Doreen and John Cockatoo
Doreen Cockatoo 2000
Photograph by Lyn McLeavy
Born in Burketown in 1928, Doreen Cockatoo was removed from her mother to Mornington Island at the age of five years. She lived there, learning to garden and read and write until she was moved again, this time to the Brethren mission at Doomadgee. While at Doomadgee in the 1940s, Doreen helped to construct buildings and the local aerodrome. This is where she met John Cockatoo, who was born on Mapoon Mission on Western Cape York in 1929. Together they had seven children. Doreen now lives in Cairns. John, a respected elder, passed away in 2003.
Listen to Doreen Cockatoo talking about:
Being born in Burketown and being taken from the bank of the river to Mornington Island.
Duration: 3:40 minutes
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Gardening, schooling and growing up on Mornington Island Mission.
Duration: 4:00 minutes
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Living at Doomadgee Mission from when she was 14 years old.
Duration: 2:30 minutes
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Wearing army clothes and constructing the buildings at Doomadgee.
Duration: 3:00 minutes
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Listen to John Cockatoo talking about:
Going to school at Mapoon Mission and mustering cattle from when he was 15 years old.
Duration: 1:25 minutes
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Wooing Doreen to marry him.
Duration: 1:50 minutes
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Audio interview recorded 20 September 2000.
Interviewer: Lyn McLeavy
Audio excerpt provided courtesy of the National Library of Australia, Bringing Them Home Oral History Project
ORAL TRC 5000/232 [new window]
Carrying water, Mornington Island c.1937
Negative no. 93598
John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland
Last updated: 25th August 2009
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