Mark Bin Bakar
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Mark Bin Bakar is an Indigenous Australian musician, comedian and radio announcer based in Broome, in the Kimberley region of Western Australia and is best known for his television character Mary Geddarrdyu or Mary G, who hosted a variety show broadcast nationally on SBS Television.
The son of a Catholic Indigenous mother and a Muslim Singaporean father, Bin Bakar created the character Mary G, a stolen generation woman like his mother. She first featured on Bin Bakar's radio show in Broome at Radio Goolarri in 1993 where she tackled issues of domestic violence, sexual health and reconciliation, and was particularly popular with Aboriginal women.[citation needed]
Bin Bakar was the founder of Stompen Ground, a musical event that was held in Broome and televised nationally.
The Mary G show has played at the Sydney Opera House and at festivals and conferences right around Australia.
The Mary G show has also travelled to rural and remote communities across the country, including an extensive tour right across W A.
Mary G won a Deadly Award in 2005 for Excellence in Film or Theatrical Score.
Bin Bakar is a talented musician in his own right[citation needed] and was in WA Indigenous bands such as 'Section 54' and 'Footprince'. Twenty years ago Mark established Ab Music in Perth; Ab Music is a place for teaching and skilling Aboriginal people as musicians.
Bin Bakar has also been actively involved in seeking justice for members of the "Stolen Generations"; part of this involvement has been through chairing the Kimberley Stolen Generations Corporation. He has also produced two albums of songs about the Stolen Generations. Mark was also an inaugural deputy convenor of the 'Stolen Generations Alliance' formed in 2006.
Mark continues to present the Mary G radio show for three hours every Wednesday night; it is broadcast to over 100 radio stations via the National Indigenous Radio Service (NIRS). He also tours backwards and forwards across the country with his live cabaret show. He is only able to combine these two activities because he carries a portable radio studio whenever he leaves home base in Broome.
On July 11, 2007, he did a three-hour show with the Pigram Brothers (also from Broome) and other musicians in the Berrimah Jail, Darwin. This was broadcast live over the NIRS Network; this concert broadcast is without precedent, being the first national broadcast of a 'jail concert'. Later that week he was honored to be named the National NAIDOC Person of the year in recognition of his work.
Mark gave a number of keynote addresses in 2006 and 2007, including a speech given in the Great Hall of Parliament house in Canberra on Sorry Day 2007.
Late in 2007 it was announced that Mark was 'West Australian of the Year', which made him a finalist for 'Australian of the Year' in 2008.
[edit] References
- Something Mary, Broome Happenings, 13 January 2006, p. 3
