"My country is where the unseen people live, short people. I was born in my home of Bararrkiya. I have six brothers and four sisters all from the same mother and father. When I was young, I went to school in the dormitory and the weekends we would go hunting. One old fella was hard on us, he's dead now that poor old fella. We were separated into boy's dorm and girl's dorm. I finished school when I was 16, that's the time I went to work.

I did fencing and yard building, they were my first two jobs. I was twenty-four when I went with other men and women from Mornington Island to dance at the opening of the Sydney Opera House in 1973. We danced in front of lots of people but we were not afraid. The place was covered in people.

I danced for Mornington Island from 1973 right up till 1990. I have been around Australia and overseas with our dancing. Good people and good places we visited for many years. Since the 1990's I have been a songman, now I lead the dancers I sing for the young men and women.

Now I'm painting, it beats sitting at home watching TV. A mans got something to do. We have a good group, all the old men and younger men and women are joining in, one big family."

Gordon Watt