When Kevin Pearson came over Cambewarra mountain, just a month ago, he heard voices: “He’s here”, ”He’s home”, “He’s back”.
Kevin had come home to Kangaroo Valley after four lifetimes.
Kevin’s great-great -great-grandmother was Kyanga. Her father Billy Kian was known as ‘the great grandfather of the South Coast Aboriginal community’; Billy’s father was Coorall, who fearfully watched George Bass and his crew land at Tuross Lake in 1797.
Kevin’s great-great-grandmother Jane was born at Terara to Kyanga aged 14. Her partner was Patrick Ryder, an Irish convict on the Berry Estate.
What happened at this point in time? Kyanga died in child birth. Jane was adopted out and the Yuin Aboriginal culture was interrupted. But that was not the end of the story. For what played out with Kevin was a remarkable return to Kyanga and the Yuin Aboriginal culture.
Without a mother and without any contact with her grandfather, Jane Ryder had a big impact on Kangaroo Valley at the turn of the 19th century. She married James Sinclair in 1867. The Sinclairs survived the flood of 1870 at Terara, when the Shoalhaven River rose 6.5 metres and swept away the town including five hotels, a bank, several general stores, two doctors, a chemist, several churches and various sporting facilities. Terara was abandoned in favour of the town on Nowra Hill and the Sinclairs, along with many others, moved to Kangaroo Valley.
The Sinclairs were valued citizens; they had 12 children. six born at Barrengarry between 1881 and 1894, all baptised at the Church of Good Shepherd.
James petitioned for the Municipality of Shoalhaven in 1871. He had a boot and shoe shop. He sponsored the Kangaroo Valley Post Office. He was a member of the Kangaroo Valley Progress Association, the School of Arts, a prominent Oddfellow and cricketer. He was a correspondent to newspapers and a beekeeper. He auctioned a ‘snug cottage’ in 1886, appeared as a member of the jury at the inquiry into the fire that destroyed Mr Hanlan’s store in 1882 He was appointed pound keeper for the Valley in 1885 and was a local hero in 1892 when, living nearby, he put out a fire that threatened to destroy that critical piece of infrastructure, the Kangaroo Valley bridge – the original timber truss bridge replaced by Hampden Bridge in 1895.
Jane Sinclair, née Ryder, had a noble Aboriginal heritage. We can only imagine what it was like to carry this heritage at this time. She was a valued member of the Kangaroo Valley community. In 1891 her special display ‘Five ferns indigenous to the district’ was noted; in 1892 she exhibited flowers and vegetables; and in 1896 won over 10 prizes for Jams and Preserves at the Kangaroo Valley Show. In 1895 she saved the life of her one-year-old daughter by applying carbonate of soda, after she had turned over a bee hive box. and was severely stung.
As the Sinclairs were taking part in all of the main parts of Kangaroo Valley society, an attempt was made to create an independent Aboriginal settlement, along the lines of Maloga, near the Moira Lakes in Victoria, in the Aboriginal Reserve behind what is now ‘Pioneer Village Museum’ adjacent to Hampden Bridge. They were like ships passing in the night.
In 1919 the Shoalhaven News reported the death of J.V. Sinclair from war injuries. Jane was the sole parent at the funeral. “Mrs Sinclair had the proud distinction of being represented by five sons and four grandsons at the war”. Jane was later buried here in a soldier’s grave with her son.
This was a profound turning point in the family history. Was it the trauma of the war years? Was it the burgeoning loss of the oldest culture in the history of the world? Or was it profoundly bad luck? Or was it a combination of all of the above?
After the war Charles Sinclair married Margaret ‘Mary’ Jinkins in Roma, Queensland. Their eldest son George ‘Sammy’ had three children with his wife and, as was discovered only recently, he also had a relationship with Nellie Perina that resulted in a daughter, Lynette, Kevin’s Mum.
Lynette married Ron Pearson in 1964, and the following year Kevin was born in Gayndah, Queensland. When Kevin was five years old, his mother presented at their local police station seeking accommodation for her six children. He and his five younger siblings would be admitted to foster care. Ten months later, having returned home, his mother, Lynette, died when she was 25.
Kevin remembers visiting his mother at the hospital. She told him she would be the brightest star in the sky, and that her favourite colour was yellow. Their father signed adoption papers for all of the children, and they spent the next 18 months at various orphanages, where they were provided with food and shelter, and expected to “be well behaved”, but were subject to frequent physical punishments and were not provided with any care or counsel to help them adjust to their new life – and the loss of their mother.
When he was eight, Kevin and his next three siblings were fostered by a family, who already had two adult children; one other foster child; and one other adopted child. At school they were sometimes referred to as black bastards – at home they were told various stories about having either Maori or Aboriginal heritage. But was all this a tragic mystery?
When Kevin was 17, the family home burned to the ground, and he lost everything except the clothes he was wearing that day. When at 19 Kevin met Leigh, it was love at first sight for both of them, even though she was only 15. He immersed himself in her family and recalls thinking “this is a family” the first time he entered their home.
A few years ago, Kevin did a DNA test which identified his Aboriginal DNA. Three years ago, he was contacted by s a “close relative”, his Aunty, but nobody ever knew that Lynette (or her children) existed. His aunties had also been raised to believe they had Maori heritage – such was the fear and shame associated with being Aboriginal, or “half caste.” This newly discovered branch of his family tree have fully embraced him. This led Kevin on his journey back to Kangaroo Valley.
Kyanga, was a 14-year-old Aboriginal girl. It was as though she had been calling to Kevin to find her for his whole life. She had not been forgotten – he had been looking for her.
Two years ago, one of Kevin’s daughters bought him some paints and some canvases and he started painting in homage to Kyanga. He signs every piece with her name. Kevin won ‘People’s Choice with his piece In the Beginning, which displays the constellation and the killer whales – Yuin believe that their warrior ancestors are re-incarnated as killer whales, and their women as stars.
Kevin and Leigh’s journey to Kangaroo Valley has been a journey of healing – and a welcome back to his country.
Peter Botsman, Kevin & Leigh Pearson
