John is an Aboriginal man, born with a disability, in the small Victorian country town of Robinvale. His heritage is Narungga, Point Pearce in South Australia. He was brought down to the Royal Children’s Hospital for medical treatment. After a stay in hospital, instead of being returned to his family, he was placed with a non-Aboriginal family. 

“I think the experience of separation has driven a desire to increase the level of understanding and purpose in my life. My identity is the core of who I am as a human being, so not growing up with family and culture severed any links to my cultural roots, roles and responsibilities” he says. “My life journey then is reconnection, I continue to learn, yarn with my mob about our culture, history, protocols, the past and the future. If I can use these as a base to not only better my life, but the lives of my family and community, then I feel I have achieved a significant goal.”