Maria Elvira Blanco was born in Madrid, Spain on the 22nd of September 1958, to a Schoolteacher father and a stay-at-home mother, now with 4 children all under school age. Maria was the baby of the family with an older sister Maria Violetta and two rowdy brothers Manuel and Fernando (Fenny).
Life in Spain was very expensive especially in Madrid, even though her father earned a modest wage as a teacher, Raquel wanted more for her four children and someone they knew suggested to migrate to Australia.
Raquel finally persuaded her husband that they would have a happier and easier way of life in Australian and he would be able to get maybe a promotion in his field and if he were so unhappy they would all return back home together.
The paper work was sent off, photo’s taken and they had to wait for notification. In Spain the family lived in a two roomed home but could not afford a bigger house. Maria had darkish olive skin and very light blue eyes; her mother would whisper that, she had gypsy blood in the family way back. Which is a true story.
Word had arrived and the family packed to go to their new home.
The Blanco family arrived in Sydney N.S.W when Maria was three years old, this would have been in the early 1960’s and according to the class handout survey many families with a skilled profession were arriving from many countries other than England. So the totally white migration act was starting to be relaxed and more cultures were arriving and even Asian migrants were coming.
Maria Elvira and Fernando stayed at home but the two elder children started school at Crows Nest primary school. Life was busy but none of them including the father was able to speak the language so the father had to go to school to re-do his education in English but until then – which could be a few years- he accepted a factory job as part of the migration deal was to be employed.
Life started to improve with the older children learning to read and write English and teaching everyone at home. Raquel met a few people from the Spanish club in Sydney’s CBD and everything seemed to be going smoothly until one after noon the father came home and said they were all going back to Spain because he felt like a failure in this country working in a hot factory whereas in their country he would be a teacher, and have respect. The older children enjoyed school and had friends and Raquel could feel Australian had more to offer her family than going backwards.
So they agreed they wanted to stay so without any more notice the father left his job, education and family and flew back to Madrid. He promised to send some money for the family to live on.
Money arrived but apparently it stopped when he started drinking. So with not much money –probably some Government payment- the family moved to a small terrace house in Newtown, which is closer to the city and her friends at the Spanish club.
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Raquel was a great cook and started cooking a few meals here and there for her friends from the Spanish Club who were mostly musicians and would visit her and eat late at night.
By now Maria was almost old enough for school and Raquel had trouble learning English as she spoke Spanish at home and with her new friends and she even shopped at Spanish grocery shops. Because of the husband’s alcohol problem he was only able to do tutoring at home which was a one-room bungalow, Raquel started to send him money hoping he would return to his family as they all missed him very much. He led them to believe he was saving to return and it wouldn’t be long. After many months of struggling to survive Raquel realized he was not returning, the money he was telling her he was saving for his fare back and to help her - the lot it was non- existent - she knew she was on her own she had to support her family keep the children at school and some how with still no English skills find work Raquel thought of going back to Spain but with air-fares and then resettlement it was out of the question even though she had her sisters and family back there.
That’s it the rent was due, many bills and food but Raquel had no money, the family had to leave there home in Newtown, and once again a new school for the kids and having to make new friends. The eldest boy was getting into a lot of trouble from the Police for stealing as he pined for his father and tried to help his mother.
Then Raquel got the luck she knew she would get by coming to Australia “ the land of opportunity” some-one offered her a place to live fairly cheaply but it was an old shop down stairs and upstairs a small one bedroom flat. They took it. Some friends from the Spanish community help paint it and put in a small temporary kitchen. The children came home from school and washed floors, windows, cleaned up the flat and then it was time to open the doors and see what happens? The Restaurant was situated on William Street at Darlinghurst near Kings X there was quite a lot of passing trade.
With no money for food for the customers Raquel would get the older kids to take the orders and put little Maria out the kitchen window into the back lane which was where the prostitutes and tranny’s started work about 9pm, so Maria would take a list of the ingredience needed for each dish and run down the back lane to the Spanish grocery store as fast as she could and then run back with the bags and the workers in the lane would look out for her and help her back into the kitchen window where Raquel was cooking away. This would go on until there was enough food for the menu. The working girls would order food out the back window and the older school children added up the bills and charged the customers and tidied up. If there was only a couple of customers then the children only got left over bread to eat.
