The name is absent

.218

In the original interviews conducted in the city with Aborigines

who had been cited as people with a strong sense of identity, these

people examining the diagram initially offered by the researcher,

the group without roots and said

immediately ’They’re dead”. The men at Strelley and Warralong pointed
to the same group with immediate understanding and said ’They’re
broken people”.

They were moved by the plight of these broken people. Immediately
they felt responsibility for them and cast about in their minds as
to how they could best help them.

Their theorizing was similar to that cited for the people from
Wiluna . The broken people should learn about their lost culture.
To do this, they should be taken back to the lands of their ancestors
and Ieam there about their culture, where it would be full of meaning,
rather than in an urban situation.

13.18 Theorizing about the school

(i) Autonomy in the school

■ The people theorize about and reject the attitudes of government
authorities who make unilateral decisions about education for Aboriginal
people.

The ministers for Education from Western Australia,
Queensland and Northern Territory met with the
Federal Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Senator
Chaney.

At the meeting the Ministers agreed that the Department
of Aboriginal affairs should talk to the State
and Church Education Departments before making
a decision about Aboriginal education in remote
areas.

The main concern seemed to be the needs of the
European teachers. There was apparently no mention
of the need for direct discussion with the Aboriginal
people involved CMikurrunya, 12.4.79:4).

Within the Mob a clear, strong structure exists which stresses

that the right to theorize about its own affairs belongs to the marrngu.
At all.times the notion that the marrngu are ’the boss* is emphasised.

See p. 217.

<<   261   262   263   264   265   266   267   >>

More intriguing information