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In 1992 Mereki started
working at Glebe Public School as an
Aboriginal Education Assistant, all the while
focusing on the welfare of Koori children in the
school and related community work.
She involves the children in song and dance
at school functions, NAIDOC (National
Aboriginal and Islander Day of Celebration) week
and other, out of school celebrations. She
was also meanwhile a mother to her own two
daughters.
While working at Glebe Mereki
wrote two child protection songs, "Who Do You Feel
Safe With?" and "It's K-K-Kool To Feel Safe".
The songs were such a hit that teachers requested
she sing them as part of their Child Protection
Program, stating that children seemed to catch on
to the words and feed from the songs. It was
a direct testament of the power of her chosen
medium, music.
Mereki's love of music also
saw her study Music and Performing Arts at "Eora,
Aboriginal College of Performing Arts" in Redfern,
Sydney. During this time she continued to
write songs and perform at various festivals and
venues throughout Sydney and up the North
Coast.
Mereki gave birth to her
third child in 1995 and moved to Lismore to
continued writing, singing and performing.
Being one of the "Stolen Generation" she was often
invited to share her story at schools as part of
their Aboriginal Studies Program. She has
been a regular guest artist and speaker at many
primary and high schools in the Northern Rivers of
New South Wales.
She was accepted into the
"Bachelor of Contemporary Music" at Southern Cross
University in Lismore and recorded her first demo
tape of children's songs as part of her independent
study unit. She won a 'Dolphin Award' through
the North Coast Entertainment Industry in the
'Music for Children' section, for her song 'The
World Needs Parks'. She then went on to
record a CD, The Kangaroo Club, through the
Australia Arts Council and received yet another
'Dolphin Award' for Koori
Achievement.
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Mereki developed and
presents a unique Indigenous Cultural
Education Program in Pre-Schools and
Primary schools, loved and enjoyed by
children and adults alike.
Noticing a lack of
good, basic, culturally relevant
resources, Mereki created and developed
her own products and learning aids
especially designed for Early Childhood
and Primary School aged
children.
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Mereki also went on to publish a Child Protection
book called, "It's K-K-Kool To Feel Safe" that she
wrote and illustrated herself. The book comes with
a CD and Teacher/Parents notes (compiled by the
Child and Adolescent Sexual Assault Counselling
Service in Lismore) and includes two child
Protection Songs "Who Do You Feel Safe With?" and
It's K-K-Kool To Feel Safe". Approved by the NSW
Department of Education, the book is a valuable
resource that can be used to teach children about
stranger danger, feelings, and other sensitive
Child Protection issues.
Lismore Council presented
Mereki with an Australia Day Reconciliation Award
in 2003, for her contribution to reconciliation and
work performed in the wider community. She is
an active member of the Lismore Reconciliation
Council and Wayiganna Aboriginal Advisory Committee
to the Lismore Council.
Mereki continues to work in
schools teaching Aboriginal Culture through music,
arts, storytelling, rhythm and dance.
She performs her original songs and presents
workshops at various festivals and
functions.
Her
work teaches awareness of Australia's
Indigenous history, and makes an ongoing and
vital contribution to the broader community,
especially the people of the future, our
children.
Mereki's
is a voice for reconciliation, respect and rights
for the First Australians.
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