Is That You‚ Ruthie?

By Ruth Hegarty and Jackie Huggins

'Is that you ... ?' Matron's voice would ring out across the dormitory. In that pause sixty little girls would stop in their tracks, waiting to hear who was in trouble. All too often the name called out would be that of the high-spirited dormitory girl Ruthie. In the Depression years, Queensland's notorious Cherbourg Aboriginal Mission became home to four-year-old Ruth until her late teens when she was sent out to serve as a domestic on a station homestead. Ruthie is the central character in this lively and candid memoir of institutional life. Her milestones and memories reflect the experiences of many dormitory girls. The strong and lasting bonds that developed between them all helped to compensate for family love and support denied them by the government's disruptive removal policy.An inspiring life story, this remarkable memoir won the David Unaipon Award in 1998.

• Language: English
• Publisher: University of Queensland Press
• Release date: Jun 4, 2024
• ISBN: 9780702269844

Book preview

First Nations Classics. Is That You, Ruthie? Ruth Hegarty. Introduction by Jackie Huggins.

Ruth Hegarty won the 1998 David Unaipon Award for her manuscript Is That You, Ruthie? Her sequel memoir, Bittersweet Journey (UQP, 2003), recounts her life after Cherbourg Mission as a wife, mother and advocate for the Indigenous community. She has raised a family of eight children and lives in Brisbane.

In 1998 Ruth was awarded the Premier’s Award for Queensland Seniors for outstanding service to the community. She is a recognised public speaker and leader and has lectured at many educational institutions including the Australian Catholic University. Her advocacy in the ‘Stolen Wages’ campaigns and recognition for her dormitory sisters in Cherbourg knows no bounds. In 2010 Ruth received ‘The Queensland Greats’ Award for 40 years of involvement in Indigenous issues and programs; and in 2014 an Honorary Doctorate from the Australian Catholic University in recognition of her contributions to Australian literature, Indigenous Education and Community Leadership.

In 2023 the adaptation of Is That You, Ruthie? for the stage takes her story to another level and hopefully shines a spotlight on the impact of the Aboriginal Protection Acts on the lives of her people who were caught in an unjust system of protection, segregation and assimilation.

First Nations Classics. Is That You, Ruthie? Ruth Hegarty. UQP logo.

To my mother, Ruby

Contents

Introduction by Jackie Huggins

Map of dormitory and administrative area of Cherbourg Aboriginal Settlement in 1930s

Introduction by Ruth Hegarty

1 ‘Just a little while’ – The Move to Barambah

2 In the Dormitory

3 The Little Girls Dorm – School and Separation

4 Into the Big Girls Dorm

5 Domestic Service

6 Leaving the Dormitory

Acknowledgements

Photos

List of Illustrations

Introduction

by Jackie Huggins

It’s been almost three decades since Ruth Hegarty penned her award-winning book Is That You, Ruthie? It was written at a time when emerging Aboriginal writers were beginning to engage in the literature arena, asserting their lives and stories into what is now a prospering field of First Nations writing in Australia. There was not much in the public domain until that time.

Her book is a testimony to the life and history of young Aboriginal girls and boys in the notorious dormitories under the regime of the Queensland Aboriginal Protection Act. This Act controlled the lives of Aborigines on missions and reserves, restricted their movements and who they could marry, as well as enforcing indentured labour, among other things. This was also a mechanism to destroy the links between parents and children. Accordingly, there was no escape or returning to their Country.

Before this time, Ruth’s life was comfortable, spent living with her mother Ruby, brothers and sisters, and grandparents in the Mitchell district of south-west Queensland before they were snatched away to the then Barambah Settlement in Wide Bay, Queensland. Had they known the full implications of what was to happen upon entering the settlement, they would most likely never have gone. Their lives truly changed for the worse. But despite this, they did what other families in their circumstances did – adapted and sustained themselves. They became part of the one big identity that is Cherbourg. Almost thirty-five tribes were removed to this place, but there is an endearing place in the hearts of the people who were sent there and their descendants today.

One can truly empathise with Ruth about her mother being forced to go to work as a domestic at the expense of raising her own child. It happened to my own mother too with her firstborn child, who she left in the care of her parents on Cherbourg. These young women raised, and in some cases wet-nursed, strangers’ children when they themselves were forced to leave their offspring at home. How cruel could this be?

Being locked up in jail, having their heads shaved, various other punishments and disempowering acts were also some of the horrific treatment dished out to these minors. No wonder the post-traumatic stress never left them. It is amazing how many of them grew up to be strong leaders in their communities.

But even though this is a tale of sadness and misfortune, it is also a tale of resilience, friendship and bonding as Cherbourg dormitory girls and boys. This is something very evident today as they constantly celebrate their survival, humour and the love of sharing their life experiences with each other. I have personally witnessed this myself and there is a particular common identity that illuminates when one is around them. Their pride shines through, and as an outsider I enjoy hearing their stories of mutual understanding even though they are sometimes hard to listen to. But their conclusions are always ones enveloped in love and true expression.

