MARCH 2007

ISSUE 9 - ISSN 1448 - 6326

Evelyn Parkin - My Story

I gratefully express my acknowledgement and love of my God, His Son Jesus and the Holy Spirit. For God has allowed me to know Him in a small way and in return I have learned to know that He is my true Father above and beyond all things: “God’s complete knowledge and care of me (Psalms 139:13-18)”.  And in His continuing plan for me I  became a member of one of the oldest cultures in the world. I gratefully acknowledge and love my Aboriginal Spirituality, after years of life experiences, I am able to connect my two spiritual cultures. Knowing that it all comes from the one and only true God, whichever way or name we identify our connection with the Supreme Being, God, Holy Trinity, Lord, Biami, Rainbow Serpent, Higher Power and many other references, this leads me back to the Creator of Heaven and Earth.My name is Evelyn Parkin (nee Delaney) I am married to Alan Parkin, I have 4 children 4 grandchildren and another little one due in a few weeks time. My story is about looking at my life with God’s Hand on me, from the beginning.

I was born at One Mile, an Aboriginal Community on the outskirts of Dunwich, Nth Stradbroke Island, to parents Barney and Bethel Delaney. I am the youngest of 8 children; my siblings are Barney jnr (dec), Jaci, Stephen (dec), Gwen, Greg, Doreen (dec), Colin (dec), and myself. Each individual member of my family has a very important place in my life. The memories I have of my child hood, Mum and Dad, and growing up with older brothers and sisters are loving and caring. We have a strong spiritual bond that will entwine us forever. This strong connection we have with each other and our lifestyle (we had our problems but amidst it I found my sense of belonging in the heart of it all) is the foundation of my life.

My Mother was our rock. She was a very strong, protective and caring person. Mum worked very hard to make ends meet, always providing food, clothes (she would make ours by her own hand). Mum made sure our religious life with the Catholic Church was a big part, and also Mum kept us in touch with the bush, which was at our back door. Mum took really good care of her children and grandchildren.  Towards the end of her life, I asked her what was the best thing that happened in her life and without hesitation she said, “having my babies”.  I did not expect her to say that, but without a doubt she allowed me to see how special we were in her life.

Every weekend and school holidays, she would take me and my nephews and nieces out into the bush. The walks were always spiritual and meaningful. This practise kept us in touch with the environment and God’s Spirit. When I think of Mum and those times I remember her face and how happy and contented she looked.  One of my earliest memories was of Mum taking us on a picnic in the bush and I remember so vividly thinking to myself, “ I can’t see anything” because all around us was this long grass and Mum just put us all on a blanket in the middle of this place, that seems ok but this was long grass way over my head. Mum was in her glory once again because I remember the expressions on her face, they told me a great deal of the depth of her own Spirituality with God and His bush environment.  She didn’t have to preach it because it was just her way of life and she left me this wonderful legacy.

Some times Mum would tell us stories, other times we would walk silently along the sandy bush tracks (or wherever we were), with our own thoughts, while listening to different sounds of the bush and the mangroves (the many birds, the trees swaying, the running creeks that were in the swamps). There was also the smell of the wildflowers, the smell of the salt water, of fire burning, as well as noticing the animals tracks lefts on the tracks where we walked. The snake tracks reminded us that they were there but somehow we never came across them (I always believed that our Lord was watching and protecting us).

During springtime, we would go to pick wild flowers at the edge of the swamps and walk on a bit further to tend to the old mission peoples’ graves at the Myora cemetery. There we would clean and tidy the graves and leave some of the beautiful flowers that we had just gathered. We had to keep some of the flowers to take onto the Dunwich cemetery where other members of our relatives were buried.  It would take us a whole day to do this, arriving back home late in the afternoon.

Other times Mum would take us crabbing and gathering shellfish, along the mangroves.  Before we went we had to check and make sure that the tide was either out or on its way out. We had choices of places to go to, Mum made sure we went to all the spots on the island.  Sometimes we would split-up, my nephew Stephen walked along the mangroves looking for mud crabs. He was real good at getting them out of the roots of the trees. I also remember picking up mud crabs lying on the seaweed. 

