Everand Logo

Welcome to Everand!

  • Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

    Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

    Black Swan: A Koorie Woman's Life
    Black Swan: A Koorie Woman's Life
    Black Swan: A Koorie Woman's Life
    Ebook293 pages4 hours

    Black Swan: A Koorie Woman's Life

    By Eileen Harrison and Carolyn Landon

    4.5/5

    ()

    Read preview

    About this ebook

    A frank and powerful memoir of the life of an Aboriginal woman, from her early years in a mission to discovery of her talent as a painter "It's bad luck to catch a black swan." Eileen Harrison grew up at in an Aboriginal mission station in the 1950s as one of 11 children in a tight-knit, loving family. When the new assimilation policy comes in, they are wrenched from the mission and sent off to the city of Ararat in Victoria, Australia, in the hope that they will become part of that community. Unable to build a stable life in the face of isolation and discrimination, the family is torn apart, and Eileen must become the protector and the peacemaker. As a child, Eileen set free a black swan caught in a hessian bag—now the story of the magical black swan from her childhood provides an uncanny map for her life as she struggles to find her path. After many years she discovers her talent as a painter and builds a new life for herself. Powerfully told in Eileen's words, her experiences speak eloquently of what has happened to Aboriginal people over the last half-century.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherAllen Unwin
    Release dateSep 1, 2011
    ISBN9781742694504
    Black Swan: A Koorie Woman's Life

    Related to Black Swan

    Related ebooks

    Cultural, Ethnic & Regional Biographies For You

    View More
    View More

    Related podcast episodes

    Related articles

    • Article

      Storyteller CHERYL DAVISON

      Feb 1, 2022

      Storyteller CHERYL DAVISON
      6 min read

    • Article

      Read All About It

      Sep 23, 2022

      Read All About It
      8 min read

    • Article

      Elise Juska on Finally Learning the True Story of Her Namesake

      Jun 12, 2019

      The novelist on her grandfather's very unusual relationship arrangement—a 52-year engagement—and how it led, in a roundabout way, to her own name. The post Elise Juska on Finally Learning the True Story of Her Namesake appeared first on The Millions.

      8 min read

    • Article

      My History Hero

      Feb 20, 2020

      When did you first hear about Pankhurst? I’ve always known her name, as I went to the same school as her and her sisters. Much was made of the suffragette girls being part of our school heritage in Manchester. But I didn’t know very much about Sylvia

      2 min read

    • Article

      Grandmother Mind

      Jun 7, 2022

      Grandmother Mind
      9 min read

    • Article

      Elaine Russell

      Nov 4, 2020

      Elaine Russell
      4 min read

    • Article

      Olivia

      Oct 30, 2019

      Olivia
      11 min read

    • Article

      Grave Concerns

      Oct 26, 2020

      Grave Concerns
      7 min read

    • Article

      OLIVIA Letting Go Of Fear

      Sep 8, 2021

      OLIVIA Letting Go Of Fear
      9 min read

    • Article

      OLIVIA Letting Go Of Fear

      Sep 8, 2021

      OLIVIA Letting Go Of Fear
      9 min read

    • Article

      Letting Go Of Fear

      Sep 8, 2021

      Letting Go Of Fear
      9 min read

    • Article

      Hayley Mcquire Has A Vision

      Mar 17, 2021

      Hayley Mcquire Has A Vision
      19 min read

    • Article

      Focal Advocate

      Oct 27, 2021

      Focal Advocate
      5 min read

    • Article

      Bringing history TO LIFE

      Jan 3, 2024

      For most adults, fancy dress is a rare occasion – a Halloween party or Christmas, perhaps – but for Stephanie Lavery, it’s her everyday attire. Because, as a living history interpreter, she spends her days recreating female Viking traders, Victorian

      4 min read

    • Article

      “They Are Our Treasure”

      Jun 14, 2023

      “They Are Our Treasure”
      9 min read

    • Article

      Olivia

      Dec 4, 2019

      Olivia
      11 min read

    • Article

      Anna Calvi

      Aug 17, 2018

      Anna Calvi
      2 min read

    • Article

      Flight Of Fantasy

      Jul 25, 2021

      Flight Of Fantasy
      10 min read

    • Article

      Benjamin Nugent

      Jun 15, 2018

      Claire’s roommates threw her out on November third, for falling behind on rent and hogging the Xbox. During the next three weeks, she lived in other people’s houses. She missed the Xbox, but couch surfing was like a game. She had to not smell like co