After awhile people where starting to return and the grocer started to make deliveries and the children were enrolled in private Catholic schools close by. The bills were being paid and after the tables were cleared and the customers gone the large table in the Restaurant was set and the children ate their main meal of the day. Some days Maria said she felt faint from no food and too many late nights. But the family stayed together and worked together. The shop was known as a family Restaurant and many people brought their own kids and didn’t mind the children serving them, as the food was very traditional Spanish dishes. page 2.
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Raquel went on to own “Casa Raquel’s” at Surrey Hills, “Raquel’s” near Taylor’s Square and to this day “RAQUEL’S TAVERN” on Oxford Street at Darlinghurst Sydney. I have worked at all the Restaurant’s and gone to the Flemington markets and the fish markets at Ultimo with Maria many, many times to pick up stock at 5am.
All the children had private educations and Maria Violetta’s best friend is Kerri-Anne Kennerley. Big Maria was working as a private secretary at Westfield’s and Associates (Lawyers) who overlook all the Westfield shopping centers. She married one of the partner’s- lawyer Michael Page and they live in Michael’s family’s home at Rose Bay on the harbour.
The reason both the girls’ first names were Maria was by a law, introduced by Franco that all girls born in Spain would have a Catholic name. So each family took one name Catherine, Therese and the Blanco family took Maria but when the girls started school in Australia the first name given is whom they are known as. So it was always big Maria and little Maria.
Maria visited her father a couple of times in Madrid but felt sad for him as he has missed out on his family and the changes a new country may have brought him. Instead he chose to return to his country mainly because of the shock of change, which I have heard before about some migrant men, he wanted respect from his family and friends and didn’t like the idea the kids were becoming smarter than him. He felt without the knowledge of language he couldn’t fit in, yet he didn’t feel comfortable speaking another language. He really didn’t want to speak English.
Today Maria and Fenny do most of the cooking and manage the Restaurant and Fenny has 5 children and they all help out after school. Raquel is near 70 now and still goes into the Restaurant most nights to say hi to her second family – her customers. People come from everywhere to book a table at Rachel’s there is photos all over the windows and walls from visitors and the great attraction besides the company and food is the entertainment. When the Spanish Club closes about 11pm the musician’s often call by for a song and a drink, birthdays are celebrated with Spanish dancing and many wines. Maria bought a house at Bondi about 10 years ago and has slowly renovated it. Raquel never remarried and lives with Maria Elvira my best buddy whom I have known since she was 19 yo. I spent many Xmas’s with the family having lunch at the Restaurant. I used to do the salads, garlic or herb bread and the sweets menu. I worked hard but so did everyone and when the crowds started to leave the table is set and the staff and family all sat down to a shared meal and a chat over a glass of wine or two.
What a great story of survival from a family that arrived in Australia with no money, no friends and no language skills but with a desire for change and to succeed. I miss them all very much but meet up at the Restaurant whenever I get to visit Sydney.
CHRIS HICKS
WOMEN’S STUDIES
JOURNAL WK 5.
27-8-2007
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
journal 4
Billie Jean Moffitt King (born November 22, 1943 in Long Beach, California) is a retired tennis player from the United States.
King was born Billie Jean Moffitt. She was born into a conservative Methodist family, the daughter of a firefighter father and housewife mother.
During her career, she won 12 Grand Slam singles titles, 16 Grand Slam women's doubles titles, and 11 Grand Slam mixed doubles titles.
Of her singles titles: 6 at Wimbledon, 4 at the U.S. Championships/Open, 1 at the French Open, and 1 at the Australian Championships. She won the last 7 Grand Slam singles finals in which she played, 6 of them in straight sets. Four of those finals were against Evonne Goolagong.
She is generally considered to be one of the greatest female tennis players and female athletes in history. King has been an outspoken advocate against sexism in sports and society. The tennis match for which the public best remembers her is the "Battle of the Sexes" in 1973, in which she defeated Bobby Riggs, a former Wimbledon men's champion.
In 2000, King received an award from the GLAAD, an organisation devoted to reducing discrimination against gays, lesbians and bisexuals, for "furthering the visibility and inclusion of the community in her work." The award noted her involvement in production and the free distribution of educational films, as well as serving on the boards of several AIDS charities..
