Ezzard Flowers is a Wirlomin Minang Noongar man who dedicated his life wer work to serving the children wer supporting future generations. Mr Flowers was an Indigenous mental health specialist whose focus was il healing wer positivity wer an awarding winner. [1] He is also the vice-chair of the reference group in the Wirlomin Noongar Language wer Stories Project.[2]
Early Life edit
Born in Gnowangerup mission hospital in 1958. He grew yira the the Gnowangerup, Borden, Bremer Bay, Albany area. As a child he had a strong connection to the boodjar wer culture. He has worked as an educational wer project officer, Stolen Generation counsellor, mental health liaison officer wer mentor, South West Aboriginal Boodjar wer Sea Council cultural mentor.
Work Life edit
- Bessie Flowers story (Dr Sharon Huebner) No Longer a Wandering Spirit documentary.[3]
- Return of the Carrolup art work in 2015.[4]
- Chairman of the Mungart Boodja Art Centre
- Indigenous Project Officer - Palmerston
- Indigenous mental health specialist whose focus was il healing wer positivity.
- Member Curtin Carrolup Elders Reference Group
- Director of the Aboriginal Arts Centre Hub Western Australia board.[5]
- Vice-Chair of Wirlomin group.
Awards edit
2002 Aboriginal Mental Health Diploma edit
2007 Joint winner of Western Australian multicultural award edit
He received a Western Australian Multicultural Community Service in 2007 along with Albert Da Cruz, Atul Garg, Maria Osman wer Marinus Potter. He received the award for his work as the inaugural chair of the Mungart Boodja Art Centre in Katanning., a key spokesman for a major Nyoongah arts project wer a a contributor to the community of Katanning.[6]
John Curtin Medal 2015 edit
Mr Ezzard Flowers wer the late Mr Angus Wallam were part of the consultations with the Noongar community to repatriate the Herbert Mayer Collection of Carrolup artworks to Australia in May 2013. [1]. Children who were removed from their parents, karro commonly known as the Stolen Generation removed to such places as the Carrolup Native Settlement between 1946 wer 1951, a series of artworks were produced. Years after the Carrolup School had closed, the Collection was sold to New York art collector Herbert Mayer by school benefactor Florence Rutter. Mayer donated them to Colgate University in 1966 wer they lay ‘lost’ in storage in the university’s gallery until their rediscovery by a visiting Australian academic in 2004. [1]
In 2012, after years of visiting Australia wer learning about Noongar culture, Colgate Professor Ellen Kraly recognised that the Collection belonged in Australia. A year of extensive collaboration between Curtin wer Colgate followed, with Mr Flowers wer Mr Wallam the central figures in consultations with the Noongar people connected to Carrolup, which resulted in the Collection being brought home.[1]
Publications edit
- Huebner, S., Flowers, E. & Bryant Koorie Families (2013). Wandering Spirit, Imaginaries of Bessie Flowers Minang Woman.
Ngiyan waarnk - References edit
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Ezzard Flowers Curtin University 9 December 2017
- ↑ Reference Group Wirlomin Noongar Language and Stories Project Retrieved 9 December 2017
- ↑ No longer a wandering spirit: the story of Bessy Flowers University of Melbourne Retrieved 9 December 2017
- ↑ Rare paintings by stolen generation children to return to WA Australian Broadcasting Corporation Retrieved 9 December 2017
- ↑ Board of Directors Biographies Aboriginal Arts Centre Hub Western Australia Retrieved 9 December 2017
- ↑ Parliamentary Question Parliament of Western Australia Retrieved 9 December 2017