Mum would take some of us children further out from the mangroves to gather shellfish eg: oysters and quampies. All the time we were there, we would constantly look to see where the tide was. So when we had gathered enough food for our family and the tide was on its way back in, we would head off for home. Along the way we had to stop and have a rest as our sugar bags were heavy. There were times too when we were thirsty, so we walked to the edge of the mangroves where there was fresh water creeks running into the salt water. This is where we would sit and have our breaks.

At this point I would like to talk about my religious life, my Christianity.  I have two connections leading to my catholism that I can trace. One was in 1843 when four Passionists Fathers came to Stradbroke Island beginning the first Aboriginal Catholic Mission in Australia (in the eyes of the missionaries, the three years of their work was recorded as a failure).  The other was at a time when Aboriginal People were being taken away from their families for whatever reasons the government and churches saw fit.  

When my Grandfather was a little boy, he and his siblings were taken off their mother and put into the Nudgee Orphanage. From this we believe, my great Aunty Bethel became our religious educator amongst her people. So in my time our church was part of the Manly parish and once a month the Priest came to the island for mass. My Aunty Bethel looked after the church, the Priest, and whatever needed to be done.  Aunty also assisted the Priest in Mass.

My Mother and Aunty Rose (Mums sister) also helped Aunty Bethel, especially during lessons for the Sacraments. Aunty was a very strict lady, she wouldn’t take any nonsense from anyone and didn’t we know it. During Lent we would go to church for the Stations of the Cross, Aunty made each of us take it in turns to read at the Stations.     One time I remember starting the Hail Mary off by saying Holy Mary, well Aunty pulled me up real quick. Another special time was when Aunty Bethel was teaching us about Confession (as it was known then) she told us to imagine that inside of ourselves was a mirror, that had to kept nice and clean and shiny, so that Jesus could see His Face, and when we were naughty and disobeyed at any time that mirror would fog up and Jesus would not be able to see His Face. Well for a long time after that, I consciously continually tried to rub the mirror clean.  Aunty Bethel, my Mother, Aunty Rose and other members of my family have nurtured my religious life with love and dedication. I am so thankful for all of this. I dedicate my story to them.

It was not all plain sailing, I had my hurdles to jump like anyone else and my life experiences became lessons that I had to deal with. Looking back in hindsight I can see how God allowed me to go through these happenings, so that I could grow into the person I am today.  And I can say “ Thank-you Lord, because I am happy about myself and who I am”.

The religious life of my childhood, was of child-like faith, in the way that God lived in heaven, I knew He was there and He listened to my prayers, but He was so far out of reach that He would never be able to answer me personally. I remember someone had asked me something that I carried for a very long time afterwards. This particular person asked me this question, “Do you know who you are”? I remember being kind of dumb founded over this question and I could not answer. And I remember thinking, yes! I had my Mum, Dad, brothers and sisters, I lived in a community with relatives, and I thought I belonged there and had an identity, but my mouth could not respond. It was something that always stayed with me; I think it started me subconsciously on my journey searching for my true identity. This some of my story.

God was drawing me all the time, and then at a certain point in my life I was able to respond to this call.  

So another big step of God’s plan in my life was to send me far away from home, from my Mother, brothers and sisters, all of my relations.  This came about after I got married; my husband Alan had to go where the work was and that seemed to be ok (or so I thought at the time).

Anyway, we moved from Stradbroke Island to Moranbah, a coal-mining town situated two hundred kilometres’s from Mackay, a long way from the salt water. When I realized that we were there for a long stay, I felt like a fish out water, trying to grasp for air. Here I was, no extended family, no Aboriginal community, of cause I didn’t know what was going on in my life, but I felt so lost and alone. All the time I looked after own my family, I began to look for other Aboriginal People in the community for instance, whenever I went shopping I would always be looking for a black familiar face and to my disappointment and sadness I couldn’t find any. 

On one of my days of searching I heard a voice deep inside of me say, “Evelyn, why don’t you look for Me” well! To hear these words spoken by God Himself, made me stand up real straight, it jolted me into thinking about what I was doing. I realized I was searching and looking for something. But instead of looking for God to fill this empty space, (that was created after I left my family on Stradbroke Island.) I was out there in the community looking for my mob.

