476
For Strelley the return to the structures provided by
kinship groupings, rather than voluntary aggregation, is only
. 1
made possible if schools are established along with migrations .
The school is seen as central to the needs of the people in
building group identity. It is,of course, the school qua community
school that is important. Economic interests, social interaction
and schooling form a whole.
The emphasis on the importance of education is one that is
shared by both urban and traditional Aborigines. For urban
Aborigines, an emphasis on building social structures within
the school situation,which will work towards providing a coherent
Aboriginal identity,is a valuable lesson to be learned from
Strelley.
I
The desire for autonomy is a value shared by both groups.
The desire for a specifically Aboriginal identity is shared by
both groups.
It is posited that one way of achieving these desires will
be by using the school as a base. The autonomy achieved by
Strelley, it is posited, may be achieved in an embryonic form
by urban Aborigines through community (i.e. independent)
schools.
ɪwhen Warralong was established in 1979 it became clear
that the group could only maintain cohesion if a school was
established.
Coongan, only six miles away,has no children in the group.
The people with children move to Warralong. The men involved in
the establishment of Lala Rookh in 1980 put high priority on the
negotiation for a school as part of their decision to go to a
new location.
Carlindi station has a handful of people, insufficient for
the needs of the station. The reason given for this is that
there is no school. People are unwilling to go there.