The name is absent

296

Natasha McNamara commented on factionalism in Adelaide as an
P

inescapable fact of life: ,“...of course, they’re always
fighting. Aboriginal groups do” (in Gilbert, 1977:107).

Pt. Augusta has some of the characteristics of Strelley. It has
a cohesiveness promoted by the Panel which unites all the
agencies working for Aborigines. There is a degree of cohesiveness
that is actually enhanced by factionalism, where factionalism is
located between metropolitan and rural, groups, just as at Strelley,
group cohesiveness is enhanced by the establishment of white
I
society as ^,the enemy’, and the rural sectors of New South Wales
see themselves fighting for ’real’ Aboriginality as distinguished
from the characteristics of city ’stool pigeons’.

I

A dispute in Adelaide, in 1980, about an Aboriginal legal rights
*

issue, in which Pt. Augusta Aborigines believed their views were
neglected, drew a response from the rural group that in fact united
them, while dissipating further the energies of the Adelaide group.
⅛

The Pt. Augusta group contacted other rural groups who converged
on the city in buses, attended a meeting, argued a case coherently
and with a united voice and won their point. Over and above the
victory gained, the exercise had contributed to the coherence of
the group.

There is not the degree of factionalism, depicted by the Lovelocks,
between town and country. However, when it does occur, it serves to
unite the country group.

The Davenport Adult Education Centre also acts as a point of
cohesion for Pt. Augusta. Many of the adults trace a change in self-
concept to the education they received there.

The racist attitudes of the townspeople also serve to provide
an enemy-from-without, acting to promote cohesion within the Aboriginal
group against whom prejudice is directed.

A further source of cohesion is found in the visibility of
leaders.

<<   343   344   345   346   347   348   349   >>

More intriguing information