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March 2015 back issue
by Ingetje Tadros
Kennedy Hill is an Aboriginal community in the remote town of Broome in NW- Australia. The community exists in the
shadows of Western Australian Premier Colin Barnett’s commitment to close down approximately 100-150 Aboriginal
communities in Western Australia. There are more than 270 remote Indigenous communities in Western Australia,
home to 12,000 people. Aboriginal Elders and Leaders are shocked and feel closing down communities is a big threat
to their people. They believe the impact of such a move will be devastating. Communities are based ‘on Country’.
Closing down communities means losing connection to the land in which ancient stories are etched. These stories
inform about morals, values and relationships, and are reinforced in language through song and story at times of
ceremony or travel through that Country –there used to be 250 Aboriginal languages before White Invasion. By closing
down communities, ancient knowledge that has been passed down through generations will get lost and people will be
lost because of this disconnection that nurtures them physically, emotionally and spiritually. Consequently, poverty,
disadvantage, alcoholism, unemployment, etc. –which are contained within communities because of ongoing cultural
connection– will be relocated and intensified and brought to the bigger towns. History is repeating itself!
Australian award-winning Photojournalist Ingetje Tadros has spent four years working with Aboriginal people and has
been documenting their confronting daily lives within their communities. Her concerns for Aboriginal people and their
communities stretch from the old uninformed line that demonises Aboriginal men by insinuating that Aboriginal women
and children are under great threat by the men in the communities, to a lack of affordable accommodation; Over
seven per cent of the Kimberley population is homeless and ninety per cent of this homelessness is comprised by its
First Peoples.
Kennedy Hill, or as the locals refer to it, ‘The Hill’ is significant to Indigenous people in the region.The presence of a
large shell midden immediately adjacent to the community is testament to this significance; It’s been a living area and
a sacred place since before White Invasion... since time in memorial.
Aboriginal people all over the Kimberley are now in fear of losing not only their homes but losing the significant
connection to their land and sacred sites. The question now remains, which Aboriginal communities will be closed?
Kids playing at their family home in Kennedy Hill, despite poverty children are being children. Quane (1 yr), Meah (3 yr)
Kitana (3 yr) and Marjorie (4 yr) (from L to R), Broome, Western Australia.
Sardie (2 yr) is cooling off in an esky as temperatures can reach to the 40°C. Sardie lives in Kennedy Hill and is one of
the happiest and cutest babies I (Ingetje Tadros) have ever seen. Totally unaware of the problems in the Community,
Sardie is happy as Larry. Broome, Western Australia.
Meah (3 yr) and Marjorie (5 yr) playing on 'the Hill' which are the sand dunes behind their family home in Kennedy Hill.
Free as little birds they run and play in the sand dunes, unaware of the problems their Community is dealing with. This
is such a beautiful place, the sand is white, the water is turquoise, the sky is blue and the view is even more
spectacular. This is a pristine location. Broome, Western Australia.
Jenaerd, Sardie, Anna, Charlette, Quane and Chrissy watching TV in their brothers room, (L to R). Tourists fly in from
all over the world to Broome to enjoy the Cable Beach resorts and the surrounding pristine environment but for the
residents of Kennedy Hill this reality is totally removed from their world. Broome, Western Australia.
"We had Rebecca since day one and now she is already 2 years and 6 months, Rebecca is the daughter of Deana,
(Patricia's daughter). Deana's drinking habit was bad and now she is in rehab, she is doing well." Patricia and Rebecca
(2 yr) having some lunch outside their house in Kennedy Hill while Creamy (L) and Bluey (R) patiently are waiting for
their share. Broome, Western Australia.
"This house is full of memories, lots of people passed away and passed through and I am still here with me partner
Anna and my dogs who've now almost all been taken away by the Rangers." (as Stuart had over 25 dogs in his home)
"I'm just here to fix the place up (the problems) in Kennedy Hill." Said Kennedy Hill resident, Nykiina man, ‘Billy’ Stuart
Ah Choo while feeding little Bartholome (1 yr) at his home and accompanied by Rebecca (R) and his beloved dogs
Creamy, Black, Patch and Old Six Toe. Broome, Western Australia.
