Jimmy Little Essay

Indigenous Australian people have a high prevalence of chronic illnesses such as diabetes, kidney ill-health and heart conditions. It is believed that around 9 in 10 Indigenous Australians have alarming symptoms of kidney disease, 1 in 10 suffer from cardiovascular disease and Indigenous Australians are eight times more likely to have diabetes that other Australian personnel (AIHW, 2015). In this narrative, I will specifically explore the life of famous Australian Indigenous musician, actor and advocate, Jimmy Little who was diagnosed with a chronic kidney disease, type 2 diabetes and suffered from a heart condition contributing to the forming of his Foundation and support for good health, lifestyle for Indigenous Australians as well as abolish

He originates from the native Yorta Yorta people, who were traditionally settled between the junction of Goldburn and Murray River in Victoria (JLF, 2010). A defining observation of how Jimmy’s parents heavily influenced his love for music, arts and how he paved his life. His father, Jimmy Little Snr, was a musician, comedian and tap dancer while Frances, his mother was a singer and yodeller. Frances and Jimmy Little Snr became involved in a troupe and soon married. Although they were from different tribes; they married with love and their connection with music. The influence of Jimmy’s parents on his life shone when he also married a fellow singer, Marjorie Rose Peters in his late 20s, in the year

By age 16, he was already set to travel to Sydney to perform on a radio programme to broaden his opportunities in the music industry. By 1955 he left Cummeragunja Mission to tackle his country music career, which he proclaims to be influenced by Nat King Cole and Jim Reeves (JLF, 2010). With the decision to permanently leave his home town for Sydney; he thrived for success and scored a record signing in 1956 with Regal Zonophone Records – which was a subsidiary of Warner Bros Music and released his first single “Mystery of Life.” In 1958, he married Frances Claire who was a colleague at the time. Not long after, they had a daughter; who inspired a single sung by both Jimmy and Frances Claire. As the years went by, Jimmy progressed rapidly within the Australian music scene as well as an actor. Late 1960 is when he debuted his acting career after he released another single named “El Paso” which reached the top 20 on the Sydney charts. With his acting, he took on roles that illustrated the racism, non-acceptance and struggles of Indigenous Australians. This is clearly illustrated in the film “Shadow of the Boomerang,” where he is constantly ridiculed while at work by his white compatriot because of the color of his skin. It is believed that the disadvantage suffered by Indigenous peoples is associated with both historical and contemporary racism, colonisation and