After sometime, my family and I became involved in the church, this wasn’t as easy as it sounds either. We were the only Aboriginal family there, and because of this fact, fitting into the church way of life (mainstream) wasn’t all that easy. I remember smiles from some people, but also I remember people actually standing up and moving away from us in the pews. Somehow God must have given me His Grace to cope with the negative things that went on, because when I think about it now, there was times when I thought  ‘ Why should I bother coming to church’ and the thing that I had to wrestle within my mind, was that I thought I was safe and secure within the church. I kept hearing Jesus’ speaking to me through the Scriptures, telling me to love my neighbour; (Luke: 10:27) to forgive over and over again and not to be judging others; (Ephesians: 4: 32) And then at times, I wondered why I felt like the Samaritan who was robbed along the roadway; (Luke: 10: 30- 37) Despite this negative outward sign, I felt this inward urging, it was coming from deep inside of me, I felt it was God, He was pushing me and drawing me to be involved, I couldn’t ignore it. I realized if He wanted me to be a participating believer, then He would clear the way for me and He did. Firstly I had this yearning to be a reader of the Scriptures, when my turn came around, I had began to practise the readings by weeks ahead of time and then the day would came and I was as nervous as anything, at the same time I had prayed and prayed to the Holy Spirit to help me get through somehow I remember getting through it all.

From there I went on to be a religious education teacher in the primary schools. Now that was something special too, again I was so nervous and again I prayed to the Holy Spirit to help me. I remember riding a bike to the school that particular morning, along the way I was praying and talking to God, because of my other experiences I knew He would help me. And so He did, during the lesson I had a wonderful warm tingling feeling come over me, from the top of my head to the tips of my toes, I remember standing and looking around me and the whole atmosphere had changed (It was me) there was a feeling of peace and tranquillity, I knew God was there with me and He was pleased with my efforts. This was another step in my spiritual growth and through all of this I found a very personal relationship with my God.

There many things I learnt along the way, and I felt God shaping me and moulding me into someone He had plans for. I studied a lot through Bible Studies, seminars on spiritual development, diploma in Christian Leadership, personal involvement with God, involvement with the parish council, Sacramental Coordinator, Diocesan Pastoral Council, Liturgy group, Eucharistic Minister, and I have been a member of many other groups.

Then I became a lay-leader, this is the area I really feel comfortable with, and that is, leading a liturgy service and sharing the Scriptures with everyone there, I feel a need to share God’s Word with other’s and acknowledging that Jesus is my Saviour. Throughout my life, I had asked myself where am I being led? What is all about?

My faith has flowed onto my family, my husband Alan, he has been a great supporter (in the earlier days Alan helped me with the pronunciation of the biblical words and shared his thoughts on the Word), Corey, my eldest son (he has his own family now and is a wonderful father I acknowledge God in Corey’s and all my children’s lives) Delvene has her own family and is doing really well, Dean and Stephanie all are successful in their own way. They in turn have their own story to tell about God and how He has shaped them. I owe everything to God and His blessings that He has bestowed upon us.  

Later on down the track, something else began to prod at me. Learning that God created me (Psalm-139) (Remember earlier in my story, where someone had asked me that question, “ Who are you?”) Well! At last I was able to answer and acknowledge that God is my true Father, this Psalm gave me a clearer and a true understanding of my identity,(or so I thought.)

There was still something not quite right within my spirit and I began to wonder how my Aboriginal Spirituality connected to my Christianity, there were times when I had struggled with the serpent as an evil symbol in my Christian faith; (Genesis- 3:1) and on the other hand as my Aboriginal Spirituality tells me that the Creator Serpent went about the earth creating all things; (Rainbow Spirit Theology: pg 29) how I struggled with this and also where did Jesus fit into my Aboriginal Culture? Niggly thoughts and more questions to sort out. The Holy Spirit at work again.

So this new search just happens to come my way, God is good He had made a way for me again.

I was invited to be on the Wontulp-Bi-Buya College Management Committee. I will explain what Wontulp-Bi-Buya College is all about. It is A Combined Church Indigenous Training and Research Centre supported by the Anglican, Catholic, Lutheran and Uniting Churches, providing studies in theology and community organising and sponsoring Indigenous theologies.