King was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1987. In 1990, Life magazine named her one of the "100 Most Important Americans of the 20th Century."
King was the recipient of the 1999 Arthur Ashe Courage Award.
.Friends with singer Elton John, the song "Philadelphia Freedom" is a tribute to King. On a PBS program, John talked about how he brought a demo copy of the record to play for her right after he had recorded it.
I believe Billie Jean should be included on the list of 50 women Who Have Changed the Way We Live because her list of achievements and strength of character bought attention to the tennis game, she is a great roll model for future women tennis players – that hard work pays off, and is well respected in the field. The song by Michael Jackson also bought attention to her name. I admire Billie Jean as she made a great contribution to the sport yet the prize money for women players is nothing like it is today, had she won the same amount of Grand-Slams today as in her prime, she would definitely be a multi, multi millionaire.
King was born Billie Jean Moffitt. She was born into a conservative Methodist family, the daughter of a firefighter father and housewife mother.
During her career, she won 12 Grand Slam singles titles, 16 Grand Slam women's doubles titles, and 11 Grand Slam mixed doubles titles.
Of her singles titles: 6 at Wimbledon, 4 at the U.S. Championships/Open, 1 at the French Open, and 1 at the Australian Championships. She won the last 7 Grand Slam singles finals in which she played, 6 of them in straight sets. Four of those finals were against Evonne Goolagong.
She is generally considered to be one of the greatest female tennis players and female athletes in history. King has been an outspoken advocate against sexism in sports and society. The tennis match for which the public best remembers her is the "Battle of the Sexes" in 1973, in which she defeated Bobby Riggs, a former Wimbledon men's champion.
In 2000, King received an award from the GLAAD, an organisation devoted to reducing discrimination against gays, lesbians and bisexuals, for "furthering the visibility and inclusion of the community in her work." The award noted her involvement in production and the free distribution of educational films, as well as serving on the boards of several AIDS charities..
King was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1987. In 1990, Life magazine named her one of the "100 Most Important Americans of the 20th Century."
King was the recipient of the 1999 Arthur Ashe Courage Award.
.Friends with singer Elton John, the song "Philadelphia Freedom" is a tribute to King. On a PBS program, John talked about how he brought a demo copy of the record to play for her right after he had recorded it.
I believe Billie Jean should be included on the list of 50 women Who Have Changed the Way We Live because her list of achievements and strength of character bought attention to the tennis game, she is a great roll model for future women tennis players – that hard work pays off, and is well respected in the field. The song by Michael Jackson also bought attention to her name. I admire Billie Jean as she made a great contribution to the sport yet the prize money for women players is nothing like it is today, had she won the same amount of Grand-Slams today as in her prime, she would definitely be a multi, multi millionaire.
journal 3
WOMEN’S STUDIES 1.
Journal Week 3.
D.V.D.-WOMEN OF THE SUN- Nerida Anderson.
Nerida Anderson appeared to be a well-educated, alert young Aboriginal women who loved her family very much and was very concerned about her families welfare living in horrifying conditions. The shacks were overcrowded cold in winter, and run-down with stressful supervised fortnightly house inspections. The beds were inspected and the people made to feel as if in prison rather than in a free country with rights. The food was rationed and some only received 1 potato for dinner and yet they were expected to work hard.
Nerida was a good leader as she has just finished a four-year education course as a Clerk in the city so she was used to receiving some respect and also knew the laws quite well. She wanted to go about a change for her people in the correct manner rather than to fight and cause a disturbance, like her brother and relative. The young men were traumatized by their situation and hopelessness. Nerida gave them hope, a wonderful kind spirited women who was prepared to give it a go, to help her people help themselves to improve their lives and stop the neglect and starvation and sickness (including T.B) at the mission. She was their chance for a change and everyone was listening to every suggestion she made.
Her father, who had been suffering from lung-disease, after being gassed in the war, fought along side the Australian soldiers at Galipoli. The Galipoli war was fierce and a lot of soldiers died but when the Aboriginal soldiers arrived home they received no respect or recognition as an Ausralian service man, no parade or medals or even a pension, as they were not classed as Australian citizens until the 1960’s. Many men like Nerida’s father received no medication or follow up medical treatment and was still expected to work a full day, even though he could not stop coughing and his health was suffering. The men were treated as a non-entity because they were Aboriginals.
