In loving memory of
Joyce Caroline Clague (nee Mercy) MBE
Awards
Member of the Order of the British Empire in 1977 (She refered to the MBE as More Black than Ever).
Birthplace
Ulgundahi Island Aboriginal Reserve, Maclean, NSW
Nation
Yaegl / Gumbayngirr / Bundjalung
Famed as
Australian Community Activist
Family
Beloved wife to Colin Clague
Mother to Liesa, Anne Grace, Pauline and Evette
Foster Mum to many
Nan to Maria, David, Luke, Aleena, Lily, Keewa, Alex and Kahla
Great Gami/Nan to David, Oscar and Piper Joyce, Noah and Aiden,
Daughter to Hilda Randall and Glen Mercy
Sister to Barbara, Muriel, John, Leo, Beatrice, Christine, Eileen, Lester, Cyril, Daryl, Dale, Cedric, Warbie, Laurie, Glenda and Elizabeth
Mother to Liesa, Anne Grace, Pauline and Evette
Foster Mum to many
Nan to Maria, David, Luke, Aleena, Lily, Keewa, Alex and Kahla
Great Gami/Nan to David, Oscar and Piper Joyce, Noah and Aiden,
Daughter to Hilda Randall and Glen Mercy
Sister to Barbara, Muriel, John, Leo, Beatrice, Christine, Eileen, Lester, Cyril, Daryl, Dale, Cedric, Warbie, Laurie, Glenda and Elizabeth
Trailblazer. Community activist locally, nationally and to the world community.
An Australian trailblazer, community activist and Yaegl elder. Her activism centres on social change for Indigenous Australians. She was influential in promoting the YES vote for the 1967 Constitutional Referendum and in the 1996 native title claim, known as Yaegl #1, which was settled in 2015.
“If I didn't have the fire in my belly l would not have got things done.”
My greatest pride and achievement is that with Colin's help I have endowed our community with four extraordinary women, our daughters, Dr Liesa Clague PhD, Macquarie University, Anne Grace Clague who at 4 weeks of age accompanied me to the inaugural meeting of the World Council of Churches Commission Program Combat Racism in Geneva and whose baptism was a dedication by those present to strive to eradicate racism in her lifetime, Associate Professor Pauline Clague of the Jumbunna Institute, University of Technology Sydney and Evette Clague who delights and inspires the people she entertains with her music and personality.
Fact File
Smile
Known as fiery Joyce. She would warm you with her smile and then heat you up with her persuasive argument or conversations.
“She would warm you up with her smile.”
Bank of NSW
She bought the building that was the Bank of NSW so she could right a wrong that forced her people to enter the towns Cinema from the lane beside the bank and a curfew line at the front and put her community firmly in the centre of town.
Fast car
She bought a blue Renault Virage - it was a fast car - she was pulled over by the police for speeding to a meeting in Lismore. They thought she had stolen it.
Aboriginal Community
She got Governments, Unions and private industry to work together to build urgently needed housing for Aboriginal communities across NSW.
Serving the world community
Global Advocate
Pioneering Leader in Combating Racism, Promoting Indigenous Rights, and Advancing Social Justice
Along the way I have served the world community as a member of the World Council of Churches Commission Program Combat Racism, the Australian community as an executive member of FCAATSI and the NT community as a community and social activist, as its first Aboriginal woman candidate for public office, by initiating a wide-ranging voter education and enrolment program and as a member of the committee chaired by the late Yami Lester that established the Institute for Aboriginal Development.
Trailblazing Advocate
A Legacy of Service to the NSW Community and Aboriginal Affairs
I served the NSW community as the inaugural Welfare Officer employed at the Foundation for Aboriginal Affairs, as a member of the inaugural NSW Women's Advisory Council, an adviser to the Minister for Co-operatives, an assistant to the NSW Ombudsman in particular with his inquiry into the Operation Sue police raids in Redfern, as the first Aboriginal member of the Australian Museum Trust, Deputy Chair of the NSW Ministerial Task Force on Aboriginal Culture and Heritage, as a foundation member of the NSW Aboriginal Land Council, an advocate to the ACTU Lend Lease Foundation promoting group training housing developments in NSW Aboriginal communities and as chair of the NSW ALP Aboriginal Affairs Policy Committee.
Champion of Northern Rivers
Advocate for Indigenous Education, Land Rights, and Community Empowerment
I have served the peoples of my home nations on the NSW northern rivers as formation secretary/manager of Nungera Co-operative, as a member of the Council of the Northern Rivers College of Advanced Education, formation chairperson of the Institute for Aboriginal Community Education at the NRCAE, in the formation of the Yaegl Local Aboriginal Land Council and as co-claimant with my esteemed cousin the late Della Walker for Yaegl Native Title Claim No 1