We’re thrilled to bring you a unique blend of conversation and music. Uncle Ken Jones from the Boandik community is here to talk about his deep connection to country and his incredible life stories, all from the heart of the Limestone Coast. And we’ve got John Schumann, whose songs capture the Aussie spirit in ways that stick with you long after the music stops. Expect to hear a few tunes throughout our chat, each telling a story that ties back to South Australia and South Australians. There is no SA Drink Of The Week this week. And we have made John’s interview an extended edition of the Musical Pilgrimage. You can navigate episodes using chapter markers in your podcast app. Not a fan of one segment? You can click next to jump to the next chapter in the show. We’re here to serve! The Adelaide Show Podcast: Awarded Silver for Best Interview Podcast in Australia at the 2021 Australian Podcast Awards and named as Finalist for Best News and Current Affairs Podcast in the 2018 Australian Podcast Awards. And please consider becoming part of our podcast by joining our Inner Circle. It’s an email list. Join it and you might get an email on a Sunday or Monday seeking question ideas, guest ideas and requests for other bits of feedback about YOUR podcast, The Adelaide Show. Email us directly and we’ll add you to the list: podcast@theadelaideshow.com.au If you enjoy the show, please leave us a 5-star review in iTunes or other podcast sites, or buy some great merch from our Red Bubble store – The Adelaide Show Shop. We’d greatly appreciate it. And please talk about us and share our episodes on social media, it really helps build our community. Oh, and here’s our index of all episode in one concisepage Running Sheet: South Australian Storytellers 00:00:00 Intro Introduction 00:00:00 SA Drink Of The Week No SA Drink this week. 00:03:37 Uncle Ken Jones Here on The Adelaide Show, we shine a spotlight on South Australian passion, and my guest has passion in spades. He is Uncle Ken Jones, who I’m sitting with during NAIDOC Week 2024. I met Uncle Ken through his work running the tourism business, Bush Adventures, down on the Limestone Coast, at Port MacDonnell, and I’m hoping we’ll capture some of his profound connection to country, some of his wild story, and some of his storytelling and wisdom. Uncle Ken, welcome to the Adelaide Show. Uncle Ken, in a recent story about you published on SouthAustralia.com, you’ve said, “I’m part of the oldest continuous culture in the world.” How does this profound connection influence your daily life and values? Your parents deliberately hid your Aboriginal roots from you for much of your childhood, and in the story – which I will link to in the show notes – you reflect that upon discovering your Aboriginal heritage, you mentioned, “It was a shame factor.” I’d love to explore how this change in understanding about your identity affect your sense of belonging within Australian society?But just before you answer, I want to add something else. Your dad said he kept you identity a secret because, “Aboriginal people were not particularly loved or cared for in those days.” We’re just about to hear from singer songwriter, John Schumann, and we’ll be chatting about his song, On Every Anzac Day, which honours Aboriginal Australians who fought in the Australian army, defending someone else’s king and defending land that had been taken away from them. Later in the song, the returned serviceman went to join his local RSL but was rejected because the people there didn’t see a fellow soldier, they saw a black fella. Songs like that make me think I would have done the same as your father. But maybe there is a cost. Storytelling is clearly vital in Aboriginal culture. I remember hearing some dreaming stories shared by Aboriginal philosopher and author, Tyson Yunkaporta, and one, in particular about a crow and a magpie, has stayed with me ever since. Every time I see one of those birds, I remember the story about listening to your elders. It was the first time I understood the power of storytelling for passing on knowledge. How do you see storytelling among the Boandik people as similar to or different from mainstream Australian stories and the stuff we see on Netflix? You’ve worked tirelessly to forge connections and share your culture. What common grounds have you found most effective in bridging cultural divides? Looking to the future, you’ve expressed being “dangerously optimistic” about preserving Boandik Country’s legacy. What are your hopes for the next generation of both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Australians in creating a more inclusive and understanding society? 00:29:58 Musical Pilgrimage In the Musical Pilgrimage, we feature an extended interview with John Schumann ahead of a special concert at The Gov on August 3, which we’ll be going to, in which John Schumann and the Vagabond Band will work through a ...
