Mural painted by well known artist Adnate, features Aunty Margaret Tucker (MBE) and Nora “Nanny” Charles - two significant past local elders.
The Aboriginal Street Art Project has been named by locals as ‘Dana Djirrungana Dunguludja Yenbena-l’ which means ‘Proud, Strong, Aboriginal People’ in Yorta Yorta language. This project is aimed at celebrating the local Aboriginal history and culture within the region.
Yorta Yorta woman, Aunty Margaret Tucker (MBE) was one of Australia’s first female Aboriginal rights activists and was highly active from the early 1930’s within the Australian Aborigines League (which she was involved in establishing) as well as holding many positions in different representative bodies and Government advisory groups throughout her life. Aunty Margaret, also known as Aunty Marge, spent much of her childhood at the Cummeragunja and Moonacullah Missions however was later taken away against her mother’s wishes and it wouldn’t be until years later that Aunty Marge would reunite with her family. Aunty Marge worked alongside various Yorta Yorta representatives include William Cooper, Sir Douglas Nicholls, Bill and Eric Onus and also her younger sister Geraldine Briggs to advocate for the rights of Aboriginal people. Aunty Marge Tucker is currently on the Aboriginal Honour Roll and is admired by the local Aboriginal community for her continued efforts in supporting and advocating for her people. Aunty Marge spent her last years in a nursing home in Shepparton and died in 1996.
Yorta Yorta woman, Nanny Nora Charles was one of the earliest and best known local Aboriginal midwives. She was renowned throughout the region for travelling up and down the Murray to camps and missions to assist in the delivery of babies at a time when Aboriginal women were not permitted access to hospitals or medical professionals. Nanny Nora Charles participated in the Cummeragunja walk off and lived on ‘The Flats’ on the Goulburn River located between Mooroopna and Shepparton where she continued to deliver babies as a midwife. Nanny Nora would later become a resident within the town of Shepparton where she continued to support the local Aboriginal community. She died at the age of 89.
Can be viewed 24 hours.
