Gerry Bostock (15 July 1942 – 16 May 2014) was a Bundjalung activist, playwright, poet and filmmaker.

Early life

Bostock was born on 15 July 1942 in

Grafton, New South Wales Grafton ( Bundjalung: ''Gumbin Gir'') is a city in the Northern Rivers region of the Australian state of New South Wales. It is located on the Clarence River, on a floodplain, approximately by road north-northeast of the state capital Sydney. ...

, of the Bundjalung people. After spending nine years in the

Australian Army The Australian Army is the principal Army, land warfare force of Australia. It is a part of the Australian Defence Force (ADF), along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force. The Army is commanded by the Chief of Army ...

, Bostock moved to Redfern, a suburb of Sydney, where he became involved in political activism.

Activism and career

Bostock was involved in the struggles of

Indigenous Australian people Indigenous Australians are people with familial heritage from, or recognised membership of, the various ethnic groups living within the territory of contemporary Australia prior to British colonisation. They consist of two distinct groups, w ...

and took part in setting up the

National Black Theatre The National Black Theatre is a not-for-profit organization, non-profit cultural and educational corporation, and community-based theatre company located on 5th Avenue in Harlem, New York (state), New York. History The National Black Theatre (N ...

Sydney Sydney is the capital city of the States and territories of Australia, state of New South Wales and the List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city in Australia. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Syd ...

. He was also known as a healer. He made a substantial contribution to

Australian literature Australian literature is the literature, written or literary work produced in the area or by the people of the Australia, Commonwealth of Australia and its preceding colonies. During its early Western culture, Western history, Australia was a ...

as a playwright, poet and writer. His 1976 play ''Here Comes the Nigger'' was performed at the Black Theatre Arts and Culture Centre in Redfern, starring Athol Compton and Julie McGregor, with

Marcia Langton Marcia Lynne Langton (born 31 October 1951) is an Aboriginal Australian writer and academic. she is the Redmond Barry Distinguished Professor at the Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne. Langton is an acti ...

in a supporting role. Many of the cast were involved in the

Black Women's Action Roberta "Bobbi" Sykes (16 August 194314 November 2010) was an Australian poet and author. She was a lifelong campaigner for Indigenous land rights, as well as human rights and women's rights. Early life and education Born Roberta Barkley Pat ...

group and its monthly publication ''Koori Bina''. With Alec Morgan, he produced the 1983 documentary, '' Lousy Little Sixpence,'' which covers the treatment of

Aboriginal Australians Aboriginal Australians are the various indigenous peoples of the Mainland Australia, Australian mainland and many of its islands, excluding the ethnically distinct people of the Torres Strait Islands. Humans first migrated to Australia (co ...

from 1900 to 1946.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bostock, Gerry 1942 births 2014 deaths Bundjalung people Indigenous Australian writers Australian documentary filmmakers