… bitter, sweet and emotional to receive this 😞 …
Just a couple of days after the saddest news on January 3rd of the passing of Yirrganydji (Cairns) elder Dr George Skeene OAM, I received the email that my work … “George at the Bus Stop – George Skeene OAM” … had scored an Honorable Mention in the Portrait category of the ‘Tokyo International Foto Awards’ (TIFA).
George … who I fortuitously met at a Cairns bus stop in June 2023 … was a true delight to meet and photograph … a real gentleman.
Was a Friday lunch time when I saw a distinguished man sitting quietly at the Cairns Central bus stop. Said ‘Hi’ … we exchanged pleasantries and I asked ‘George’ how far away his bus was … the board said eight minutes … and if I may make a quick portrait. George was fine with that so I raced back to my car a block away to grab a decent camera. We chatted very briefly whilst I made a few frames and it turns out that George was, in fact, Yirrganydji Elder Dr George Skeene OAM.
Of course, the bus arrived early and George told me his info was on the web … and off he went. Our interaction lasted a very pleasant six or seven minutes …
Fascinating to find Dr George on the web and learn the details of his stellar career. George grew up in Aboriginal reserves in Cairns and made it his life’s work to document his Yirrganydji cultural heritage.
He traced and catalogued Yirrganydji artefacts that were spirited to Germany in the early 1900’s, wrote a book “Two Cultures” about the Cairns aboriginal camps, arranged for the return and reburial in Cairns of the remains of a Yirrganydji woman held at the Queensland Museum … and there is much more of his exploits ‘on the web’.
George was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Letters at James Cook University in 2013 and the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in 2016.
I presented him with a print of his portrait whilst he was undergoing treatment at Cairns Hospital late last year. That same portrait also features in my new exhibition opening next Friday at the Mulgrave Gallery. George joins others on that exhibition wall that are no longer with us … and I will pay tribute to all of them at the opening. It will be emotional …
Don’t think I’ll ever forget that memorable fleeting bus stop meeting with George … and was devastated to hear of his demise from his daughter just over a week ago. Thank You George … you will be very sorely missed.
Also scored a second TIFA Honorable Mention (this time Editorial category) with my image of Bill & Michelle Dunn after surviving the massive post Cyclone Jasper flood event that almost took their lives.
You’ve likely seen both these pics previously … and for that I apologise …
Whilst on … must also congratulate photographer good friend Emese Gyalog who scored a TIFA ‘Gold’ in wedding and a HN in Fine Art … nice two Em !
Images © Brian Cassey
