Patricia O'Connor (elder) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Patricia O'Connor
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O'Connor with the Queen's Baton at Yugambeh Museum in 2018
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| Born |
Patricia Yuke
1928 (age 96–97) |
| Nationality | Australian |
| Occupation | Aboriginal elder |
| Known for | Reviving the Yugambeh language |
Patricia O'Connor (born in 1928) is an important Australian Aboriginal elder from the Yugambeh people. She is famous for helping to bring back the Yugambeh language and for starting the Yugambeh Museum. She has received special awards for her work, like the NAIDOC Award in 2014 and being named a Queensland Great in 2019.
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Early Life and Family
Patricia O'Connor was born in 1928 in Beaudesert, Queensland. Her birth name was Patricia Yuke. She grew up near Kooralbyn in the Scenic Rim Region.
Patricia is a member of the Yugambeh people. This is an Australian Aboriginal group whose traditional lands are in South East Queensland and the Northern Rivers area of New South Wales. Later, she married Terrence Michael O'Connor. They had seven children together.
Working for Her Community
Patricia O'Connor has spent much of her life working to help the Yugambeh people. She is a strong voice for their rights and culture.
Remembering Indigenous Soldiers
In 1991, Patricia and her sister, Ysola Best, helped create something very special. They led the building of the Yugambeh War Memorial. This memorial is in Jebribillum Bora Park in Burleigh Heads. It was the first war memorial in Australia built to honor Indigenous soldiers.
Role in the Commonwealth Games
In 2018, the Commonwealth Games were held on the Gold Coast. Patricia played a very important role as a traditional custodian of the land.
She joined Queen Elizabeth II on stage at Buckingham Palace. This was for the launch of the Queen's Baton Relay. The baton itself was partly made from macadamia wood. This was because of a story Patricia told to the designers. She also gave the Welcome to Country speech at the opening ceremony. This is a special welcome given by Indigenous elders.
Bringing Back the Yugambeh Language
Patricia O'Connor is perhaps best known for her amazing work in bringing back the Yugambeh language. In the 1980s, many experts thought the language was no longer spoken.
However, Patricia and her sister started recording the language. They wanted to save it and teach it again. To help with this goal, Patricia opened the Yugambeh Museum. Because of her efforts, the Yugambeh language is now taught in many schools and learning centers.
Awards and Recognition
Patricia O'Connor has received several important awards for her dedication.
In 2014, she was given the Female Elder of the Year award at the NAIDOC Awards. This award celebrates the achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
Then, in 2019, the Queensland Government named her a Queensland Great. This honor recognizes people who have made huge contributions to the history and development of Queensland.
