How Aunty Pearl transforms Parklea inmates’ lives
STOLEN Generation member ‘Aunty’ Pearl Wymarra, is using her unique background to help several inmates at Parklea Correctional Centre turn their life around.
Rouse Hill
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AS A descendant of the Stolen Generation and a late learner, Aunty Pearl is using her unique background to help several inmates at Parklea Correctional Centre turn their life around.
Using her own experience from her remarkable life, pictures of her homes, and the book she has written, the 72-year-old is helping Aboriginal inmates look at the positives in their lives.
Aunty Pearl, who was born on Thursday Island, did her HSC at Penrith when she was 32.
She then qualified as a teacher at the Nepean College of Advanced Education before undertaking a Masters in Health Science at the University of Western Sydney.
A victim of the official policies when she was young, Aunty Pearl‘s weekly sessions have proved so popular that inmates from other cultures have also joined up.
“I encourage the men to think about the positive things that have happened to them during their lifetime, making the most of the time inside to heal themselves inside and out,” Aunty Pearl said.
“(I tell them to) know their story in their hearts, balancing it in their minds and develop the language to tell their story.
“Anything is possible when people genuinely care, share, respect and appreciate each other.
“The (Parklea) centre is a model of the diversity of race and culture we find in our families, our communities, cities, towns, rural and remote areas of Australia.
“By becoming a peacemaker their dreams for the future can come true”.
Aunty Pearl has Filipino, Irish, and Aboriginal heritage through her mother and Aboriginal and Scottish ancestry through her father.
A devout Christian, she got involved with the Parklea centre in 2017 during the annual NAIDOC celebrations where she decided to make the most of it.
Each new person in the group receives an exercise book, pen and a copy of her book.
“I suggested they start thinking about writing their stories which they can continue when they move on from Parklea,” Aunty Pearl said.
“To further motivate them I gave each a copy of my story called People Places and Peace which is a short story about growing up on Thursday Island
“I encouraged them to read it before the next class and give me feed back.
“They related to it.
“Each new person in the group receives an exercise book, pen and a copy of my story.
“I say to them that often there is still disappointment when you have to detach and always try to do it with love with no physical harm.
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“It makes the healing easier when meeting up again, at another time and place.
“We have decided to open up the group to include men from various cultures as others have asked to join us.
“In September, we had a Wednesday where there were six who joined us from other cultures. It was the first class after the Las Vegas shooting and was attended by 27 inmates.
“Twenty three wanted to put up their hands for peace and as a gesture of condemning violence,” she said.
“As a result, 23 handprints were placed on a sheets of paper in the red, black, yellow, green, blue and white colours of the Aboriginal Strait islander and Australian flags.
“My assurance to them is that I am still here at 72 because I have practised
this all my life and it works.”
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