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I was brought up by six strong women. This is how it's shaped me

Four women in formal dresses posing for a photo.
I was raised by six strong women, and they have shaped me into the person I am today, Molly Hunt (left) writes.()

Whenever I find myself in moments of uncertainty, I dial an Aunty.

And boy, do I have a catalogue of aunts to choose from.

I guess it's a bit of a cliché to say Indigenous people have big families, but I'm a living embodiment of that statement.

Mum's one of eight — six women and two men — and I was raised by them.

As a child, I didn't seek out a traditional nuclear family.

Having more adults in my life just meant there was more love and support to receive.

Dial an Aunty

What's it like having basically six mums?

Well, it can be a pain. For one thing, everyone wants to have a say in what you do.

And fair enough. They have brought me up and I value their opinions.

When I do need help, I feel like I have a council of advisers I can turn to.

Like the time I wanted to resign from a job.

The thought of facing my manager left me unravelling with knocking knees and sweaty palms.

So what did I do? Whipped the phone out and 'dialled an aunt'.

A photo of six sisters in formal dresses.
L-R Trisha, Coral (nan), Zabrina, Cissy, Delphine, Correna (mum), Lana (missing).()

Aunt One was brief and straight forward.

"Be confident! That's all!"

Aunt Two rambled, but reminded me of my wellbeing.

"OK, what you're going to do is write your cons and pros… you did that? Good!

"Wait, how are you feeling? Take a cold shower to get rid of the nerves, and drink some water for your dry throat."

Aunt Three was a bit confused.

"Wait, why are you quitting?"

Aunt Four was the condescending saviour.

"Send me your resignation letter. You do have one, right? You don't?! Uh I'll write one for you!"

Aunt Five looked towards the future.

"Just go in and quit and once you've done it we'll go have a drink to celebrate."

And last but not least, there was my mum.

"Molly, you're bright and confident. You know what to do."

I'm never alone when I need to find my path.

Learning to give advice

A woman posing for a graduation photo with her parents.
Sapphire was the first person in her Aboriginal family to go to uni.()

Yuin woman Sapphire Dawson, 27, also acknowledges the role her family have had in her life.

She grew up with her aunts, uncles, as well as her nan and pop, in different cities and towns in NSW.

"I remember during the times where we were moving from place to place, different cousins would come and look after me and my sister," Sapphire says.

When Sapphire was younger, she would turn to her aunties for life advice.

Now as an adult her younger cousins come to her for advice.

"[They ask about] school, uni, their Aboriginality, getting more connected to blackfellas where they live.

"I have a really great relationship with the younger ones."

'I don't need anyone's approval'

My family's opinions are super important to me. But I don't feel like I need their approval.

It's the same for Sapphire.

"I don't think I need anyone's approval," she says, "mainly because my family generally supports most of the decisions I make and actively encourage them.

"For example, I'm the first person in my Aboriginal family to finish year 12 and go to university and they were all pretty proud of that."

Sapphire says having that support has strengthened her bond with her family, and wants her own children to feel that connection.

"It has made me want to get to know more of my family and have better relationships with them.

"Even more it's made me want my own children to have better relationships with my family [their nans, pops, aunts, uncles and cousins]."

I am strong in myself

Twenty-year-old Bundjalung woman Kristie-Lee Watego was raised by her nan and pop in Logan, Brisbane.

20-year-old Bundjalong woman Kristie-Lee Watego with her family.
Kristie-Lee was raised by her grandparents.()

Growing up with four other sisters, Kristie-Lee's earlier years were full of "misbehaving".

But she says her grandparents "changed [her] life for the better".

"Who I am today is really a reflection of my aunties and my nana," Kristie-Lee says.

"As an adult, I cherish the love, I cherish being kept with all my siblings and not separated because the memories are the greatest thing in my life.

"I cherish how my nana and pop struggled but made everything work.

"I look up to them so much: they're strong, caring and supportive women and I aspire to be like them every day."

For me, having six women raising me shaped me for better. Maturing in this big family really helped me become independent.

I like to reflect on who I am today. I am strong in myself, in my spirit, and identity.

And it's mostly because of having six strong pillars of strength, wisdom, experience and love to lift me up and push me forward to the future.

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