Deadly and Proud is a Victorian Government campaign to share the stories of Indigenous Australians, which includes Dimboola's Tracey Rigney, a Wotjobaluk and Ngarrindjeri woman.
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Her great-great-great grandfather, Jungunjinanuke, a Wotjobaluk man, was a part of the first Australian cricket team to travel internationally.
"It's just always been known in our family. We are so proud of him and his life, he not only ventured over to England to play in the team, but he also played a role in saving the lost children in Mt Arapiles," she said.
"It was unheard of, it's still a bit unbelievable that it happened. They travelled all the way over there and did that and they came back. That's just crazy for those times."
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Jungunjunuke travelled around the Wimmera region, he moved around Nhill, Antwerp and Edenhope. He learned to play cricket at Lake Wallace.
"That was during a time when mission stations were being established, people were moving on to them and farmers were taking up lots of land. It was really, difficult, harsh times. Unfortunately, there were massacres just a bit earlier in the 1860s particularly around there. It was just crazy they went to England as a cricket team," Ms Rigney said.
Jungunjinanuke was an "ok, allrounder player", Ms Ringey said.
"What a lot of us are really proud of is that he would be able to showcase his traditional skills at the end of the match. He would deflect up to four balls that would be thrown at him at the same time. He would knock them all away with his body, his shield and club. No ball would ever hit him," she said.
Ms Rigney said she tried a bit of indoor cricket, but her brothers were cricket mad. However, she did throw javelin for Australia in a USA/Canada sporting tour when she was 14.
"I always wondered if it was a bit of Jungunjinanuke that had come through the line to me," she laughed.
The story was passed down through her family, she would often hear it from her grandfather, Jack Kennedy.
"My grandfather was a really amazing man in that he was a great storyteller. He spoke to everyone and anyone who would listen to him and he told lots of stories from our culture, people and history, even our shared history," she said.
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"I learned a lot through him. There is lots of footage and audio of him telling all these stories, since he's passed away that has been priceless.
"My reason to be a part of the campaign was to help tell a story from our community, our culture, our history and get it out there.
"When my daughter grows up she can see how mum helped share our stories."
Ms Rigney is also a gifted storyteller and believes sharing our stories makes us better people. This was a driving factor in why she wanted to share the story of her ancestor.
"Stories are what make the world go around. They inform, educate, inspire, uplift, and create understand" she said.
"Everyone has their story.
"Stories are a way to help up explain who we are and where we come from."
Ms Rigney said this way a great step forward in utilising Indigenous voices.
"The Deadly and Proud campaign centres around the treaty process," she said.
"I'm hoping it's a step in the right direction for better outcomes for Aboriginal people."
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