Bungaree

He was adopted by the art world But that's not the language he speaks.

You know, he's really stuck to his guns with the exception of one or two photographs that have caused great excitement, such as his quartet of Bungaree images, where his son dressed as the different facets of Bungaree, who was an Aboriginal man in the early colony in Sydney.

who sometimes dressed up in British uniforms, bits of clothing he'd been given.

But other times he went back to his tribe in Broken Bay and participated in corroborees.

I think in a funny way, Mervyn identifies with Bungaree in that he's of both worlds and he's always been as equally comfortable in the bush talking to a small community as he is at an art gallery, you know, 300 people.

And that's something that's served him well in life.

I think it was evident very early in his childhood, this ability just to relate to people.

But, um, he loved Robinson Crusoe.

Do you think he did see his quite, you know, I suppose, famous relationship really with Bungaree as, as, like, you know, Crusoe to, to, to Friday? Was that-

He was certainly had very, like, and if you can stand it and read his journals and letters, uh, he did have great affection for him.

And, uh, you know, I, I don't know if you know, I mean, you- there's plenty of statues with Matthew's cat next to him, but, but none with, uh, Bungaree next to him at all.

Uh, but I think the original idea was that, uh, Matthew thought, "Well, I'm going up the coast and we'll, we'll, uh, find the mouths of these mighty rivers that feed the inland sea that must be in Australia, otherwise what's the point?" Um, missed most of the [laughs] river entrances, as it turned out.

But he, uh, he, of course, of course, uh, Bungaree was...

I mean, how far up the coast do you have to get before it's a completely different language? 20 kilometers?

Mm.