FROSTY'S TRAVELS: December 2013

Tom is a Aboriginal Artist he was born 1962 in Conborbolin NSW ,he has 2 brothers and 4 sister and raised in a reserve with the Murie people, He was the quite one he tells me but he is making up for it now lol. Tom is married to Stella and they have 6 children and what I have heard there could be some up and coming rugby players in the future .Tom speaks both English and Wiradjuri language and we are trying to learn some of the language ourselves as we find it very interesting and the same as the culture .We have become good friends with Tom and we love sitting and having a chat with a coffee in hand learning and understanding a bit about the culture .Tom moved to Broken Hill with his family about 2 years ago from Dubbo .We found about Tom by chance as Tanya went to a art gallery to find if any Aboriginal Artist would do some art on our bus and Tanya was handed Toms number ,so this is how it has started and how we got this great painting on our bus ,Tom has made it our own dream time story and we are wrapped on how it has turned out ,we also have a few other things Tom makes like boomerangs ,digging stick ,music stick. Tom also has painted Tanya’s and Kiera’s hat and we have an Aboriginal mobile phone it is all so cool and something to treasure .Tom has been working with the men shed and encouraging young to the old to come to the shed to make things and have some where to go for a chat ,I have been along at its great to see how excited when they make something it is great for their confidence .The guys and the community will be sad as Tom and family will be heading back to Dubbo soon so they are closer to their family but at least he has made a change for these guys here in Broken Hill .Toms goal is to try and get the our 2 cultures to come together and understand each other more instead of being at a distance with each other and we totally agree .

We the Frosty’s like to thank Tom and his family for the friendship and the lessons about their culture ,we will never forget it and we hope to catch up again whenever we get to Dubbo.