"Listening to Roni’s story, it made me feel privileged to have the opportunities that I do now as a young Indigenous woman, compared to what Roni went through in her upbringing. I felt I could relate to her experiences, as when she spoke about talking language on the school bus and being kicked off for doing so, this racism and shame is a part of my story as well, but in a different way. When Roni spoke about not seeing running water for the first ten years of her life, that really struck me. It was crazy to think that her childhood was so tough in the bush and that even though there are similarities, we have so many differences as well because of the time in which we live."
"I thought Roni’s story was both funny and sad. Funny in the childhood experiences she had, like with the jam, and sad in the experiences she had with society at the time."
"It was really powerful listening to Roni tell her story, because as a young Indigenous man, we all have old people who have experienced similar things in their upbringing, but are unable to talk about it with us because it is so hard for them. Listening to Roni speak was empowering and made me proud of my ancestors and family because her story is so like theirs and she has survived it and been strong, just like them."
"Aboriginal people have always shared wisdom through storytelling for 60 000 years, and what I learned from Roni’s stories through the humor and the sadness was a wealth of insights into the life of a Noongar in Perth in the 1950’s and 60’s in WA. It was rich and meaningful and left an impact on me as a listener."
"Hearing Roni’s story was an amazing insight into the challenges faced by an Indigenous woman throughout her childhood and life in Noongar country, Western Australia. Her story was threaded with beautiful relationships with family members and a childhood filled with connection to family and walking between two worlds, of which there was survival needed in both. I loved it that she begun her story with the phrase “I truly believe we are the children of reconciliation”. Her story is one of forgiveness and as a non- Indigenous person, I felt humbled to listen to someone with such strength, compassion and wisdom. She is truly inspiring."
Hear Roni and Kelsi's conversation.