The people do not feel equal or Australian, as they do not have the freedom of movement that the other people have. The Aboriginal people are not allowed to leave the Koomalah Aboriginal Reserve without the permission of the reserve manager. I think the film tries to bring attention to how Nerida’s father would feel putting up his life to help Australia in the war and getting nothing from the Australian people or Government in return. A home for his family and some medical help is not too much to ask but they received nothing. Yet they enlisted for the war and so did many other Aboriginal men and women.
The reserve manager Mr. Felton was arrogant, rude, dominant, crude, a drunk and a brute yet he was the boss of the mission and it was common knowledge he was sexually harassing the women. He told Nerida when she came back to the mission to spend some time with her family that she had to work as a house maid yet she was qualified in office work, only the women that he abused received make-up favours. When Nerida refused his advances he became violent and changed the situation to try and blame Nerida for her advances towards him. This is when she decides to form a petition to gather signatures and present it to the Aboriginal Protection Board, to change the living conditions, but when they ignored their request she decides to have a secret meeting, which was illegal without the managers consent. The filmmakers did not play the station manager’s roll too harshly as I think the sexual abuse and starvation amongst the kids would have been as bad if not worse and it was his job to bring harmony and standard living conditions to all on the mission, which he failed to do. He is part of the problem a big part, he took away the people’s pride and self esteem and hope. Without these things a person will rebel.
When Nerida’s father took ill one night, Mr. Fenton didn’t even want to drive him to hospital but Nerida forced him to show concern and threatened him with action if he refused. Wearing only flour sacks over their heads for protection against the hard rain their father was taken to hospital where unfortunately, he died a few days later.
The station manager had gained information that Nerida and her brother and relative were holding a secret meeting and decided to have them arrested and tried for treason. They appeared in court for rioting and disobedience but the court judges the charge as inappropriate and questions why the Aboriginal Protection Board did not handle the case, therefore the court case was dismissed. The Board issued a 6-month bond for a non-permit meeting.
The priest Mr. Short, who lives on the mission was a weak man frightened of Mr. Fenton the station manager, he was supposed to help the people spirituality and with compassion yet when asked in court to describe the disgusting living conditions and the sad isolation of it’s people he lied and thought of his own job and himself and not the people.
Nerida knew no-one was safe on the mission especially the young girls who are forcefully removed from their families and sent off to work as domestic help at remote cattle stations. The families didn’t even know where their children were going - they were abused and beaten and traumatized by these actions.
.
Through constant communication and persuasion Nerida, convinces the people to “walk-out” of the mission and live independent lives. This event is known in history as the Cumeroongunga Walkout. So Nerida was a good leader as she showed compassion and commitment to her people’s plight and the outcome was excellent. A new beginning, which will include better living conditions and freedom of choice for work or an education.
The statistics we looked at on Indigenous women was quite confronting. I am shocked that Indigenous women were 20 times more likely to be in prison than non-indigenous women. I thought many Aboriginal men are in jail but did not think that many women where incarcerated. Also that Indigenous women are 45 times more likely to be the victims of domestic violence than other Australian women. The solution to some of these problems would have to be on going. A chance for affordable housing with an education and keeping the family unit together would be first on the list. The women will need councilling for their mental anguish and a support group made up mostly of other Aboriginal women who have made the transformation from victim to survivor. All these things take time and I only hope that funding and on going treatment will instill a greater quality of life for all Native Australian’s – it’s long overdue!!!!!
CHRIS HICKS – page 2..
Journal Week 3.
D.V.D.-WOMEN OF THE SUN- Nerida Anderson.
Nerida Anderson appeared to be a well-educated, alert young Aboriginal women who loved her family very much and was very concerned about her families welfare living in horrifying conditions. The shacks were overcrowded cold in winter, and run-down with stressful supervised fortnightly house inspections. The beds were inspected and the people made to feel as if in prison rather than in a free country with rights. The food was rationed and some only received 1 potato for dinner and yet they were expected to work hard.
