Warren H Williams

1. Warren H Williams Indigenous Affairs & Cultural Consultant Motivational Speaker Indigenous language Interpreter Musician, composer, singer/songwriter, script writer, producer Radio broadcaster

2. My Story • I am a Western Aranda man born at Hermannsburg, 130kms west of Alice Springs. I am Ntjalka, the Green Caterpillar that extends west from the south of Alice Springs through to Hermannsburg. My mother is also Western Aranda, and my country on that side is west of Hermannsburg, through to Gosses Bluff. • Growing up in the 1960’s and 70’s in Central Australia was fantastic. Everyone lived out on their homelands, we still listened to the wireless and there was work, mainly through the missionaries. Bush food was still commonly eaten and cultural practices and expectations were strong. • My father was born out bush, between Alice Springs and Hermannsburg, and lived a great life. He first started working emptying sanitary buckets from the Alice Springs town community alongside his father. When his father and mother passed away, he then began working in town at a pub and was strongly involved with the Alice Springs Football clubs. Warren H Williams My Story 2011

3. My Story He then moved back out to Hermannsburg with his younger sisters, and began working for the missionaries. He did a bit of everything, he was a tanner, a mechanic and so on. Married my mother, who was right skin, and then began his family. He was a good provider, always had a house for his family. The first house he built was a humpy down by the Finke River Bed. When the Missionaries first began to bring tourists to the mission and to nearby Palm Valley he began campfire sing a longs, entertaining visitors, with gospel music. He exchanged a horse for a guitar and set up the Palms Band. A lover of music he was in the local Choir also. When the Lands Rights Act was introduced in 1970’s the missionaries handed back the land to the four families from Ntaria, Ntajlka was one of them.

4. My Story • An entreuponer from an early age, he traveled interstate fruit picking to save enough money to buy a bus commencing one of the first tours into Palm Valley. He was the first Aboriginal pioneer within the Tourism Industry of Central Australia. This ability was welcomed by tourists, but was met with animosity from within the Aboriginal community. This jealousy and humbug, led to him relocating to his grandmothers country of Warrabri. • He then began his plight of Indigenous independency with the Ayawata people in 1979 making Warrabri one of the first Aboriginal Council’s in the NT, formerly then to be known as Ali Carung. His efforts and achievements had been rewarded by the receival of a distinguished award an OAM. • Motivated by this success he then moved back to his fathers country, and began the Hermannsburg council. Warren H Williams My Story 2011

5. My Story He dedicated the next 30 years to the development of Hermannsburg. He had created community codes of conduct and was active in the control of the social issues within the community. Creating one of the first grog free communities in the Northern Territory in the 1980’s. Chairing the Council, he established a local supermarket independently to the Council and a Historical Society to maintain the old Mission as a tourism venture. Chaired numerous boards, all of which being elected by the people for his outstanding leadership skills within Central Australia and on a national level, such as one of the original ATSIC chairperson. His capacity of strong leadership lead to much respect and some dislike in different societies, for different reasons.

6. My Story He became a highly regarded contact for many a politician and Government Agency for advice and information with such great people as Nelson Mandela, the Queen & Prince Charles, the Australian Prime Minister’s also meeting with him on different occasions. In 2008 the Local Council’s were all abolished and new Shire’s amalgamated the previous Council’s to “Super Shires”. This was a change that came about through the Northern Territory Intervention, a Federal Government initiative to Close the Gap of Indigenous health & life spans, education and social order. This Closing of the Gap was recognised as needed by a lot of Indigenous leaders, including my father. The way it was rolled out and the lack of the appropriate consultation was what went wrong.

7. My Story In 2009 Ntjalka had commenced working with the new Shire and had finished that same year, with a broken spirit. He became tired of fighting for the rights of his people. Throughout his whole life music was to him like the air he breathed. He had paved the way through the Country Music Industry, through some adversity for his children and grandchildren, earning much respect along the way. Travelling all over Australia he formed strong relationships with greats such as Slim Dusty and the Chambers family. In 2004 he was inducted into the Tamworth Country Music’s Hands Of Fame. On community he always held country music concerts and events for the whole community, such as sports weekends and small festivals.

8. My Story Ntjalka passed away on the 13th of September 2010 and was given a state funeral, leaving behind him a legacy of his early pioneering. Paving the way for the next generations to follow. Enter me……… the eldest son with 4 other sisters and brother. From a young age there was very high expectations of us kids, especially musically. Every day after school at a young age we would practise for hours, drums and guitars mainly. We were well educated, attending some very good boarding schools, including Immanuel College in Adelaide. After my schooling I moved back home to my family and country. It was the 1970’s……

9. My Story • The 1970’s were great, the Whitlam government was in office and Indigenous Land Rights were high on the agenda. The Vietnam war was at its end and peace and freedom was the ethos at the time. Woodstock, drugs, alcohol and Bruce Lee. • It was within this decade that the Missionary model of community order ceased and with that brought unknown freedom, alcohol and unorganised chaos as far as order with Aboriginal Communities. • My father was an early part of that movement to create the first Indigenous community council, to bring about structure and order for my people. • There was no awareness at that time of misuse of alcohol, smoking cigarettes was as common as having a vegemite sandwich. • It was within this period I slowly slipped into the world of alcoholism. Warren H Williams My Story 2011

