...Doing a Self-portrait...
'When he was stressed he'd draw and he'd paint. I'd go and watch him when he was doing a self-portrait. I said "What are you doing, Dad? Anyone would think you loved yourself sitting in front of the mirror." He said "Well this is the only way I'm going to do a self-portrait. How else am I going to do it?" '
'He'd go out and buy all these little pieces of masonite and paint them up and sit there for hours and paint and paint and paint. And he'd paint things he remembered like Murray Island, and the shape of Murray Island and things around, all the things he wished were there and stuff like there'd be really big palm trees leaning over the water.'
'He was thinking about his family and that he'd like to be there and stuff. I knew he was always homesick.'
'He'd go out and buy all these little pieces of masonite and paint them up and sit there for hours and paint and paint and paint. And he'd paint things he remembered like Murray Island, and the shape of Murray Island and things around, all the things he wished were there and stuff like there'd be really big palm trees leaning over the water.'
'He was thinking about his family and that he'd like to be there and stuff. I knew he was always homesick.'
Keywords: exile, Mabo, Benny, Mabo, Edward Koiki, Mabo, Gail, Mabo, Maiga, Mer, Murray Island, 1980s
Interviewed by Trevor Graham, Kempsey, 1996.
Author: Graham, Trevor
© Film Australia
Source: Mabo, Gail
Author: Graham, Trevor
© Film Australia
Source: Mabo, Gail