Rosalina Wils

Story

My family sailed on the Sibajak from Rotterdam the Netherlands, in 1950. My family consisted of mum -Anna Maria Wils-Scharte, dad- Wilhelmus Wils, my sister- Yvonne Wilhelmina Theresa Wils and I, Rosalina Wilhelmina Wils. We arrived in Australia 19th July 1950. I was 20 months old and my sister was 8 years old.

My parents left Holland to start a new life; they had seen and experienced so much misery during the Second World War. Both my father and uncles fought in the war and one of my uncles on mum\’s side was in the Resistance and received a medal for bravery from the Dutch Queen after the war.

I was sick for most of the journey over to Australia and had to stay in the ship’s hospital. In those days they thought it was best not to let my mother visit me as I would scream every time I saw her behind the glass partition. They told my mother she had to stay away, this caused great distress for my mother and for me I imagine. Apparently I was quite seriously ill but my mother never did tell me what was wrong with me.

Both my parents had had little education so they were prepared to do anything to earn a living. When we arrived in Australia the first job my parents had was for Edgels farm.

Once dad had saved enough money to buy a caravan we were off to travel around Australia. Both my parents worked very hard, either sewing wheat bags by hand in the open paddocks in the hot sun, cutting sugar cane, shearing, factory work and domestic work. We often lived in the outback for long periods, which meant my sister and I did not attend school for months on end.

My sister started working at age 14 in a hotel as a domestic and I started work at age 15 as a telephonist.

My sister married at age 17, and had two daughters Louise and Theresa (Titi) Thompson. She also had one grandson Robert Thompson. My sister, Yvonne died in 2009, my mother died in 1998 and my father in 1979-I think, as he went back to Holland after my parents separated when I was 12 years old.

I finally put myself through university as a mature age student at the age of 30 and trained as a social worker and then as a Narrative Family Therapist.

I am the last remaining member of my immediate family in this country. I am so glad my parents migrated to Australia. I went back to Holland to find my family 45 years after migrating here and realised how lucky I am to have migrated to Australia, this is truly the lucky country. I am proud to be an Australian.

I married John Rayner in 1984 and have one son, Tyson Namow from a previous relationship.

My name now is Tina Rosalina Namow. I am also a singer and have sang in blues bands for over 30 years, so I close with a song I wrote in 1994 about my family.

New Australian Stand by Tina Namow

1.Came out here in the 50\’s looking to be free

Seen enough suffering to always want to please

My mother worked hard as any man sane

She sweated and toiled as she cut the sugar cane

Chorus

With our hearts full of hope we came to this land

Ignoring our culture take the new Australian stand

2. Only mum, dad, my sister and little old me

Kept moving from places wondering what we should be.

My gypsy heart pa would play to the stars

His accordion would sing wild musical bars.

3.As children we never felt we belonged

To survive was our religion and the theme of our songs.

No thoughts of sitting on grandma\’s knee

A feeling of sadness for the memories I can\’t see.

Repeat Chorus

With our hearts full of hope we came to this land

Ignoring our culture take the new Australian stand

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