Shirley Purdie is one of the well-known artists here who paints not only her Country but also painful histories of the region which relate to accounts of early contact, massacre, warfare and indentured labour. Shirley was born on a station and tells a frightening story of escape when her father took the family and fled the station after the station masters attempted to murder an aboriginal worker through whipping. The family eventually came to work at another station and Shirley was put to work from a young age in semi slavery conditions. She talks of how terrifying it was growing up during times when white fellas would go into the bush and shoot Aboriginal people they found. Despite the hardship she has endured in her lifetime, Shirley has one of the happiest dispositions and is constantly smiling and giggling.
Posted on: Sun, 24 Aug 2014 08:51:39 +0000
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