DREAMTIME COWBOY 🎧 Chapter 1 – Part 2

Francis’ earliest memories emerge: a childhood shaped by the land, freedom, and silence — until the day he glimpses white society from across a riverbank. Shocked by its chaos, Francis is soon sent to school, where racism becomes a daily reality. A local constable steps in, teaching him to box. This chapter blends the innocence of the bush with the harsh awakening of discrimination, setting the tone for a life of endurance and quiet power.

🎧 Endnote If you’ve enjoyed this first glimpseinto Dreamtime Cowboy, you can help me continue editing andproofreading the full story — both for print and this podcast, and eventuallyfor the audiobook to come.

This project was bornfrom hundreds of recorded interviews, painstakingly transcribed and writteninto prose by award-winning Editor-in-Chief AdrianBeckingham as a true labour oflove.

Every contributionhelps bring the extraordinary life of FrancisFirebrace, Aboriginal elder andstoryteller, to completion and share it with the world. Francis is now aged 89years and with the onset of dementia, cannot remember many of the events which he spoke of during the initial interviews.

Support the timely completion of this journey by making a financial donation here: 👉 ⁠www.ko-fi.com/adrianbeckingham⁠

Thank you for walking this path — keeping the fire of story alive.