Gary Foley facts for kids
Gary Edward Foley (born 1950) is an important Aboriginal Australian leader. He is from the Gumbaynggirr people. Gary Foley is known for being an activist, a writer, an actor, and a university professor.
He is famous for helping to start the Aboriginal Tent Embassy in Canberra in 1972. He also helped create the first Aboriginal Legal Service in Redfern in the 1970s. Gary Foley also co-wrote and acted in Basically Black, which was the first stage play by Indigenous Australians.
As of August 2022[update] Gary Foley works as a Professor at Victoria University. He teaches in the Moondani Balluk Indigenous Academic Unit.
Contents
Early Life and Beginnings
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Gary Edward Foley was born in 1950 in Grafton, New South Wales. His family is from the Gumbaynggirr people. He spent most of his childhood in Nambucca Heads.
When he was 15, he left school. Around 1967, at age 17, he moved to Redfern, a suburb in Sydney. There, he worked as an apprentice draughtsman.
Fighting for Rights
Soon after moving to Redfern, Gary Foley became involved in the "black power" movement. This movement was about Aboriginal people taking control of their own lives and fighting for their rights. It was inspired by similar movements around the world.
Protesting Apartheid
In 1971, Gary Foley helped organize protests against the Springboks. This was a rugby team from South Africa. People were protesting because South Africa had a system called Apartheid. Apartheid was a cruel system that separated people based on their race.
Because of these protests, a planned tour by the South African cricket team was cancelled. South African sports teams were not allowed to play internationally for 20 years.
Aboriginal Tent Embassy
In 1972, Gary Foley helped create the Aboriginal Tent Embassy. This was set up outside Parliament House in Canberra. The embassy was created to show how Aboriginal people were treated unfairly.
The Tent Embassy is still there today. It helped make more people aware of Aboriginal issues.
Legal and Medical Services
Gary Foley was also involved in starting important services for Aboriginal people. He helped create the Aboriginal Legal Service in Redfern. This service provides legal help to Aboriginal people. He also helped set up the Aboriginal Medical Service in Melbourne and Sydney. These services provide healthcare for Aboriginal communities.
Other Protests and Work
Gary Foley also helped set up the first Aboriginal Information Centre in London. When he came back to Australia, he organized protests against the Brisbane Commonwealth Games in 1982.
In 1988, he organized Aboriginal protests against the Australian Bicentenary. This was a celebration of 200 years since European settlement in Australia. Many Aboriginal people felt it was not a time for celebration. Later, he worked as a consultant for the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody. This group looked into why so many Aboriginal people were dying in police custody.
He has described himself as an anarchist. This means he believes in a society without a strict government.
Acting and Film Work
Gary Foley has also had a career in stage, film, and television.
Stage and Screen
In 1972, he co-wrote and appeared in Basically Black. This was the first stage play created by Aboriginal people.
He also acted in films like Backroads (1977) and Dogs in Space. He appeared on TV shows such as A Country Practice and The Flying Doctors.
Gary Foley has been featured in many documentaries. These include "Fair Play" (part of Have you Heard From Johannesburg) and The Redfern Story. He was also in Persons of Interest, a TV series about ASIO. In 2002, he was in The Foundation, a film about Koori (Aboriginal) history in Sydney.
University and Teaching
Gary Foley went to university later in life. He completed a Bachelor of Arts degree at the University of Melbourne in 2000. He studied History and Cultural Studies. In 2002, he earned an honours degree in history.
From 2001 to 2005, he worked as a senior curator at Museum Victoria. After that, he became a lecturer at the University of Melbourne. In 2008, he became a senior lecturer at Victoria University.
He completed his doctorate degree in 2013. For this, he received a special award for excellence. As of August 2022[update] Gary Foley is now a professor at Victoria University.
Other Important Roles
From 1983 to 1986, Gary Foley was the first Indigenous director of the Aboriginal Arts Board of the Australia Council. This organization supports the arts in Australia.
In 1994, he created The Koori History Website, also known as Kooriweb. This was the first website owned and run by Aboriginal people.
In 2020, a photo of Gary Foley by artist Destiny Deacon was shown at the National Gallery of Victoria.
Awards and Recognition
Gary Foley has received awards for his important work.
The Australia Council for the Arts gives out the Red Ochre Award. This award celebrates the lifetime achievements of outstanding Indigenous Australian artists.
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Gary Foley | Red Ochre Award | Awarded |
In 2024, Gary Foley was elected as a Fellow of the Australian Academy of the Humanities. This is a high honor for people who have made important contributions to the humanities.
See also
- Anarchism in Australia
Books
- Foley, G.; Schaap, A.; and Howell, E. (eds.) (2014) The Aboriginal Tent Embassy: Sovereignty, Black Power, Land Rights and the State, Routledge: London
- Dexter, Barrie (2015) Pandora's Box: The Council for Aboriginal Affairs 1967–1976. Foley, G. and Howell, E. (eds) Keeaira Press: Southport QLD.