10. My Story • It felt good at the time, although I didn’t really feel anything for about 6 years. I slowly drank myself into oblivion, still playing music, picking guitars and missing golden opportunities that just seemed to pass me by. • I had 4 children and don’t remember much at all about their childhood. I was at the age of 27 when I was admitted for the first time to the Alice Springs Hospital with Alcohol poisoning. Vowing to my father as he sat by my bedside wiping my brow from extreme temperatures that I would never touch it again. • He and my mother stood by me, whilst I know I was difficult to put up with when I was drunk, which was nearly always. • The 5th time I was admitted I once again vowed to never touch it again, only this time I meant it. I was told by the doctor, next time I see you, you will be in a body bag. That got me. • I had been a resident of the Todd River, told off by Honourable people like Ted Egan and Slim Dusty, and quite often, not even known of my own whereabouts for days. Warren H Williams My Story 2011

11. My Story • I do remember sitting in front of a TV, watching the Australian Country Music Awards, and telling everyone, that I was going to be there one day, and win one of those Gold Guitars. Everyone just looked at me, you just a drunk, no good drunk they’d say. • It was 1996, I had been off the grog for 2 years and an opportunity was in front of me again. This time I could think clear, I knew what I wanted and I took it. • It was funny there was big rain the night before I left Ntaria and the Ellery was up, no one could get across except the front end loader. So I jumped on to the bucket it lifted me high and took me across the river. I knew right then looking back at my family that I was not going to come back the same way as I had always done, there was change for me and I had just proven that I was ready for it. I made a way across that river. • Enter John Williamson….. Warren H Williams My Story 2011

12. My Story • I was of to Sydney to record Raining on the Rock with John Williamson, and what was to follow I would never have known. • Music had always been a huge part of me, actually it is me. Doing what I began to do with John was really my way of recovering, healing and dealing with life. I didn’t want to be put in a black box, and treated as a black musician, I wanted to roll with the best in the Industry and worked hard at gaining the respect and admiration of the whole Industry for my talent and who I stood for. • In 1998 John and I received a standing ovation for our live performance of Raining on the Rock. That began my new addiction of performing. The next 17 years of my life were spent touring on and off, recording duets, singing and song writing nationally and Internationally. My home was Motel room numbers, a different one every night. But I loved it. I missed home, but was always afraid of stopping for fear of falling into the habit of community life, drinking, hating, jealousing, land ownership arguments and family expectations. Warren H Williams My Story 2011

13. My Story • Growing up on community I had seen some pretty heavy stuff which to most Northern Territory Aboriginal people is normal. I have seen murders, witnessed fatal road accidents, held dead people, buried dead people, brutal family conflict, and lived with my lore. • Some of which mental health workers in today's society would dismiss as mental disease, when in reality it’s as real as it gets for traditional Aboriginal people. • The conflict within me of being in both societies whilst away on tour and then back home, took a lot of adjusting and was difficult at times. I had replaced alcohol with drugs as my out to escape far away from Central Australia. I was in environments where drugs were readily available and began to become a problem for me as my addictive habits began to kick in. • I began to scare myself, recognising the cycle I was about to be begin and applied my self more and more to my music. I lived it, breathed it, dreamt it and played it. I stuck with John for many years, and recorded some great music together. Warren H Williams My Story 2011

14. My Story • John Williamson, Pixie Jenkins and Steve Newton became my brothers, touring together, driving together, listening to each others stories and becoming closer than blood. To this day I still consider them my brothers. • I had recorded with CAAMA my own albums up until 2005, still not quite getting off that black wheel, in regards to the Country Music Industry. • In 2005 I met my wife, single mum on a push bike. She was a strong minded and independent person who showed me how to be strong. She became my rock, and made me see who I was and what life was. • In a twist of events I found myself moving back to Hermannsburg with Heidi, my wife. This was both challenging for me internally and made me deal with my past, and at the same time see my future. I wanted to spend more time with and supporting my dad. He was always there for me, and little did we know at the time those 4 years I spent back home were his hardest times also. Warren H Williams My Story 2011

15. My Story • In 2008 my son Jasper was born, and it was amazing for me. I was a sober dad, and its awesome. • Life was just getting better and better for me, my music was going places, my family life was good and I was more and more motivated to achieve my dreams. • In 2009 I did it. I won my first Golden Guitar with my brother John Williamson and Amos Morris for Australia Is Another Word for Free. It was that same year, that I took my father back for the first time in 8 years and shared a special moment when I was inducted into the Hands Of Fame, my father and I being one of the few father and son combination to be inducted. It didn’t get much better than that. • I signed a deal with ABC music and have release albums into the mainstream music Industry as a Country Music artist and am successfully not put into the World Music rack in music stores. That I am proud of. Warren H Williams My Story 2011

16. My Story • How I treated my body over the years is having its consequences now, I have some health issues which the alcohol and drugs contributed to greatly, but I am so happy, and proud that I am here today and didn’t go home from hospital in a body bag 20 years ago • I have also pursued my passion for country and am using my leadership skills to speak for my people and my country in standing for the Greens Political Party. I want to honour my ancestors and do them proud, and create a better future for my children's children. • I have taken an active interest in participating in the prevention of Aboriginal Suicide in Central Australia, and have become a trainer with Suicide Story. I would like to share my story to help other Aboriginal people see that are not on there own. • I have diversified and become more creative in the Arts, I have since written scores, scripts, plays, musicals, songs and still do radio broad casting with CAAMA Radio. Warren H Williams My Story 2011

17. My Story • I can’t say it enough, music was my saviour and is me. • I hope my story helps others understand a little bit more about what adversities Aboriginal people face in times of change, and that no matter who you are or where you’re from you can be whatever you want to be, the only one stoping you, is you. Warren H Williams My Story 2011