      20 min read

    • Article

      This Is Who I Am

      Nov 10, 2023

      This Is Who I Am
      11 min read

    Related categories

    Reviews for Black Swan

    4.5/5

    4 ratings2 reviews

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

    • 4/5
      'Black Swan, a Koori woman?s life' by Eileen Harrison is an autobiography written with assistance from Carolyn Landon who co-authored Jacksons Track (with Daryl Tonkin). I took this with me on holiday just before Easter?when we camped at Lake Tyers, Gippsland in the bush. What a beautiful lake full of jumping fish, pelicans flying overhead and bats squeaking at night. I began reading and realised I was staring across the lake at the very land where Eileen had grown up.Eileen tells of growing up with her ten siblings at the Mish (the mission at Lake Tyers) and paints the life of family, community, school, fishing expeditions and playing in the bush. She also tells her story of being profoundly deaf. Eileen is a respected artist, based in Warragul now and her life story is enriched by the inclusion of some of her paintings of place and self, often inspired by the designs she learned from her Nan Carter?s basket making. Carolyn has also related Eileen?s personal journey to events in Gippsland history and to the Victoria wide government policies which affected aboriginal people, often with disastrous consequences ? the moving of aborigines from across Victoria to Lake Tyers, their isolation and their need to obtain permission for travel and work; then there being pushed out of Lake Tyers and having no base, no home and the problems which result from displacement. Some good news came when a struggle for land rights resulted in the land title for the Lake Tyers settlement being given to the residents in 1973 ? the first time this had happened in Australia.
    • 4/5
      'Black Swan, a Koori woman’s life' by Eileen Harrison is an autobiography written with assistance from Carolyn Landon who co-authored Jacksons Track (with Daryl Tonkin). I took this with me on holiday just before Easter–when we camped at Lake Tyers, Gippsland in the bush. What a beautiful lake full of jumping fish, pelicans flying overhead and bats squeaking at night. I began reading and realised I was staring across the lake at the very land where Eileen had grown up.Eileen tells of growing up with her ten siblings at the Mish (the mission at Lake Tyers) and paints the life of family, community, school, fishing expeditions and playing in the bush. She also tells her story of being profoundly deaf. Eileen is a respected artist, based in Warragul now and her life story is enriched by the inclusion of some of her paintings of place and self, often inspired by the designs she learned from her Nan Carter’s basket making. Carolyn has also related Eileen’s personal journey to events in Gippsland history and to the Victoria wide government policies which affected aboriginal people, often with disastrous consequences – the moving of aborigines from across Victoria to Lake Tyers, their isolation and their need to obtain permission for travel and work; then there being pushed out of Lake Tyers and having no base, no home and the problems which result from displacement. Some good news came when a struggle for land rights resulted in the land title for the Lake Tyers settlement being given to the residents in 1973 — the first time this had happened in Australia.

