DAVID HANCOCK'S photographs of under-privileged Aboriginal children from the far western NSW town of Brewarrina during an annual visit to the South Narrabeen Surf Club reflect the joy and spirit of reconciliation that should be more widespread in the nation. He says, "It's a two way thing. The kids get a weekend at the beach and the clubbies get rewarded with the most beautiful smiles and insights into the wild-spirit which still exists in large portions of the indigenous people of Australia."
All Photographs and Text Copyright DAVID HANCOCK
www.davidhancock.com.au
This is a little tale about Australia. Its people, its media and its politics. I came here from New Zealand in 1978. Australia always struck me as a hard and unforgiving society. Not necessarily to myself, but for those less fortunate. Yet amongst all that hardness and bastardry there were always pure gems of people. People who would do and sacrifice anything for others and who you felt would do the same for you - without rancour or expectation. It was that kind of a society even in Sydney.
Foolishly perhaps, I have clung to those egalitarian notions ever since. I recall hearing Tom Uren talk of his days in Changi and the lesson he learnt when Wearie Dunlop as commander of their section decreed that all the officers would support the unlisted men during their internment with the Japanese. This meant the officers would actually live in the same or similar circumstances as their men. There was no inference that any of the officers objected. Their pay was pooled to buy medicine from local Thais for the sick in their midst.
Sick or injured men regardless of rank were housed in the best and most healthy living accommodation and despite the appalling treatment and conditions the Japanese imposed Dunlop and people like Uren chose to rise above it. Their men thrived. The British, who chose to live according to the strict rules of class were decimated and lost 80% of their men in a few months.
These days we have little conception of just what this meant but I applaud individuals who endeavour to continue this wonderful Australian egalitarian spirit. Despite all the claptrap from politicians and governments large and small it is the little things that people do that make up the heart of a nation.
That is why I was drawn to offer my services to the Narrabeen Surf Life Savers Club, when they announced a couple of years ago their intention to provide a weekend by the beach for a few dozen under-privileged Koori kids from Brewarrina in far west NSW. This was a heart-warming story about good old-fashioned Australians in a club who collectively describe themselves as "rebels and the poorest Surf Club in Sydney" trying to make a difference on a small local scale. Surely with the faces of these beautiful children, it would make a wonderful positive piece for a newspaper or magazine.
I went and spent a few days over a couple of years with these people. It started with Jack and Pete a couple of old boys who reckoned it would be a good thing to do. The rest of the club swung in behind them and approached local businesses who donated meat, bread and vegetables for the weekend. Pete, who has got to be on the wrong side of 70 cooked a baked dinner for 60 people on the Saturday night. My part was simple, a mere record keeper as is proper for all media.
At the end, I spent a couple of days computerising all the images and duly emailing and posting them off to Australian magazines. A good positive story about Aussies taking time to enjoy and delight in their ethnic diversity and egalitarianism and without actually even realising it making steps towards that often talked about concept of Reconciliation. So far only Australian Geographic have published one ¼ page piece. I do worry about the priorities of this country and especially its media these days..but at least it's good to know there is still a heartbeat.
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