Oodgeroo Noonuccal quotes

Oodgeroo Noonuccal was an Australian Indigenous poet, political activist, and educator. Her poetry and advocacy brought national attention to Aboriginal rights and culture. She became a pioneering voice for Indigenous Australians through her art and activism. Here are 3 of her quotes:

...I can't afford the luxury of despair or pessimism. We still have to hope. We're a timeless people, we've lived in a timeless land. We have suffered the invasion of two hundred years, and we'll go on suffering. But we are going to survive...

Oodgeroo Noonuccal

...In the Aboriginal world we give way to all emotions. In the ‘British', the present white generation of Australian people have been told that to cry is weakness, and if a ten year old boy gets up and cries they say, My goodness! But in the Aboriginal world, to cry is a beautiful thing. To us it's compassion...

Oodgeroo Noonuccal