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Published On: Jun 23, 2007 08:38 PM
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Progress, Sort Of
Nancy, who I met at the airport, before flying
out to Croker, has become my most useful contact so far, and today we spent time
together having a good look at the photographs taken by
Paul Foelsche , the first police inspector at Darwin (then known as
Palmerston) which I had copied into my lap-top from the 'net. I have about fifty
odd pics of Iwaidja people taken in the late 1870's and early 1880's by
Foelsche, whose important collection also documented many of the early buildings
of Palmerston. They will prove to be a great ice-breaker with the Iwaidja people
of Croker Island during my stay, I am sure.
Nancy has suggested I talk with her brother, who
has much knowledge of the history of the Croker Island people, and she has also
offered to lend me a CD containing a lot of information about the creation
stories of Croker Island, including the big one - for Croker is the birth of the
Rainbow Serpent. Among the photographs is a shot of a fierce looking warrior
with a bone through his nose called Wandy Wandy, taken by Foelsche soon after he
arrested him for manslaughter in 1880. Apparently, when two Europeans, E O
Robinson and T H Wingfield started a trepang fishery on Croker Island in 1878,
the people expected tobacco in recompense. When an Iwaidja man demanded tobacco
from Wingfield, an argument ensued, and Wingfield shot the man dead. Wandy Wandy
then killed Wingfield with a tomahawk and announced he would kill every European
who came onto his country. Wandy Wandy was charged and convicted of
manslaughter, and sentenced to ten years, with hard labour added when he tried
to escape. After his release he was among a group who killed six Macassans who
were shipwrecked on Croker. He was tried and sentenced to death, and was hung in
his own country as a lesson to his people. Practically everyone I have talked
with so far, knows about Wandy
Wandy.
Wandy
WandyAfter Nancy and I had viewed the
photographs, she wanted some print-outs of various selections, and as I have no
printer with me, she took me across to see Deb, the headmistress, who is coming
on the boat trip to Fort Wellington with me next Tuesday. Deb agreed to do the
job for me, but as we went on ahead to the school, I spotted a faded fifty
dollar note in the grass. I picked it up, and Nancy congratulated me on being so
lucky. After a while she said, "Bob, I wonder if I could 'borrow' thirty dollars
from you, so I can buy some kava tonight?" (The controlled supply of kava to the
people has just begun on Croker. This, it is hoped, will control both the black
market and the abuse of kava in the community). I cursed myself for picking the
note up so openly, then searched my pocket to see if I had thirty dollars in
notes, but of course I didn't. I gave her the fifty, and she thanked me and took
off. A Midnight Oil song came into my
head. "The time has come, To say fair's fair, To pay the rent, To pay our
share." What the hell. I'm doing what I love, and it was very nice of providence
to toss me fifty bucks to give away.
Posted: Sat
- June 23, 2007 at 01:12 AM
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