“My name is Harold Pascoe, and I come from Bamaga, a small remote community in Far North Queensland. Bamaga is part of the Northern Peninsula Area, which is made up of five communities. I am a proud Torres Strait Islander from the Samu Clan of Saibai Island.
Growing up in Bamaga was a unique experience – unlike city life, remote living can be challenging as we don’t have the same access to shops and services. But despite these challenges, I got to experience the best of both worlds. I could go out fishing on the boat, hunting on land and sea and camping. I am always surrounded by family. Life in Bamaga gave me the privilege of growing up deeply connected to my culture and community. In our community, everyone is considered family, and family is at the heart of my culture.
After finishing school, I moved to Brisbane to study performing arts at the Aboriginal Centre for Performing Arts. Since then, I’ve had incredible opportunities to dance and sing across Brisbane, act in theatre productions at QPAC and Queensland Theatre, and even appear in the Netflix series Boy Swallows Universe.
I wanted my photo taken in the city amongst the skyscrapers and the working city people, showing that my culture follows me wherever I go in the world.
Now, after four years in Brisbane, I’m still adjusting to city life. As a young man pursuing a career in performing arts, I look forward to what God has in store for my future. If you see me around, don’t hesitate to say hi.”