Teacher/Historian
There’s profound power in primary sources, they’re a gateway to our understanding of untold stories. We learn stories of human rights, of citizenship in a new homeland after surviving a suppressive regime and facing genocide. I’ve learned of the healing power of herbal plants in resurrecting people’s health, the power of retaining your ethnic or family name to protect your birth identity, the power of how language and music can bring communities together… These sources give a voice to silenced peoples, groups like the Afghan cameleers and First Nations people.
I feel a powerful connection to the outback places of Port Augusta and Marree, which keep calling me back because of their rich, authentic history in connection with the Afghan Cameleers.