Ms Carmel King

Carmel King was born in Lake Cargelligo in 1967 and she comes from a large family that includes 11 siblings. Carmel spent her early years in Lake Cargelligo but discovering that she had an older sister (Ernrose) in Menindee who she decided to visit in 1982 and “she’s been here ever since.”

Carmel has two children, a son and a daughter who have given her three grandchildren. Speaking with her family and friends they share that Carmel is an unsung hero because she is always happy and loves life and the people with whom she is connected.

Carmel King and partner Dale.
Carmel King and partner Dale.

During the years she has lived in Menindee Carmel has worked with numerous organisations including Nyampa Housing, Meals on Wheels, as a kitchen hand and barmaid. Carmel also worked as a transport casual picking up patients and driving them to and from the health service.

Yarning with Carmel is so relaxed and easy because there is lots of laughter. Laughter and humour is a defining feature of the special way that Aboriginal people communicate with each other; even though they may have come from different parts of the country. It’s as if a common thread exists that serves to unite people down through the ages and across gender and cultural divides.

Family is the cornerstone of life for Carmel and she is particularly concerned with finding and using ways to better support the younger generations. She is saddened by some of the things she sees in today’s world and believes that there is too much “fighting amongst ourselves” and she worries that young people are forced to grow up too quickly.

Carmel's daughter Fiona with her children Hazel and Greg
Carmel’s daughter Fiona with her children Hazel and Greg

Carmel would like to see opportunities for young people to learn their culture and their language because she was denied the opportunity when she was growing up. Perhaps, she says, “this is why some of the younger ones today don’t seem to have as much respect for the older people as they used to”.

Carmel enjoyed playing sport as a young girl and into her adult life having participated in competitive softball and volley ball.

Carmel’s experiences in respect to her opportunity to learn about and from her culture and language mirror that of most current generations of Aboriginal people, Government assimilation policies and programs forced Aboriginal cultural traditions and values underground and has resulted in a situation where most contemporary Aboriginal people, especially those who live in non-traditional circumstances, know their identity but tragically many of the values and traditions that shaped and guided Aboriginal societies for thousands of years have been contaminated or made extinct.

As with most of the other interviewees Carmel worries about the lack of respect shown to Elders by some of the younger generation and she would like to see greater concentration on Aboriginal cultural studies for students and greater opportunities for them to travel and see the world outside Menindee.

From the book Menindee’s Unsung Aboriginal Heroes, Menindee Central School