The name is absent

210

13.8 Theorizing about delinquent groups

The Jigalong Mob are denounced for bringing grog to Strelley,
for disrupting the ceremonies.

When the Jigalong people came to Strelley recently
many of them brought in grog. We do not allow
grog on Strelley. They brought guns too. The
kids ran wild. Many things were burnt and smashed
up. We protected the sober people from the drunks
and that is why no-one got hurt or killed. Some
of us got no sleep for five nights.

We are tired of this and we don’t want to hear
about those crazy people ever again. And we have
one question: the D.A.A.1 says that Strelley spends
the government’s money the wrong way and Jigalong
spends it the right way. Maybe the D.A.A. wants
us to kill ourselves too, like those people? Is
that the right way to spend money? (Jacob Oberdoo,
Snowy Jitamarra and Crow Youkala, Mikurrunya, 29.10.79).

13.9 Theorizing about white society

The corrupting influences of white society are denounced. A
particular aspect of this view of white society is shown in the
determination of the group not to send their people to teacher
training institutions in the city.

The School Board earlier formulated a policy in this regard:

The school board ... noted that sending people
away for training caused many problems. The school
Board said that the training should take place
on property owned by the Group away from the town.
People who wanted to be trained as teachers and
work should come from the town to the Marrngu place
to learn instead of the town swallowing up the
marmgu (Mikurrunya, 2.10.79).

This theorizing was re-stated by a leading Law man at a meeting
at Mt. Lawley College of Advanced Education in Perth. All these
denunciations of what the group opposes, defines at the same time
what it is not, and affirms the cohesion of the group.

Department of Aboriginal Affairs.

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