Each Church have three representative on the committee as well as supporting priests. I have been on this committee now for a number of years and also as a student studying a Diploma in Theology. The group had been working on an Indigenous Theology for Australian Aboriginal Churches called “Milbi Dabaar” meaning Good News. (This resource booklet is still to be finalized) And as well, Aboriginal Christian Leaders, through Wontulp-Bi-Buya College had worked towards a booklet called ‘Rainbow Spirit Theology’ this booklet enables us to study Aboriginal Spirituality and Christianity together. I am very proud to be a part of this college and what it stands for. It has been one of the  major steps in my spiritual growth.

I know that when God created me He allowed me to belong to this ancient culture, the Aboriginal Culture, He created all peoples, heaven and earth, (Genesis ch 1-2) and I claim this. So when I stand before God in worship or communicating with Him throughout the day, I come as the person He created and that is as an Aboriginal Person, I bring my ancient heritage with me and my Christianity as well.(Pope John Paul 11 in Alice Springs 1986, The Church invites you to express the living Word of Jesus in ways that speak to your Aboriginal minds and hearts.)

So if someone was to ask me this question now, “Who are you”? I am able to respond confidently, and in this order. I am a child of God and I am a child of the Dreaming, I am Evelyn Parkin. I claim both of my Aboriginal Spirituality and my Christianity.

I have also learnt from God that Jesus is the Bridge that connects both Cultures. (John 1: 1-4 “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.(2) He was in the beginning with God (3) All things came into being by Him and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being (4) In Him was life, and the life was the light of men”).

So everything was created through Jesus, who is the Word. The environment where our Aboriginal People survived for thousands upon thousands of years had Jesus who is the Word, (John 8: 58, Jesus said to them, Truly, truly I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am)

Along with Jesus, the Spirit of God who moved over the waters;( Genesis 1: 1-2) Jesus had been present in Spirit, with God and the Holy Spirit all present in One,( which is the Mystery of God 1 Corinthians 2: 7-16 and John 14: 10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me. The words that I say to you I do not speak on My own initiative, but the Father abiding in Me does His works)  All this being present to my people, throughout their way of life, full of ceremonial  and religious ties. He, Jesus had entwined them with the environment making them one with Mother Earth. (Galatians 5: 22-23) The fruits of the God Spirit, tells us of goodness and of bad spirits, just like all cultures, good and evil exist. Today we learn to take the goodness our of our culture and bring it into the church

This question is put before Aboriginal Christians, “If say you already know Jesus, then what message did the missionary’s bring with them”. I answer with confidence that: the missionary’s brought Jesus in His Humanity.(John 1:14) And the  Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the  Father, full of grace and truth.

I believe that my people were able to comprehend the message of Jesus because of their Spiritual life they had, before seventeen eighty-eight.

We have to continually prove that we belong to God and Jesus, and  that we have even to prove that our ancestors lived here in this country long before the invasion took place.(Native Title) I say invasion because my people did not surrender or hand over the land to the foreigners. It was taken away by force. We were seen as animals on the same par as dogs (Reverend William Yate, 1835 They were nothing better than dogs, and…..it was no more harm to shoot them than it would be to shoot a dog when he barked at you.) How we have survived this attitude, all the massacres (‘Blood on the Wattle’ by Bruce Elder) I ask my God, where was He in those times, why did such atrocities happen? who stood up for the Aboriginal People? Where were the Church’s, were they supposed to care for the down trodden?.

The year is two thousand and three, general speaking we have come along way, there is no doubt. The old saying, in God’s time, or is it?  There are many Aboriginal Christians who are trying to ‘break into’ the mainstream church, of all religions, they are trying to find a place within the western structure, where we can bring our people to worship God and to have a sense of belonging. (Some Aboriginal Leaders have made it) It is difficult to begin with because the church ( the building) of today only speaks to the middle-class westernised person. You only need to take a long look around you at the services and see who is there, do you see any Aboriginal People? No! Mind you some Church’s have made big efforts to include our people. And for that we are grateful.

In my own life, just recently a door was opened for me, I feel that I am moving in the direction I have always wanted too. Nothing is complete or final, I still wait upon God for guidance and strength and I don’t see too far ahead of me at the moment, only God knows what’s ahead . And I shall leave it all in His care. Jesus is my Saviour.

Evelyn Parkin is a Quandamooka woman belonging to the people of Moreton Bay. She completed her Masters in Theology degree in 2005 and is now studying for her PhD at McAuley Campus.

Email: "Evelyn Parkin" <goompi@bigpond.net.au>

© Copyright is retained by the author