The name is absent

245

From the discussion above, it can be asserted that, whereas
in pre-1946 contact the white world acted upon the Mob, and
largely removed their autonomy, the post-strike era has seen a return to
a^, social structure where autonomy resides within the group. The
group which has been socially constructed, is not a mere agglomeration

but has succeeded in establishing causal-meaningful bonds within the Law.

contact with the white world and contact

with other Aboriginal groups has been shown to result in the conservation
of elements from the tribal world, through a process of adaptation
and absorption both of traditional elements and elements from the
white world. Elements from both worlds have been fused into a coherent
universe of meaning.

The following effects of contact may be discerned:

During pre-strike contact, the Mob modified its
tribal universe of meaning in response to action
upon the tribe by the sub-culture of cattle stations
in the north west of Western Australia. Its world
became tradition-oriented, rather than tribal.

After settling at Strelley, the Mob has ’taken’
some ’white’ values (e.g. the importance of schooling)
and incorporated these into the social structures.

It has ’taken’ white institutions (e.g. money economy)
and incorporated them by analogy within traditional
structures.

The Mob has elaborated typifications of white culture
as destructive of the group and the individual.

It has elaborated typifications of Government as
promising much but not fulfilling promises and
wishing to destroy the group.

It has elaborated typifications of missionaries
as wishing to destroy the Law and traditional authority.

In the case of other Aboriginal groups:

The Mob has elaborated typifications of contemporaries
who are invited, persuaded,to become consociates.

These other groups are invited to restructure their
own Law, and regain autonomy, particularly in the
schooling area.

<<   292   293   294   295   296   297   298   >>

More intriguing information