The name is absent

223

of the role of story-teller. The use of three languages in the
publication binds the group together. Decisions made, struggles
won, plans carried out are all given great emphasis by being enshrined
in a written form.

The literature centre also produces books of all sorts and at
all levels of comprehension, their content springing from daily life.

I

It is noteworthy that story books of this sort are also a source
of theorizing. One of the Manyjiljarra stories for example, Jamrarra,
told "the story of what happens when a grandfather and a grandson
do not go by the Law” (Mikurrunya, 27.2.81:10).

Theorizing is further articulated and communicated through community
meetings.

13.19

(ii) Community meetings

The frequency of the meetings held by the group are not part
of Aboriginal tradition. According to anthropologists the people
met on rare occasions, for ceremonies and the settlement of disputesɪ.
Thus these meetings are themselves a social construction, an adaptation
of the processes of the Law to meet new situations.

It has been seen that the conscious construction of social reality
by the Mob puts autonomy, encompassed in the rebuilding of the Law,
as its highest priority. The setting up of an Independent School
and of a School Board to control this, the setting up of a Pastoral
Management Committee to plan pastoral work, demand frequent meetings
of all, or part, of the group. Policy is formulated and reformulated
at ’grass roots’ level at these meetings.

ɪ Tonkinson (1974:17), see p.200-201 above.

<<   268   269   270   271   272   273   274   >>

More intriguing information