VICTORIAN Minister for Women and Minister for Health Mary-Anne Thomas is celebrating the achievements and contributions of women throughout Victoria’s history with the unveiling of a powerful new mural dedicated to Aunty Margaret Tucker MBE in Footscray last week.
Aunty Margaret (Lilardia) Tucker MBE
A survivor of the Stolen Generations, Aunty Margaret Tucker went on to help found the Aborigines Advancement League and Victorian Aboriginal Health Service in the late 1950s and 1970s. In the years between, she was the first woman to take her seat on the state’s Aboriginal Welfare Board.
As far back as the 1930s, she was a leading voice in the advocacy for Indigenous people as Victoria’s representative at the first Day of Mourning on January 26.
The Yorta Yorta and Wiradjuri woman is now immortalised for all to see at Lilardia Park, Joseph Road, Footscray, as BE. ONE CREATIVE founder Grace Diabik produced the art backed by an all-Indigenous creative team led by Wiradjuri person Jessi Rebel.
TRIBUTE: BE. ONE CREATIVE’s Grace Dlabik, lead artist and Wiradjuri person Jessi Rebel
and Margaret Tucker’s great-granddaughter Tania Rossi in Footscray.
Lilardia is a 12-metre-wide and 9-metre-high mural featuring Yorta Yorta totems the long neck turtle, and Lilardia meaning flowers. The language was taken from Aunty’s autobiography.
Ms Thomas was there for the unveiling.
“It’s really important that we honour the legacy of such extraordinary women like Aunty and what a beautiful way to be able to do it,” she told the National Indigenous Times.
“We are making decisive steps towards a fairer, more inclusive Victoria and Aunty Margaret Tucker was an extraordinary woman who made Victoria a better place.”
Aunty Margaret Tucker’s great-granddaughter Tania Rossi said: “My great-grandmother used to say, ‘It does not matter if you’re black, white or brindle, we all bleed the same colour and we must respect each other’.
“Just treat each other how we wish to be treated,” Ms Rossi said.
“It is not hard; we should all live by it.”
To read the full list of projects visit, http://vic.gov.au/victorian-womens-public-art-program