"1
197
12.S2
(ііі) Possessions
(b) Housing
Sir Charles Court, Premier of Western Australia until 1982,
disagreed with the views of Senator Chaney, Federal Minister for
Aboriginal Affairs who encouraged the leasing of cattle stations.
⅜
Court gave his view that many of the stations were ’’little more
than camps at which hundreds of people lived in sub-standard
conditions on the proceeds of welfare cheques” (Mikurrunya, 20.8. 79).
It is true that the people have lived in makeshift housing.
However, they would like better housing. Mikurrunya (27.2.81)
gives an account of an impassioned plea by Jacob Oberdoo for
more money for housing, designed to meet the needs of the
communityɪ.
Mikurrunya (3.10.80, 7.12.81, 27.2.81) gives an account of
work on ten new houses, progress on work at Jacob’s camp, and extra
rooms for houses at Middle Camp and Top Camp and alterations at
„. . z. 2
Ginger’s Camp .
However, the Mob assigned the first buildings to the school -
a pledge of the priority given to schooling. Teachers originally
were housed in two permanent buildings, transportable buildings
and caravans. Both teachers and community made considerable sacrifices,
the former recognising the priorities held by the Mob.
The Mob was able to wait for better housing since it put its
identity within the Law. In a real sense ’home’ for the Mob, order
3
out of chaos, lies in the Law . Nevertheless sub-standard housing
ɪʌ visiting architect suggested to Jacob various ways in which
he might construct his house. Jacob listened patiently, but closed
discussion with the remark, "I’ve been thinking about this house for
fifty years”.
2The people at the Strelley homestead group themselves into eight
camps spread over a length of 8 kilometres, with schools at three of
the camps.
ʒlhe contrast is obvious between the situation of the Mob and of white
communities in general. The same contrast may be found in Third World
countries. In South America, the poor of the barrios, having graduated
from houses of cardboard and bamboo fronds to packing case houses,
long for numbers on their houses, a sign of order out of chaos, a link
to security of identity, a Contexting into western practice (Research
interviews, Recife, Brazil; Santiago, Chile, 1974/1981).