what I have left Put family first The art I done was fun Take the right turn I had a chance to let the pen run Get my life back As soon as I begun In and Out My family and love I knew this would be the one By Troy Get off that rollercoaster ride As the picture grew And live life – family first The time flew In and Out Before I knew it Up and Down I was done Where am I now? Hope 4 2 chance in life 4 my little One and me