Nerida was a good leader as she has just finished a four-year education course as a Clerk in the city so she was used to receiving some respect and also knew the laws quite well. She wanted to go about a change for her people in the correct manner rather than to fight and cause a disturbance, like her brother and relative. The young men were traumatized by their situation and hopelessness. Nerida gave them hope, a wonderful kind spirited women who was prepared to give it a go, to help her people help themselves to improve their lives and stop the neglect and starvation and sickness (including T.B) at the mission. She was their chance for a change and everyone was listening to every suggestion she made.
Her father, who had been suffering from lung-disease, after being gassed in the war, fought along side the Australian soldiers at Galipoli. The Galipoli war was fierce and a lot of soldiers died but when the Aboriginal soldiers arrived home they received no respect or recognition as an Ausralian service man, no parade or medals or even a pension, as they were not classed as Australian citizens until the 1960’s. Many men like Nerida’s father received no medication or follow up medical treatment and was still expected to work a full day, even though he could not stop coughing and his health was suffering. The men were treated as a non-entity because they were Aboriginals.
The people do not feel equal or Australian, as they do not have the freedom of movement that the other people have. The Aboriginal people are not allowed to leave the Koomalah Aboriginal Reserve without the permission of the reserve manager. I think the film tries to bring attention to how Nerida’s father would feel putting up his life to help Australia in the war and getting nothing from the Australian people or Government in return. A home for his family and some medical help is not too much to ask but they received nothing. Yet they enlisted for the war and so did many other Aboriginal men and women.
The reserve manager Mr. Felton was arrogant, rude, dominant, crude, a drunk and a brute yet he was the boss of the mission and it was common knowledge he was sexually harassing the women. He told Nerida when she came back to the mission to spend some time with her family that she had to work as a house maid yet she was qualified in office work, only the women that he abused received make-up favours. When Nerida refused his advances he became violent and changed the situation to try and blame Nerida for her advances towards him. This is when she decides to form a petition to gather signatures and present it to the Aboriginal Protection Board, to change the living conditions, but when they ignored their request she decides to have a secret meeting, which was illegal without the managers consent. The filmmakers did not play the station manager’s roll too harshly as I think the sexual abuse and starvation amongst the kids would have been as bad if not worse and it was his job to bring harmony and standard living conditions to all on the mission, which he failed to do. He is part of the problem a big part, he took away the people’s pride and self esteem and hope. Without these things a person will rebel.
When Nerida’s father took ill one night, Mr. Fenton didn’t even want to drive him to hospital but Nerida forced him to show concern and threatened him with action if he refused. Wearing only flour sacks over their heads for protection against the hard rain their father was taken to hospital where unfortunately, he died a few days later.
The station manager had gained information that Nerida and her brother and relative were holding a secret meeting and decided to have them arrested and tried for treason. They appeared in court for rioting and disobedience but the court judges the charge as inappropriate and questions why the Aboriginal Protection Board did not handle the case, therefore the court case was dismissed. The Board issued a 6-month bond for a non-permit meeting.
The priest Mr. Short, who lives on the mission was a weak man frightened of Mr. Fenton the station manager, he was supposed to help the people spirituality and with compassion yet when asked in court to describe the disgusting living conditions and the sad isolation of it’s people he lied and thought of his own job and himself and not the people.
Nerida knew no-one was safe on the mission especially the young girls who are forcefully removed from their families and sent off to work as domestic help at remote cattle stations. The families didn’t even know where their children were going - they were abused and beaten and traumatized by these actions.
.
Through constant communication and persuasion Nerida, convinces the people to “walk-out” of the mission and live independent lives. This event is known in history as the Cumeroongunga Walkout. So Nerida was a good leader as she showed compassion and commitment to her people’s plight and the outcome was excellent. A new beginning, which will include better living conditions and freedom of choice for work or an education.
The statistics we looked at on Indigenous women was quite confronting. I am shocked that Indigenous women were 20 times more likely to be in prison than non-indigenous women. I thought many Aboriginal men are in jail but did not think that many women where incarcerated. Also that Indigenous women are 45 times more likely to be the victims of domestic violence than other Australian women. The solution to some of these problems would have to be on going. A chance for affordable housing with an education and keeping the family unit together would be first on the list. The women will need councilling for their mental anguish and a support group made up mostly of other Aboriginal women who have made the transformation from victim to survivor. All these things take time and I only hope that funding and on going treatment will instill a greater quality of life for all Native Australian’s – it’s long overdue!!!!!
CHRIS HICKS – page 2..
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