Ruth Hegarty has a faith that is unfathomable. This has assisted her on her long journey in life. Now in her nineties, she is just as sharp as a person half her age. She mentors and takes care of people of all ages, just as she did in the dormitories when she became a ‘big girl’.

This stood her in good stead as she became a parent and grandmother to many. She has a huge family that extends across Australia. Her self-evident love for them and her community is unconditional and steadfast. She has also raised other children and been a pillar of society. Is That You, Ruthie? is an example of her long activism, particularly in Brisbane. No one could ever ask ‘Who is Ruthie?’ now. She is a much recognised and loved member of our community.

This book is legendary and should be a text in all schools in these truth-telling times. History needs to be told, open and transparent. We as Australians, First and Later, will be the beneficiaries of works like these. Ruth Hegarty has told her powerful story and has laid it out for all to see. She has not retreated from the most difficult parts of her life. Her knowledge is sought out nationally and locally as a speaker and an author. She is indeed a true Elder.

Map of dormitory and administrative area of Cherbourg Aboriginal Settlement in 1930s

Introduction

by Ruth Hegarty

I have always wanted to write a book about my own life. It’s something I thought about so many times over the years, but doubt would take over and I convinced myself I would do it later when the time was right. As I got older I thought more about it, and the more I thought about it the more urgent it became. I used such excuses as, ‘I haven’t got the time’, reminding myself of my limited education, and thinking I wouldn’t be able to put my thoughts down on paper. I later realised that I was limiting myself. To believe that I couldn’t do it was a mistake. Something within me had to trigger my creativity and it came by way of a phone call.

I had gone to bed a little earlier than usual and the silence of the night was broken by the ringing of the phone. ‘Now, who on earth is ringing me this hour of the night?’ I thought as I reached for the phone. A call at that hour could only bring bad news. My family knows that unless it’s a matter of life and death, any phone call can wait for the morning. Timidly I answered, ‘Hello?’

‘Is that you, Ruthie?’

I paused for a moment before answering. I smiled to myself. Here I am, sixty-six years of age and in an instant I’m back in my childhood, that voice and those very words, ‘Is that you, Ruthie?’ took me back to the dormitory. I was tempted to stay there but I had to reply. ‘Yes, it’s me.’

‘Aunty Hazel here! I just wanted to let you know Dulcie died.’

Oh dear! Just as I thought. Bad news.

‘Remember Dulcie? Dulcie Munro from the dormitory?’

‘Of course,’ I said. Who could forget Dulcie? She was one of us, a dormitory girl. How could I ever forget one of the sisters? Dulcie was one of the real characters. She was paraplegic – I believe she was born that way. Like the rest of us, she spent her early years in the dormitory. She had a determination to be accepted and her independence was a thing to see. Her determination led her to create a style of ‘walking’ that gave her some independence. The dormitory did not cater for the disabled. Because of this Dulcie taught herself to walk on all-fours. She raised herself off the ground with her arms stretched out behind her, and bent her knees to hold her bottom off the ground. Because she was forced to use her hands and feet in this way to support her weight, she had great corns on them. We all admired her, she went everywhere with us.

Each night she crawled up and down long flights of stairs to bed, a long and difficult climb on all-fours, as well as the long haul to the toilet block. Always unassisted. This earned Dulcie her own special place in our hearts.

How the memories came flooding back that night. Vivid memories of days gone by. I could almost hear the voices of all the children who shared the dormitory with me. What a long time ago that was. What stories I could write of our adventures, our lives. Sixty or so girls who grew up together in the dormitory, not knowing why we were there, never daring to question those who were responsible for our being interned at such a young age, institutionalised for reasons known only to the government. At that moment the book began to take shape.

I would tell my story and it would become theirs. The book would tell of the hurt and pain that we all suffered through being separated from our mothers and our families. I would write of the strict discipline and unfair treatment that was no substitute for the personal love and care of the families we had been deprived of. But I would also write of the games we played, the mischief we got into, the duck pond and oh, so many things. Yes, I would write a book and it would be dedicated to all of us. No one would be forgotten because my story is their story; whatever I write would reflect the experiences and feelings of all. Our lives were governed by the same policies and what happened to one, happened to all of us. No one was treated as special or given special privileges. We were treated identically, dressed identically, our hair cut identically. Our clothes and bald heads were a giveaway. We were dormitory girls.

1

‘Just a little while’ – The Move to Barambah

My story really begins way back in 1930. That was the year my family moved to Barambah Aboriginal Settlement. I was just six months old at the time, a very fair-haired, fair-skinned child. Not even old enough to know what was happening. I left the west with my mother Ruby, her brothers and sisters, and her parents, George and Lizzie Duncan. My mother was the eldest of eight children. She was nineteen at the time and remembers quite vividly everything that led to her family’s decision to leave the west, a hard decision but