This special replay takes us back to one of the very first episodes of the Black Magic Woman Podcast, originally recorded in 2020. Uncle Mick Gooda—respected Gungalu and Yiman man, former Social Justice Commissioner, and long-time advocate for our mob—joins Mundanara for a powerful yarn about truth-telling, sovereignty, the history of missions like Taroom and Purga, and the legacy of community-driven education through the Murri School.

In a time when COVID-19 was redefining how we stayed connected, this episode reminded us of our resilience and adaptability—and those lessons still ring true today.

We’re working hard behind the scenes to bring you new and exciting weekly episodes, so thanks for sticking with us while we get back into the swing of things.

Recommendations throughout this episode:

https://humanrights.gov.au/about/commissioners/mick-gooda-aboriginal-and-torres-strait-islander-social-justice-commissioner

https://www.referendumcouncil.org.au/council/mick-gooda.html

Website: www.blackmagicwoman.com.au

Follow us on Instagram - @blackmagicwomanpodcast

The Black Magic Woman Podcast is hosted by Mundanara Bayles and is an uplifting conversational style program featuring mainly Aboriginal guests and explores issues of importance to Aboriginal people and communities. Mundanara is guided by Aboriginal Terms of Reference and focusses more on who people are rather than on what they do.

If you enjoyed this episode, please ‘Subscribe’ on Apple Podcasts or ‘Follow’ on your Spotify app and tell your friends and family about us! If you’d like to contact us, please email, info@blackmagicwoman.com.au

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, I sit down with the deadly Elijah McDonald – a proud a Noongar|Yamatji|Pitta-Pitta man from WA– who’s part of the team behind Blaktasia: Invasion of the Merk, Australia’s first-ever Aboriginal-led mobile game.

I caught up with Elijah fresh from Yabun Festival on Gadigal Country, where he and his team were showcasing Blaktasia and spreading the word about this groundbreaking project. Made by mob, for mob, this game isn’t just about fantasy and fun – it’s about reconnecting with Country, fighting back the darkness with mulga magic, and seeing our stories and faces represented in digital spaces.

We yarn about Elijah’s journey from playing games with his dad to studying Game Art and Design at TAFE, and how he landed a role at Guck – a majority Blak-owned company making big waves in the gaming world. This was such a refreshing convo – I’ve never had a game developer on the podcast before, and Elijah is leading the way for young First Nations creatives in the tech space.

If you’re a young fulla dreaming of a future in gaming, design or digital storytelling – or just curious about how culture and coding can come together – this one’s for you.

And the best part? Blaktasia is 100% free – no ads, no microtransactions. Just pure Blak brilliance.

🔗 Resources from this episode:

• Follow Blaktasia on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blaktasia_game

• Follow Blaktasia on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@blaktasia_game

• Follow Blaktasia on Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/blaktasia_game

• Like on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/blaktasiagame

• Learn more about Guck: https://www.guck.com.au

• Indigenous Game Developers (IGEA article): https://igea.net/2022/10/indigenous-game-developers

• CSIRO Indigenous STEM Programs: https://www.csiro.au/en/education/programs/Indigenous-STEM

• Indigitek – Mob in Tech & Innovation: https://indigitek.org.au

• Unity Learn (Free Game Dev Tutorials): https://learn.unity.com

• Unreal Engine Learning Portal: https://dev.epicgames.com/community/learning

• Roblox Studio (Create Your Own Games): https://create.roblox.com

Website: www.blackmagicwoman.com.au

Follow us on Instagram - @blackmagicwomanpodcast

The Black Magic Woman Podcast is hosted by Mundanara Bayles and is an uplifting conversational style program featuring mainly Aboriginal guests and explores issues of importance to Aboriginal people and communities. Mundanara is guided by Aboriginal Terms of Reference and focusses more on who people are rather than on what they do.

If you enjoyed this episode, please ‘Subscribe’ on Apple Podcasts or ‘Follow’ on your Spotify app and tell your friends and family about us! If you’d like to contact us, please email, info@blackmagicwoman.com.au

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of the Black Magic Woman Podcast, I yarn with two deadly young changemakers, Brianne Yarran and Jeremy Last, who are part of the Culture Is Life Fullaship Program. Brianne, a proud Noongar woman from Ballardong, Whadjuk, and Wagyl Kaip Country, and Jeremy, a proud Wangkangurru, Yankunytjatjara, and APY Lands man currently living on Kaurna Country, share their journeys through the Fullaship experience.

We talk about how the Fullaship supports young mob through leadership development, cultural connection, and personal growth—all without financial barriers. Bri and Jeremy reflect on the opportunities they've had to visit different First Nations communities, learn from respected Elders like Aunty Steph and Uncle Kenny Bedford, and gain tools to strengthen their mental health with support from Abstar Consulting.

This conversation is filled with wisdom and practical insight—not just for young mob, but also for organisations and allies wanting to back First Nations excellence in meaningful ways.

✨ Learn more about the Culture Is Life Fullaship Program:
https://cultureislife.org/fullaship/

Website: www.blackmagicwoman.com.au

Follow us on Instagram - @blackmagicwomanpodcast

The Black Magic Woman Podcast is hosted by Mundanara Bayles and is an uplifting conversational style program featuring mainly Aboriginal guests and explores issues of importance to Aboriginal people and communities. Mundanara is guided by Aboriginal Terms of Reference and focusses more on who people are rather than on what they do.

If you enjoyed this episode, please ‘Subscribe’ on Apple Podcasts or ‘Follow’ on your Spotify app and tell your friends and family about us! If you’d like to contact us, please email, info@blackmagicwoman.com.au

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.