Since the day Rebecca (2 yr) was born, she has been in the care of her grandparents Sandy and Patricia. Her mother
Deana's drinking habit was bad and recently she went into rehab. Feed the Little Children delivers twice a week food
for the children in Kennedy Hill and here she is enjoying it all by herself while Bluey is watching out for her.
"Alcohol can bring you down and kill you, it will....to me I was happy to die, I lost my father he was my hero, I had a
bad record , I know now my job is to save my people." ‘Billy’ Stuart Ah Choo sitting outside his home in Kennedy Hill
with his beloved dog Dontee and her pup Little Blacky. Broome, Western Australia.
Chrissy holding a cup which has the number 21 on it. Chrissy turned 21 years old, her mum Elaine Wiggan said to me,
"She is a loving mum and does not drink, she stays home and looks after her two kids."
Chrissy turned 21 years old and the Seaside Drifters Band (Broome) from One Mile Community came over to Kennedy
Hill for a gig and played in the old Office of Kennedy Hill which has now been demolished. Broome, Western Australia.
Cedrick is from Looma Community and is partying during Chrissy's 21st birthday in the old Office, which was a
condemned building in Kennedy Hill. Cedrick lives in Looma, which is a dry community (no alcohol permitted).
Kennedy Hill's Office was demolished early morning on the 1st of October 2014. Broome, Western Australia.
Bruce Njamme has been coming and going to Kennedy Hill for a few months, living it rough and always has been very
kind to me (Ingetje Tadros) and one morning he said to me, "Hey Ingi from now on we will call you 'Nagala' (sister)
then Bruce said "I want to sing a song for you." Then he walked over to an old and abounded car outside the fence in
the sand dunes, sat on the bonnet and said, "I am from Balgo from the desert and I sing this song for my family who all
passed away and for my father who is Sunfly. The song is called Worray Yagga Yagga." It was a very emotional song
and than he burst out in tears. Many of these people who live in and around Kennedy Hill are so far from their country.
"I am always in charge of the cooking, I look after my family," says Sussanne Charmawina (L). Together with her family
and friends Mary Nyamme, Christina Wilson, and Clare Galova (L to R) form Balgo (dry community, no alcohol
permitted). They are squatting in a condemned house in Kennedy Hill. Sussanne is preparing damper, a popular dish
with Aboriginal people. The basic ingredients of damper is flour, water, and sometimes milk normally cooked in the
ashes of the camp fire. Sometimes it is the only meal of the day that people can afford. Broome, Western Australia.
Stanley Thirkall from Fitzroy posing in the sand dunes at Kennedy Hill. Stanley came over for a visit and slept in one of
the condemned houses in Kennedy Hill. Some are in Broome to visit family, while others come to receive medical
attention or escape wet season flooding. Broome has a lack of affordable short-term accommodation.
"We need new houses!" Stuart Ah Choo commented while he was totally stressed out. The first phase of the demolition
of Kennedy Hill began on 15 September 2014. It has the community divided and given a lot of stress to it's residents.
7 houses out of the 12 remain. Broome, Western Australia.
"Now the community should get together as one, join hands and try seek to gain the loss by approaching various
government departments in an appropriate manor for assistance," Kennedy Hill resident Sandy Isaac said. This
demolition took place on September 19th 2014 in Kennedy Hill. Broome, Western Australia.
Alan Dededar leaving Kennedy Hill and mentioned to me he is on his way to Centacare. Centacare Kimberley in
Broome provides a range of services to people who are homeless, at risk of becoming homeless, or are experiencing
financial hardship. Centacare have an outreach team that engages with people sleeping rough throughout the Broome
area with a primary focus on supporting them to access social housing. Centacare runs a homeless breakfast. Alan is
from Balgo a dry community (alcohol is not permitted) and is squatting in a condemned house in Kennedy Hill. (This
house has now been demolished). Broome, Western Australia.
Sussanne Charmawina is homeless and leaving her bushcamp in the sand dunes in Kennedy Hill to go to Haynes
Oval in Broome's Chinatown district. Many homeless sit in the day time at Haynes Oval which is a large park in the
center of Broome. People are drifting in from remote communities around the Kimberley as Broome is exempt from the
tight liquor restrictions in place in the rest of the Kimberley. Sussanne is on the waiting list for a house.
