Bryce Mulardy

Bryce shares his life journey of surviving a childhood of violence, alcohol and a stutter that made him feel different from everyone else.

Funded by Department of Local Government, Sport and Culture (DLGSC) and produced by Centre for Stories in partnership with Nyamba Buru Yawuru, Rubibi Yarning is a collection of experiences from Broome/Rubibi storytellers recorded in April 2024. Over two weeks, Centre for Stories ran workshops for Nyamba Buru Yawuru staff, friends and clients, including Warrmijala Murrgurlayi Rise up to Work participants, which offers pre-employment and vocational training to young people. The workshops culminated in a storytelling event held on the grass of Nyamba Buru Yawuru, with music from Bart Pigram.

This story was shared by Bryce Mulardy. Bryce was a Warrmijala Murrgalayi Rise Up to Work participant. Bryce shares his life journey of surviving a childhood disrupted by violence, alcohol and a stutter that made him feel different from everyone else. Bryce was proud to share his story without stuttering once.

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Photo by Bryce Mulardy. Story published 16 April 2024.

View Story Transcript

BM: Hi, my name is Bryce. I was born and raised in Broome, but originally from, um, Bidgi[danga] and up Looma side. When I was young growing up, I was surrounded by alcohol and violence. My mum and dad split up, so me and my mum made our way towards Karratha, up in the Pilbara. And yeah, got our first house there. They put me in my first public school at year two. I made couple of mates there, but it was hard to interact and fit in since I was the darkest, darkest of them all. Had a hard time speaking, I had stutter. Stuttering was with me all my life until I was hitting age 14, 15, it started to disappear.

High school, it was right at first but then I started drifting away from my normal friends. Um, yeah, started hanging with crowds that I didn’t think I’d be hanging with. Made my way back to Broome. At around, during my high school years, made my way back Broome. Got in trouble, hanging with the wrong crowd. Started stealing, breaking in, um, uh, yeah, but… Still went to school.

But ever since we was in Perth, one part and like, when I was Year 8, tried to move there, house didn’t work. We lost our house. Lost like two houses. We got a new house in Broome. Just recently started to settle in. I got in, started getting into more trouble and it got me nowhere except for in detention.

But from Karratha, my mum changed her life by becoming a Christian, trying to do good for me and my sister. But it was hard again since we were surrounded by all the crimes and alcohol and exposed to drugs and that’s… Most of the kids that I grew up with, they all used to go spearing, don’t do that no more if they’re not spearing they’re stealing. But out of all that, I got nothing. And yeah, I started focusing on myself, my mum, and yeah. Going TAFE, trying to get a job. And, yeah.