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Jim Everett-puralia meenmatta

Jim Everett-puralia meenmatta

Jim Everett-puralia meenamatta was born at Flinders Island, Tasmania in 1942. He is from the clan plangermairreenner of the Ben Lomond people, a clan of the Cape Portland nation in north-east Tasmania. His working life includes fifteen years at sea as a fisherman and merchant seaman, the Australian Regular Army for three years, and over fifty years formal involvement in the Aboriginal Struggle. He has a long history in the public service in Aboriginal Affairs, and has visited many remote Aboriginal communities across Australia. Jim began writing poetry at an early age. He wrote his first play, We Are Survivors, in 1984, and produced, directed, and acted in it. His written works now include plays, political and academic papers, and short stories. Jim has produced and been associate producer in many documentary films. He is published in many major anthologies. Jim lives on Cape Barren Island writing and maintaining involvement in cultural arts nationally.

'From the outside' by Jim Everett-puralia meenamatta | States of Poetry Tasmania - Series Two

States of Poetry Tasmania - Series Two 19 April 2018
2016 Okay, I’m from the outsideYou know this place that I’m atThe whitefella’s think-societyThis outside place that got lostA think-society claiming it made usWith their blood, their bible and lawSo I think it’s just like the insideTo make us like them is the coreSome rules are okay for everyoneOther rules are ‘just-if-I’ crimesBut that’s just another white privilegeAnd we get nothi ... (read more)

'on the road with buck' by Jim Everett-puralia meenamatta | States of Poetry Tasmania - Series Two

States of Poetry Tasmania - Series Two 19 April 2018
one day I was drivin’ with Buck Brown along the coast an’ we was talkin’ about white coes on our land ‘til the talk got real intense an’ I wouldn’t wanna boast but we worked it all out from the start right to the end now it’s easy enough to see, well it is to you an’ me why white fellas do their thing wrong way ‘round their old men made a structure with God being he so tha ... (read more)

'Ghost Nets and Waterlines' by Jim Everett-puralia meenamatta | States of Poetry Tasmania - Series Two

States of Poetry Tasmania - Series Two 19 April 2018
14 August 2016 Our Earth Mother cries when the nets are set adriftThey travel loosely and kill sea life as they goDrifting in the moon-tides the grim reapers travel wideThrough tidal water homes of the all-life living freeTo drift and pluck from the all-life every living thingThat shares the bloodlines of the all-life of our worldThe nets drift on to kill like ghosts the fish can’t seeAnd plast ... (read more)

'Blood Lust' by Jim Everett-puralia meenamatta | States of Poetry Tasmania - Series Two

States of Poetry Tasmania - Series Two 19 April 2018
Australians you now call yourselves,You mongrel mob invaders.You deny your blood mixed pastYet think your blood has made ’s. Come on fools and say your piece,Your argument we know so well.Ancestral lines for you are farce,You dwell on genetics And your bloodlines are our hell.Of indigenous lines you fail.And you come from countries over there,With a heritage fairytale. Jim Everett-puralia meena ... (read more)