Stories Across the Generations
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ACROSS THE GENERATIONS Stories and Skills – Across the Generations Project The Stories and Skills – Across the Generations Project has been implemented by the City of Belmont with funding from the Department of Communities through the Age-friendly Communities Innovation and Implementation Grants Program. The City of Belmont expresses its thanks to the volunteers who have worked closely with the ‘storytellers’ to capture their story and share their skills. We would also like to acknowledge the support of Professor Loretta Baldassar and Anne Mette Andersen from the University of WA and Rhuwina Griffiths, Author and Life Story Writer. And most importantly of all, we thank you the story tellers, for the privilege of sharing your lives with us and the lessons we have learnt. Telling stories is not just a way of passing time. It is the way the wisdom gets passed along. The stuff that helps us to live a life worth remembering. — Rachel Naomi Remen SUPPORTED BY Stories - Across the Generations Project 2 ANNA MRKIC STORY OF MY LIFE Co-written by: Zahra Ibrahim Stories - Across the Generations Project 3 In Subiaco on the 13th of April, 1951 in King along with everyone pretty well and made Edward Hospital, I took my first breath as a amazing friends that I still meet-up with until newborn. I was brought up in Belmont and this day. Back in the day, we used to go have been there for the past 60 years. I lived over each others’ places and have different with both my parents Licia and Biagio and competitions amongst ourselves. We had a my two brothers John and Adrian. twisting competition once at Cheery’s place. She was one of my closest friends. You could say she was my best friend. I ended up coming first place in that competition and I earned a doll as a prize. There was also a sports event that occurred at school which was a running activity and since I loved running, by the end of it I got awarded a yellow sash for coming runner-up. I really enjoy my art classes that are with the organisation, ‘People Who Care’ in Guildford. I truly appreciate the ladies there, Our very first house was really old so we including Anne and Christine who are decided to knock it down. The house ground support workers and Kath and Linda who is now being used as bed and breakfast. We teach art skills. Art is something that I have then moved to our second home in Keymer always enjoyed doing and will forever Street and I’ve been living there ever since. enjoy doing. The art pieces displayed on these pages have been painted by me through the support of People Who Care, who I wish to acknowledge and express my thanks. My parents came from Italy as migrants to Australia. They wanted to start a new life and so they were happy coming to Australia, particularly Perth as it’s a quiet and peaceful ‘The Last Supper’ is one of my most city. At that time my mother was pregnant favourite and important art pieces. This with my brother John. She sailed the ship painting means a lot to me. When I’m feeling while carrying my brother which gave her the down or upset I just admire this artwork and opportunity to arrive in Australia before the I suddenly feel so much happier. I also have baby was born. one of Mary and it is also one of my absolute favourites. It makes me feel at In 1956, St Maria Goretti’s Catholic Primary peace with myself as I’m praying and feel School in Redcliffe was established and that devoted to her. Creating these different was the year I started going to that school. paintings evokes a certain feeling which I I appreciated the school so much as I got cannot express enough in words. I make Stories - Across the Generations Project 4 a living from my work so I can spend even During my younger years, I worked at more time doing what I love. clothing manufacturers R.A Davidson & Son PTY LTD. My job was to prepare all the collars so that they could be fitted on the garments. There were bundles and bundles of them to prepare. I must say I got paid pretty well and since I was doing extra work I got a bonus. I was very respected by my boss and he was very proud of me as a worker. I never wanted to miss a day of work as I was very happy going in there. Collage of my paintings Although there aren’t many children in my family, there is one very special young boy Later on I retired to do nursing as I wanted to that I can proudly call my nephew. His name learn something new and expand my skills. is Blake. Since he is the only child in the On the 11th of November 1993, I decided to family so far, you can imagine how close we apply for a position in nursing. When I got are. We do nearly everything together from accepted I was very excited and amazed playing to reading books. Oh boy does he because that meant I could start a new life love his books. He’ll flick through the as a nurse. My pharmacist helped me get pages and know exactly what he’s doing. On into this job as she recommended me into the 29th of March, I will be meeting a this position. My position in nursing was newborn which will be a girl. This will be aged care which meant I had to look after the first young born girl in the family for 60 the sick who were very old. I made their years. Her name will be Abby Matilda. beds and gave them their breakfast. I was really loyal to my job and everybody appreciated me. I ended up retiring to be with my parents and to support them. I was even called up to Murdoch but I told them I couldn’t because I had commitments to look after my mum and dad. Having these skills as a nurse made it so much easier to take care of my dear parents. Licia Mrkic, my mother, was born in Trieste, Italy on the 4th of December 1925 and passed away on the 5th of August 2015. My mother and I had many treasured memories together as we did everything from preparing meals to celebrating important occasions together. Stories - Across the Generations Project 5 years. I felt emptiness when she was gone. I couldn’t speak to anybody as I was grieving. My father, Biagio, was born in Zadar, Italy which is where he met my beautiful mother Licia. On the 2nd of December, 1918 my father was in the First World War navy. The car on his uniform represents him taking all the people across the other side of the country. The anchor represents the water. My brother John was also there for my dad when he was in hospital from morning until night. One day John went to go visit him when the hospital rang me at around 8am in the morning and told me that my father had passed away. Since my brother didn’t know yet I told them to tell him quietly and calmly. I got to the hospital after he passed away. It was really hard for us to adapt after going through all that but we managed. My father was buried in Guildford, Perth alongside my mother and uncle. May God rest their souls. My mother. One day, however, my mother became very ill. She could barely use her hands so I helped her out with all the cutting and lifting. I eventually got really sick. I was diagnosed with pneumonia which was a very serious lung infection. I was so weak to the point where I needed walking sticks to support me. With my condition I could’ve got people to come and help out but I didn’t as I wanted to be the one to support her. I still prepared all the meals, as well as cleaned the entire house all by myself, and I didn’t mind for a second because I loved her and I was willing to do anything to help her out. However my mother’s condition became so bad that it got to a point where she had to be taken into hospital. Unfortunately I couldn’t be there for her at the hospital as I was too ill, however my brother John was and he stayed with her all day. Her last words to me were over the phone and she told me to “get better”. It was very hard for me to accept all of that My father. because I’d been there for her for so many Stories - Across the Generations Project 6 In 2017, when I visited the Council in the The very first ball that I ever went to was City of Belmont, I got recommended to join the SRC Fascinator Ball, which was on the the Local History Photographic 27th of June, 2012. It was located in the Competition. So I went and put up a family Astral Ballroom which was in the Burswood tree that I had sorted into photo frames and Entertainment Complex. Martin Brian Yates made it look perfect. Later on I found out organized the wonderful ball and he was that I was awarded second place for the best also the photographer.