The Struggling King

Mark Riches, pictured far left, is our latest Nipper Tabagee Scholarship recipient. 

Meet Mark Riches, a basketball star, a rock star, and our latest Nipper Tabagee Scholarship recipient. Mark’s the keyboard player in The Struggling Kings, an alternative rock band originally started by his brothers. 

“My brothers have been making music for a few years now and they’ve always tried to get me involved. At first I played guitar, but I gave up, I never really had the desire,” Mark says. 

Then he discovered the keyboard. The keyboard’s an instrument he does feel passionate about.

“I definitely prefer it to any other instrument. I really wanted to work on my skills, so I’ve been doing a Certificate II in Music through the Abmusic Aboriginal Corporation in Perth.”

Mark used a Nipper Tabagee Scholarship to set himself up with a new keyboard, an amp and a keyboard stand, which has helped him with his studies. It’s also meant he’s now fully equipped to tour … 

In September this year, The Struggling Kings played gigs at Derby, Cape Leveque, One Arm Point and Cygnet Bay. 

“It was my first proper experience of playing music in front of a crowd. I had about six weeks to learn 20 songs. And it was awesome! The first gig in Derby was really rowdy!” Mark says.

A Karajarri and Bardi Jawi man, Mark has lived in One Arm Point, Perth, Melbourne and New York. He won a scholarship to play college basketball in the US, which resulted in a fast-paced few years, travelling to Pennsylvania and North Carolina in addition to the games in New York. He broke freshman records in his first year at college; he was a leading player in scoring and steals.  

These days, he’s based back in Perth.

“I miss basketball a lot. I play in the WA State League but I do miss playing in America. It’s not quite the same. That said, basketball has taught me what commitment really means. And for now, I’ve switched my focus to music. While it might be a struggle at times, I’ve been working hard at getting better!”

We pay Traditional Owners super !

Have you done any work for KRED or EHSIS over the last year?? Have you been out on a heritage survey?? If so, we wanted to make sure that you know this: We pay all Traditional Owners 9.5% superannuation on top of any TO fees. We currently pay this to Australian Super, in an account in your name, unless you have given us separate details. If you want to ask us any questions about this, please get in touch with our gorgeous ladies in the office !! 

Ambooriny Burru Foundation Annual Report 2016

Future leader of the Pacific

By Wynston Shovellor-Sesar

From the 5th to the 11th of September I was lucky to take part in a program called The Future Leaders of The Pacific that took place in Hawaii with fourteen pacific Islanders who are passionate about climate change and environmental issues around their homelands, it was part of the IUCN Conservation Congress that was also held there.

I was nervous at first that I was going to be traveling alone and hadn’t fully understood what I was getting myself into but when I arrived to Honolulu I was welcomed with open arms. We gathered and had a group discussion where we introduced ourselves and what we learnt at end of the day.

I had the privilege to meet many passionate, intelligent young leaders who are working to lead for their people and country. We shared many stories about ourselves and what we do back home. I felt challenged about opening up to strangers, but I became more confident and relaxed around others as we grew our relationship. We developed an international network of brothers and sisters who share the same values for culture and land who are concerned about climate change. We met with The Leaders from Pacific Islands and visited few of Hawaii’s National Historical Parks with the Park Rangers and tour of the National Energy Laboratory in Kona ‘Big’ Island. We then surfed some waves, walked the trail up to Diamond Head and had dinner together on the last night. The highlight of my trip was I enjoyed was meeting all the pacific Islanders and the trip to the Polynesian Cultural Centre.

It was a full on five days program that I had enjoyed and won’t forget about the experience, I am so thankful for getting the opportunity to be a part of something that is truly a life changing experience and that I want to be able to be a part of again. I would like to thank everyone involved in the selection process for choosing me, it had made me feel like anything is achievable. Living in a remote community in Western Australia that sometime isolating, opportunities like this show that there is more out there to explore wherever in the world.

Attika Edgar on Rome, education, and the importance of family

“Education is a priority for us. It’s the key to unlocking our self determination.”
--Attika Edgar.

KRED Enterprises awarded Attika Edgar a Nipper Tabagee Scholarship to assist her with travel to Italy to pursue her studies.

Attika’s currently undertaking an Associate Degree in Business Administration (Indigenous Studies) through the Australian Catholic University. As part of the course, students have the option of studying international business and international marketing over an intensive ten day block in Rome—a city famous for its architecture, fashion and food.

While thrilled by all of these things, it was the nature of the family structure that really struck Attika.

“I learnt that Indigenous people and Italian people are really similar in some ways. We have a similar family structure and we have very closely knit families. Business stays in the family.”

Overseas travel, or cultural exchanges, often makes us look at things in a different way. As Seneca famously wrote, “Travel and change of place impart new vigour to the mind."

This was certainly the case for Attika. 

“It made me want to work harder to create a stronger family unit, even from an economic perspective. Following the trip, I want to make things better for my children and Indigenous people as a whole,” Attika says.

KRED Enterprises is proud to offer Nipper Tabagee Scholarships to all Kimberley Aboriginal people wishing to pursue their educational, artistic, musical or sporting ambitions. Check out our scholarships page for more information.