3 How lucky am I?
Rebecca Klein
‘How lucky am I?’ is what I think about every single time I arrive on the St Lucia Campus at UQ.
‘How lucky am I?’ is what I think when I stand in line at Merlo’s for the very important small skinny flat white, at the bottom of the Duhig Building, knowing that I am about to set myself up on level 4 in the Fryer Library for the day.
‘How lucky am I?’ is what I think (my favourite thought of the day) after I set up at the same table and chair each time (the Fryer Library staff joke that it’s my spot) and I get to listen to Simon Farley, Fryer Librarian, and Aunty (Professor) Tracey Bunda, Academic Director, yarn up big about the Indigenous collection within the Fryer to the staff contributing to the Pressbook.
‘How lucky am I?’
I still remember the first time that Aunty Tracey and I met Simon at the staff lift on Level 2 and I was taken up to Level 4. Oh the smell. The smell of Level 4 reminded me of my grandparents’ house on my mum’s side. It has the smell of books, archives, and memories. Wonderful, wonderful memories.
We were given the grand tour of the Collection, which turns out was only a very small portion of the Collection (MIND BLOWN!). We listened to Simon tell a great story of meeting Uncle Herb Wharton, which then made me remember the number of times I got to spend with Uncle Herb in my last job and within the Cunnamulla Community.
Going through pages of beautiful but very emotional photos from the Mission Stations, 1936 photo albums 1 and 2. Opening boxes and reading handwritten poems and notes from Oodgeroo Noonuccal. Reading through the collection of Dr Jackie Huggins and remembering the first time we met in Brisbane, yarning up big about my Mum and how Mum was making her a Roma Town Cow Bag (while writing this I’m giggling thinking of my Mum). Dr Huggins might not remember that, but I always will because I felt so privileged to meet such a strong sovereign woman.
‘How lucky am I?’
It was hard deciding on what to write about. Oh, the doubt was flooding in! Having no idea of what piece to write about, I watched staff come into the space, watch them get overwhelmed, emotional, happy, and content. Sitting at ‘my’ table, listening, watching, and engaging in conversations about the Collection and how some staff even saw their relatives in photos or were mentioned in publications. How unexpected and lucky were they?
I have enjoyed every moment of this project.
Meeting colleagues.
Meeting mob.
Forging family connections.
Honestly, how lucky am I?
* * *
Links to the Fryer Library Collection
Herb Wharton Papers, UQFL212, Fryer Library, The University of Queensland.
Norman Francis Nelson, ‘Photographs’, 1936, Record of visit to mission stations, UQFL57, Series A, Fryer Library, The University of Queensland.
Oodgeroo Noonuccal Papers, UQFL84, Fryer Library, The University of Queensland.
Jackie Huggins Collection, UQFL468, Fryer Library, The University of Queensland.
Biography
My name is Rebecca Klein and I am a proud Jaralaroi and Gungurri woman from South West Queensland. I work at the University of Queensland in the role of Senior Project Manager within the Office of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Indigenous Engagement). I was given the fantastic opportunity to be a project lead for the Storying the Archive: Evoking the Fryer Library Indigenous Collection PressBook under the leadership and guidance of my mentor, Aunty, Elder and Professor, Professor Tracey Bunda. This project was an eye-opening one as I got to experience the joy, sadness, excitement and anger of the authors as I was in the room and sounding board for when they were going through the collection. That is why my contribution is about the whole collection and experience, rather than one piece. I hope you enjoy.
