Eileen Cummings (born 1943)[1] is a teacher, policy and liaison officer and Indigenous leader in the Northern Territory of Australia.[2] She is a member of the Rembarrnga Ngalakan ethnic groups.[3] She is also a member of the 'Stolen Generation' and is an activist advocating for the well-being of living members of that group.
Eileen Cummings | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Australia's First Nations Political Party candidate for the Division of Solomon in the Australian House of Representatives | |
| Election date 7 September 2013 | |
| Opponent(s) | Natasha Griggs (CLP), Luke Gosling (ALP), Todd Williams (Greens) |
| Incumbent | Natasha Griggs (CLP) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1943 Arnhem Land |
| Nationality | Australian |
| Political party | Australia's First Nations Political Party |
| Parent | Florrie Lindsay |
| Occupation | Policy and liaison officer, teacher |
Early life
editEileen Cummings was born in Arnhem Land in the Barunga-Wugularr region where she lived along with her mother, Florrie Lindsay, and her stepfather, Chuckerduck.[4] She is a member of the 'Stolen Generation' having been separated from her family at a tender age of four and a half. This event took place at Mainoru Station in central Arnhem Land in 1949.[5][6] Her departure initially met with excitement to be going for a ride. However, her joy gave way to longing for her mother when a red truck came to pick her up without her mother's knowledge..[4] Subsequently, she was taken to the Maranboy Police Station before finding her new home on Croker Island.[7] Her name was changed and she was taught to be ashamed of her aboriginal identity while growing up in the institution.[8] Cummings remained at this institution until she was fifteen, after which she resided in a foster home in Darwin until she was eighteen.[9] It was in her adulthood when she returned to see her mother, Lindsay.[10]
Career
editCummings was the first Indigenous person in the Northern Territory to qualify as a pre-school teacher.[2] She also worked as a policy adviser to the Northern Territory Chief Minister in the Office of Women's Policies where she gave advice on women's issues.[11][9] She coordinated the consultation in the development of the Aboriginal Family Violence Strategy and was a co-author.[2][12]
In the 2013 Federal Election, Cummings was unsuccessful as Australian First Nations Political Party candidate for the Division of Solomon in the House of Representatives.[13][14]
She is the Chairperson of the Northern Territory Stolen Generations Aboriginal Corporation.[15][16] She works to bring compensation to those who are part of the Stolen Generation and on Sorry Day, 2017, filed a case with the NT Stolen Generations organization against the federal government.[17]
She is a University Fellow of Charles Darwin University.[18]
References
editCitations
edit- ^ Bauman, Toni; Wells, Samantha; Wells, Julie Therese (2006). Aboriginal Darwin: A Guide to Exploring Important Sites of the Past & Present. Aboriginal Studies Press. p. 39. ISBN 978-0-85575-446-4.
- ^ a b c "Eileen Cummings". Territory Stories. hdl:10070/218118.
- ^ "13th Australasian Conference on Child Abuse and Neglect". Australian Institute of Criminology. Retrieved 6 October 2017.
- ^ a b Smith 2004, p. 89.
- ^ "Australia's 'Stolen Generations' Tell Their Stories". The New York Times. 24 May 2017. Retrieved 5 October 2017.
- ^ McLean, Greg (27 May 2007). "No Celebration for Stolen Generation". Northern Territory News. Retrieved 5 October 2017 – via EBSCOhost.
- ^ Kevin, Lindt (13 February 2008). "'Long Journey' to national apology". ABC News. The World Today. Retrieved 11 September 2016.
- ^ Smith 2004, p. 90-91.
- ^ a b Smith 2004, p. 101.
- ^ Smith 2004, p. 98.
- ^ Alia, Valerie (15 July 2013). The New Media Nation: Indigenous Peoples and Global Communication. Berghahn Books. p. 49. ISBN 978-0-85745-409-6.
- ^ Smith 2004, p. 101-102.
- ^ "Eileen Cummings". AFNPP. Retrieved 23 October 2019.
- ^ "Solomon - Australia Votes | Federal Election 2013 (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)". ABC News. Retrieved 23 October 2019.
- ^ "NTSGAC". Northern Territory Stolen Generation Aboriginal Corporation. Retrieved 11 September 2016.
- ^ James, Felicity (24 April 2017). "Stolen Generations welcome planned museum in Darwin". ABC News. Retrieved 5 October 2017.
- ^ Dias, Avani (26 May 2017). "NT Stolen Generation file case for compensation from Federal Government". ABC News. Retrieved 5 October 2017.
- ^ "Eileen Cummings". Charles Darwin University. Retrieved 6 October 2017.
Sources
edit- Smith, Claire (2004). Country, Kin and Culture: Survival of an Australian Aboriginal Community. Wakefield Press. ISBN 978-1-86254-575-5.