Chief Petty Officer Ray Rosendale
Artist
Belinda Mason
Artist
Dieter Knierim
Date2016
Object number00055208
NamePhotograph
MediumBlack and White Durotran 3D photographs face-mounted on perspex lenticular lens, in perspex LED light box frame
DimensionsOverall: 973 × 670 × 40 mm
Image: 915 × 575 mm
Image: 915 × 575 mm
Copyright© 'Serving Country' portrait series by Belinda Mason and Dieter Knierim
ClassificationsPhotographs
Credit LineANMM Collection
DescriptionA 3D, black and white photograph Chief Petty Officer Ray Rosendale by Belinda Mason and Dieter Knierim for the 'Serving Country' exhibition. Chief Rosendale is currently serving as Chief Petty Officer Coxswain and the Chief of Navy’s Strategic Advisor on Indigenous Cultural Affairs. This appointment is the first opportunity for an Indigenous serving member to hold a permanent position directly related to Indigenous affairs within the Australian Defence Force.
Chief Petty Officer Ray Rosendale was born in Nambour, Queensland LD and is a Kuku Yalanji man of the Western Sunset Clan. His traditional lands are situated north-west of Cairns in Far North Queensland. Chief Rosendale worked throughout Queensland as a stockman, apprentice mechanic and Federal Public Servant before joining the Navy in 1991.
HistoryFor more than a century Australian men and women have served in the Defence Force to protect Australia in wars, conflicts and peace keeping operations. Stories of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander service in the countries defence is still somewhat untold.
Despite the fact the fact that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people were not counted and recognised as Australians until 1967, they still enlisted to fight for their country in wars since the Boer War.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander soldiers, sailors and airmen have made significant contributions to Australia's military history from the Boer War, World War I and II, the Korean War, Vietnam War and post 1972 conflicts and peacekeeping operations to the present day, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders proudly served their country.
Like their male counterparts, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women have also made a significant contribution to the defence of the nation through their service with the armed forces, civilian organisations such as the Women's Land Army or worked in war time industries.
It is difficult to say just how many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people served because ethnic background was not specially identified in service records of enlistment. It is known that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander servicemen and women served and continue to serve their country with great honour and pride in a range of operations in war, humanitarian disaster relief, peacekeeping, border protection and emergency defence assistance.
A major part of Chief Petty Officer Rosendale’s job is engaging with Indigenous communities throughout Australia to help enhance understanding, and improve Indigenous recruitment.
‘It’s about dispelling the stereotypes either organisation may see of each other. We need to bring them together and educate each other, ultimately making the Navy an employer of choice.’
He said the community leaders he speaks to are very positive about a future friendship with Navy. ‘They understand that when we say we’ll look after their young people we mean it. The young sailors and officers are coming back to their communities as positive role models for other young people, showing them they can be a successful Australian and Indigenous at the same time. They don’t have to give up their cultural heritage to be successful.’
- Cheif Petty Officer Ray Rosendale
Australian Government, Department of DefenceSignificanceThe photographs by Belinda Mason were supported by Department of Veteran Affairs and City of Sydney for the Serving Country Exhibition which continues to be an ongoing project of documentation of an archive of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander servicemen and women.
The photographs serve to acknowledge and recognise the valuable contribution of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander servicemen and women who have served or who are serving in the Australian Defence Force.
