ECU student Renee Fury's great grandmother, Nanna Winnie (May) Drummond – queen of the family.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers please be advised that the following story contains images and names of people who have died.
As part of ECU's NAIDOC Week celebrations, we talked to some of our own Indigenous students about what this year's NAIDOC Week 2024 theme - 'Keep the fire burning! Blak, loud and proud' meant to them and we found some lovely stories.
We met ECU Bachelor of Science paramedicine student Renee Fury recently when she was one of three Indigenous students from ECU to be honoured with the Fiona Lavelle and Tinesh Tamilkodi Memorial Scholarship to pursue health sciences qualifications at ECU.
The memorial scholarship Renee was awarded was created by St John WA (SJWA) with the families of two dedicated paramedics in honour of their shared passion for lifelong learning and service to humanity – a passion also shared by Renee.
"A milestone achievement like this makes you proud, it also makes you reflect on your own life and what has brought you to where you are," said Renee.
"My favourite thing about my ECU experience so far is feeling supported with any query or problem. The student hub has been a great resource to be able to turn to when I have needed them this semester."
"When I was asked about what this year's NAIDOC theme personally means to me, it means to be proud of who I am and where my family came from and to keep sharing my Nan’s story with the world."
Sharing Nan's story – finding our way back to country
Renee shared her family's story that her Nan Esmee was just three years old when she was taken away from her mother and country as 'stolen generation,' from Belele Station to Moore River and onto Sister Kate's Home in Perth.
Belele Station, in WA's Murchison where this part of the story all began.
That young mother was Winnie (May) Drummond, Renee's great grandmother and the baby daughter who was taken was Renee's grandmother, Nan Esmee.
ECU student Renee Fury as a child, with her grandparents Nan Esmee John and Schubert.
“We researched extensively with the help of the WA State Library, which sent archived letters and documents that were amazing in helping us find our way back to country.
"We found out that Nan’s mother Winnie nearly died on the long journey trying to reclaim her daughter and take her home again. I am so proud of the way my Nanna Winnie fought for my Nan while caring for a new baby, Esmee's infant brother Raymond.
"Even though she was never to succeed she will always be queen to our family."
"Nan Esmee's name had been changed by Sister Kate's Home, her last name was changed from Drummond to Hammond and she was classed as an 'inmate' until the age of eighteen.
"She had no birth certificate, passport, or real confirmed D.O.B and only had her Mum's and Dad's names mentioned to her a few times throughout her life.
"Nanna Winne (May) eventually went back to Belele Station and there she met Frank Steven's whom she was to marry. They applied for citizenship and were both refused, which to me, reinforces to reason to 'Keep the Fire Burning even brighter."
WA State Library archived Citizenship Application for Winnie (May) – REFUSED by the Commissioner of Native Welfare - 1956.
Finding family like winning lottery
"I personally found Nan's family in 2020, the first phone call I made was to a man called Kevin, who is now known as my Pops. He told me his Mum, (my Nan's sister) had made her son Kevin promise that he would find Nan before she passed as she was ill.
“Kevin tried extremely hard to find my Nan Esmee, although he had no luck. So, when I rang and said I was calling and mentioned my Nan's name, you can imagine the emotions and I will never forget Pops saying, "It is like winning the lottery."
"Nan Esmee was the eldest of six children and she was the last to pass away out of all six siblings. Unfortunately, she was the only one to be disconnected from the others because of her lighter skin colour."
WA State Library archived letter to the Manager of Belele Station from the Chief Protector of Aborigines - 1936.
Nan was never reunited with her family again and passed away at the age of eighty-eight.
Igniting conversations
"It's important to me to be igniting conversations to keep the fires burning well into the future and keep telling our truths and be loud about what my family went and is still going through but most of all we will always remain strong as the strength of family and country will never leave our spirits."
Renee with her Mum Roslyn & Graham Trott on their first trip up to 'Maakatharra' in 2021 to meet their family.
"I would like to think that in today's society sometimes people may just like to be heard, acknowledged, and respected without judgment."
