Bobby Mcleod Research Paper

Bobby Mcleod was an Aboriginal activist, singer, songwriter, poet, healer and Yuin Elder. He overcame challenges for Aboriginals at the time and fought for their rights, singing to convey his thoughts for many people and publishing a few books of his poetry. Bobby Mcleod inspired hundreds of people from all over the world to strive for greatness and think about the importance of culture, through his books, music and actions.
Born in Waragee, 1947, the oldest of six siblings, Mcleod’s exact birth date is unknown. His father, Arthur, was a labourer, boxer and alcoholic. His mother was a housewife who was active at the local church. The church is where Mcleod first began to sing, in the little church choir of the town. The family moved to Sydney at some stage in Mcleod’s life, and he attended school at Nowra High School, where he topped in sports.
Once leaving high school, in 1963, Mcleod was arrested for assault and robbery, and spent the next five years in prison. Upon his release in 1968, he played rugby for the Redfern All Blacks. His father died in 1974, and Mcleod was arrested for a second time, for reasons unknown. Around the same time that he released his first song, titled ‘Wayward Dreams.’ In 1974, Bobby left Sydney for Canberra.

The year he moved, at an Aboriginal Rights demonstration, Mcleod became known for ‘arresting’ Francis Herbert Moy, the assistance secretary of the Department of Aboriginal affairs, at gunpoint. Later he himself was arrested for illegal possession of a firearm. He was charged $40 and put on a good behaviour bond but only because the gun was not loaded at the time of his arrest. Later that year, in an interview, Mcleod said: “I would die for my people, I’m not afraid of that.” His actions at the Aboriginal Rights demonstration may have been influenced by his grandfather, who was the first Aboriginal Stipendry