Anthony Fernando Explained

Anthony Martin Fernando (6 April 1864 – 9 January 1949) was an early Aboriginal Australian toymaker and early political activist.

Biography

Fernando was born in Woolloomooloo, New South Wales as a member of the Dharug nation. He spent most of his life in "self-imposed" exile, overseas, protesting and publicising the injustices inflicted upon himself, his people, and Aboriginal Australians generally:^[1]

...'his long grey beard damp with mist, his frail elderly frame wrapped in a large overcoat'. Pinned to his coat were scores of small, white, toy skeletons and he wore a placard proclaiming: 'This is all Australia has left of my people'^[2]

He died in the East London town of Ilford on 9 January 1949.^[2]

On-line newspaper articles

• Web site: "A JOKE." - Anthony Martin Fernando, an Australian aboriginal, had arrived at Berne seeking support for .. a certain district in North Australia .. being reserved for aborigines . The Brisbane Courier . 30 June 1921 . 31 May 2010.
• Web site: "NOT SAVAGES. ABORIGINAL'S PLEA. TREATMENT BY WHITES DENOUNCED." - Anthony Martin Fernando (aged 65 years), toy hawker, an aboriginal, born near Sydney, was remanded for a month at the Old Bailey . The Brisbane Courier . 2 February 1929 . 31 May 2010.
• Web site: "FARMER COMES TO HIS AID: ELDERLY BLACK IN COURT"." - The intervention of an elderly Essex farmer saved an Australian aborigine, Anthony Fernando, aged 73 years .. from being sent to prison. ' . The Argus . 21 January 1938 . 31 May 2010.
• Steve Meacham, "Aboriginal activist campaigned in Europe 100 years ago", Sydney Morning Herald, May 27, 2012.

External links

• Browning, Daniel (15 July 2007) "Fernando's Ghost", Hindsight, ABC Radio NationalAccessed 30 May 2010.
• "Fernando's Ghost" - Transcript, SOVEREIGN UNION - National Unity Government, "Sovereign Union" - Asserting Aboriginal Sovereignty into Governance.
• Goodall, Heather (1988) "Aboriginal Calls for Justice: Learning from History" Aboriginal Law Bulletin No. 37 Accessed 30 May 2010.
• National Museum of Australia "From Little Things Big Things Grow: Fighting for Indigenous Rights 1920–1970" Exhibition – including artist's impression of Anthony Martin Fernando Accessed 30 May 2010.
• Paisley, Fiona "Into self-imposed exile" Griffith REVIEW Edition 6: Our Global Face Accessed 30 May 2010.
• Paisley, Fiona "Hidden Story Behind a Portrait (of Anthony Martin Fernando)" National Museum of AustraliaAccessed 30 May 2010.
• THE STORY OF AM FERNANDO, Radio National, Late Night Live, 23 May 2012.

Further reading

• Fiona Paisley, The Lone Protestor - A M Fernando in Australia and Europe. Aboriginal Studies Press, 2012.

References

1. https://archive.today/20130125084506/http://www.griffithreview.com/edition6/203/420.html Paisley, Fiona "Into self-imposed exile" Griffith REVIEW Edition 6: Our Global Face
2. http://adbonline.anu.edu.au/biogs/AS10160b.htm Holland, Alison & Paisley, Fiona (2005), "Fernando, Anthony Martin (1864 - 1949)", Australian On-Line Dictionary of Biography