    Book preview

    Black Swan - Eileen Harrison

    Qh1^book_preview_excerpt.html\˒Gv1H# Vft2J.Tb f^/9*#6ꑏ:ܛﺾM_>~pmw{w_v~_7oϯե7W?_n跻rkv~7^|ۮwaQn*gϟ7ݡM݅oS}hܕo8u{6vvlЅ1Tg:o{V-Rzp[pvm%Z׷鶱uV9Uj8ȟۀ;f.a]K^ۆ߾e=TY&iZV~_uocx]3& ش6]hfocڴCu!q{ϗ{W_G}aˍKMpX-3N-Cs&.7_nS3'nxޕ-m,86]A"$9]BHKez:蝾&bW/έ#c߷CZH d֡YU`]_ MM4T;&_;TM8P/6a -j~殒 p׷!HZ:xu?~gso+Ͽ/>ߊ09[Ban~?MK.|bUec$h] x?yYWq@{^ 15?[3?L'2{y?O/p_GB v7u?(8 矝}v ]KUE ml?u@#f\}*Mc0oO+#+IGGk6wEq)&S{Q)vLOt8so{X"6x#M(nc4Q,GU-?o?/ŏ7.x}֮9;ė?]|p{y{7?q~}}sqy}q[x؄WXS GlϾm*ɜKwqv~  ӹw/cNJ5)+sX?=ә_KyͰK8t}8{x©܆IP[4Tgb X->6-l/bT}mjY*@ܸ G%m* oͱ#AC| RSUN%QPHkTwyl2|NDB.5MQO C}\Y8X ;>.HL=A&]j7[@^RG]PYv3GUvjYoVXNVݱv%`i/|*7.d;K9ր,KC䒹sa)9xw0i1y>3"d(EfVH-.m}D|-v+BeL7lw <(*Pmg# /׿C]boTqDHȞt@XCvŇ{ :ܹAetJN(lCakSFZ,_jW he%bZ]9 1Jn *: CtјǜBRPVgW@?da#34!KsmȶסIKDI ov8zC-X '`Mgl"QU AT-7k@1+e'aJ{Q"|})Žݒ;!=h'^[Le@ Jr̘:vY#ֈE8DΌQo rdcM-,`N%tTbeFD]o!]#m<'ٙ4k ?&zx |TPy 6u.ب%5ylDcNMLSYeLJ =J!%gI}$OщqgM\ľt!3{+Fֶ}$<[Um)m _׈ȪƊa)8Q20+AW}D,O1$`XKr$7،/񔪼!y2S7b;TGm@B!T)'@8u $6`ƳNq#d c<*::FFߪTEķE?"krx)э:H!T3Eu:sHv b˴_*AkѝD,{(i䢂i>gtDI I'r3_p #A9ꐺW$gFD*#VK5iygz[fLסg, M`Ah/-`7db?wKq}28<Ю'%-"xQb=fptJtvwwHe l@moh шk0N\nV ;w&>;+ - жF!a%g[,P/NהTh!ԑV VIc h1lN bY Éu*qҍ8>c6v2Y$]u7rdR0GpCM<^} =ol5.U }6VbsHO8Wغ9o3lQ,UZ":gk: &-^B@ىa}UŚ* g-+k}u"bVU[/x+KQ#jNeٗސ㡑K*dG/{e֐v8I:!%#/IM bnU-Š>(F$uw.J,6=T[+#l=;dc2-wV GQ^[[XM1]hO'i˒TmF#LDuNJKQ=-~8:R>-NdM'(AAHl+C/4K!'( h-"l<@pSo(~1Ը41(,*E&g RNB\`5IϴMAemwq Յ,+d! R_wIʛ(;CA3LYOmRZsl|0lnDJP0PUXB?jh4}4V@^ N"l\Q#l R[RX@5п>mA3f+TLɄ ɵzdt'Z]oUR7|p/S'˽@:wUD7Ccג)m t7$Cc4"R q"{JV ޷R `+&9ۦ˱ҏJ (8>+mF4ՎxR/E+UiAT`69xNz$ΤD"5Mߥ( *.~|{LH(FMtc<<$? dW4jp'5:QOvACL,O0k ttj+:V @H1_h !.j&T^K'Uqd[,ӎ+U &/<8{i,pӝN5.q]xZr|53YS}JR-e-oܦMZdlZ4H@xhbl˕,{1w-Cv-kM''4BnB$dV(n݌9u_dB7x'hca.&\OX`=L%iyNNg<`$Ynjg9Z msބd7Ӵ 0xz^ 0!dMgaܿkcIy9 >BmڵA驜ɟB2;y  %9'KF 1'3f UjV3mp94Oi[H 8}e 8Gc|C.s d'Z^nDvZWpNAh_V&y<GbI%I8OD֨  ٚ/YEN?̕&r'b' /bM69˳y愢Hm&j)oٙa;XMPWsJZ7xuBj`ycRLNSNYhV 1Q {K %ӎSjAL`RB5+tѡ$Oqpxh<~) lư{Zo)LY_АHa^䲇F|ZM)'cɱ["nۤ{0*|}pnj{.,6p̿CBV7`l-Jb^0ݞ۔e.5rcetJ֝\[#Ɍ¬)EnE Q.i!_6+g&ފwlx;lvSG)qr02Sk>͖A+m_վ~ Bu*4Z_ݏ4u3>È XvZjV5V{샯#]"R.'9춴93anmD2[2!vc){<{~`5;j&2c$J.JʕtssΎ9eg"eAJ#FwLacD*.N<L@IJ'g"=츊esN;!^-)G[5(gh51ud<]Jv#4n*0XFQ,k>k2gOHҦ.B՜'e&&a7)YhKZ$kn*H(;#7w%RXcQIz'cfm:iiSP*~[!2iTf&[pɑLMJ CW={9HdZkaQW Mjf>Zذ>Vr"G@c'O (?E ;*{P_%[?sE:ޒ'Qd$U3vtZWre0(o =tG07nc貵)8Â.ydmRihP-:WykKUN ZJHP< Q͍/$w,zs,0KJPKPVPS-o>wjn0^LY;l+FZ܊Za5B -<;Džd amdK~4v%Fe:Ym=I+L~͓a .VƚI/(HmulkA4+#R)~gV^@ >$\X #2<r#w4l~I&I/9i襩YթmRaZ^ !&ftB]cB`lXrǧXJ6rPb'y]Iגm}aƄ8FuߑrՁw%ce .4ݳZIK7'˱&yB+5IAИ@t?ڵ 9FXwr2ŕ 44iqX{4t3CK1SidFANrc/5C{^rum3gGQf)ZFp,Z0|U%KEd?v帥A>V)@X%vK ,Z9!ipߖ&u↎/Z>dͼF͏6,#UGN果t[p:uVN{1tKК2|y!MؤVl|.}4̋wHbd /)9}⬯5}J3?9(!HଫT++?nߨ{m {r>(EpΌn΋έ- T?J3"?lrMKhS d'>1+Y*Q(BvWk+۱;ߥ  ;=mBi'wAwrr_y xH;=i/<*f">=FEE1&mp!ȵ B\yzt&pZ:3-zoKOO[? Yqҟa_7#U-9A V[[`M]8y "SbG?L&RCXJi)/daZ# <6:FI[[!bAR gGgPșiJ{w4ω$J6D>?K)7=M$l暓x_:B6N(U9 AGO5u@x+WS2@$Iw z?ivRq91yÁ'Vhr6N[''öRZfpxY?]YDLGAm:+% ^8֫UAٽ é U
    Enjoying the preview?
    Page 1 of 1