Shaun Coolwell was born on 12 June 1982.
He was a twin, a loving uncle, brother and son. He comes from the formidable Coolwell clan from country near Tambourine Mountain.
Along with the Sandi’s and the Thompson’s, the Coolwell’s are part of the strong Mununjali mob from Beaudesert. For example Sam Watson’s great grandad was a Coolwell, born in 1850. A strong man who lived in a ring barking camp and would come to town in Beaudesert with his countrymen, give the locals in the pubs a hiding for stealing their land and go back to working in the bush. Hard work.
At Shaun’s funeral yesterday his niece and nephew, uncles and aunties, sisters testified to his loving spirit. They wore T shirts which said ‘Our Land’.
I strongly encourage people to attend supporters of justice to attend the rally at parliament this Saturday 24 October and to march with the family and their supporters in their demand for justice. Police murder must stop.
We have no country
Refugee, aborigine
This is a country of words
Cell door, concrete floor
Pay respect to old people
Who lost life in struggle
Original owners of the land
Turrubul here, Jagera over there
Mununjali down Beaudesert way
Quandamooka over on Straddie
All who managed country for millennia
We sell our labour
When we hurt, old or sick
They lay us off
Don't even see it coming
Is happening all around
Join the union when we can
Get dirt money or sick pay
Pension if we lucky
Big money days are over
If we fight they use laws
To crush our union
We have no country
We are refugee, aborigine
This is a country of words
Cell door, concrete floor
Land and sea give us hope
Our dreams, our dreaming
Each morning the sun it rises
Ruined land can be fixed
Broken bodies can be mended
If we lose our minds
Take refuge in spirit
Our mob, union
This is the life
We have no country
Cell door, concrete floor
But we are gonna get it back
Always was, always will be.
Pay tribute to those who died or were badly injured in struggle: John Pat, Eddie Murray, Daniel Yock, David Gundy, TJ Hickey, Mulrunji, Lyji Vaggs, Greg Matheson, Phil Perrier, Sheldon Currie, Bradley Coolwell, Ruby Hunter, Uncle Country, Miss Dhu, Sheila Oakley, Nathaniel West, Kevin Vieritz, Shaun Coolwell.
Ian Curr
23 October 2015
Music
Warumpi band – My Island Home (1987)
[George Burarrwanga on vocals and didgeridoo, Gordon Butcher on drums, his brother Sammy Butcher on guitar and bass guitar, and Neil Murray on rhythm guitar and backing vocals. George Burarrwanga passed away in 2007 of lung cancer. Lyrics - Neil Murray.]
Poem
We have no country – inspired and dedicated to our aboriginal brother, Kevin (pictured), who passed away in 2015 long before he should. Photo: Blue Lake on Straddie by Ian Curr
