Why the stories are told

My name is Warren Foster, I come from the Yuin-Monaro tribe of Wallaga Lake, far south coast of New South Wales.

Why these stories are being told is because they keep our culture alive. Keeps us living and knowing that we’re living. ‘Cos these stories they were handed down by word of mouth for generations upon generations for thousands of years.

The reason that we tell these stories is to know where we’re coming from. Gives us an identity of the people. And if we know where we’re coming from, we know where we’re going. As long as we keep telling these stories we know that our culture is alive and running strong through our veins.

Why I like telling the stories is because it’s keeping the culture alive. As I get older, I’m going to pass it down to younger generations so that they get interested in it and that they keep the culture going.

I’d like to see more young blackfellas get right into their culture and start learning more about their culture.

Knowing their stories, their songs and dance and art. Keep it alive.

(Warren Foster. Wallaga Lake, New South Wales, 1998)