Photograph by Belinda Mason OAM 2022, inkjet on brushed aluminium 60cm x 40cm
My father’s side is the Wakka Wakka people of Cherbourg and my mother’s side (Erub) Darnley island, Torres Straits, Peiudu tribe.
Able Seaman Boatswain’s Mate
Royal Australian Navy
Australian Defence Medal
“I may be an unknown legend, an uncelebrated hero, a lion whose roar is unheard. But if just one person remembers my name, I will know that I have made a change.”
I grew up in Cairns; my childhood and growth into a young man would be almost exactly the same as a lot of young Indigenous men from the area. I joined the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) in 2018. At the time, I felt I had a lot of potential, character and athleticism that was going to waste, so I decided to challenge myself mentally and physically and enlist. In 2020, I served on both Patrol Boats, Cape Fourcroy and Inscription. After moving to Sydney in 2022, I served briefly on HMAS Brisbane and from 2023 – present, HMAS Supply. Being in the RAN has been challenging and, of course, demanding, but I love the sea, the people and the tales they tell.
I can’t think of a story to close, so I will end with this: none of this would have been possible without my partner. We were not created to walk the earth alone, and I am grateful for her unwavering commitment to me and being a father now to two beautiful girls. I can only wish to be half the man my Uncle Jeffery Cedar is.
