Oodgeroo Noonuccal (Kath Walker) | |
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![]() Oodgeroo Noonuccal at Brisbane's King George Square, March 1975 | |
Born | Kathleen Jean Mary Ruska 3 November 1920 Minjerribah, Queensland, Australia |
Died | 16 September 1993 Brisbane, Queensland, Australia | (aged 72)
Nationality | Australian |
Other names | Kath Walker, Kathleen Ruska |
Education | Bookkeeping, typing, shorthand |
Occupation(s) | Army officer, writer, teacher, poet |
Employer(s) | Australian Women's Army Service, Noonuccal-Nughie Education Cultural Centre |
Known for | Poetry, acting, writing, Aboriginal rights activism |
Political party | Communist Party of Australia Australian Labor Party Australian Democrats |
Board member of | Federal Council for the Advancement of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders (FCAATSI) |
Spouse | Bruce Walker |
Children | Denis Walker Vivian Walker |
Parent(s) | Ted and Lucy Ruska |
Notes | |
* Mary Gilmore Medal (1970) * Jessie Litchfield Award (1975) * International Acting Award * Fellowship of Australian Writers' Award * Member of the Order of the British Empire * Honorary Doctorate (Queensland University of Technology) * Honorary Doctorate (Macquarie University) * Doctorate (Griffith University)[1] |
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Socialism in Australia |
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Oodgeroo Noonuccal (/ˈʊdɡəruː ˈnuːnəkəl/ UUD-gə-roo NOO-nə-kəl; born Kathleen Jean Mary Ruska, later Kath Walker (3 November 1920 – 16 September 1993) was an Aboriginal Australian political activist, artist and educator, who campaigned for Aboriginal rights.[1] Noonuccal was best known for her poetry, and was the first Aboriginal Australian to publish a book of verse.[2]