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lists of people to be seen need to be
exchanged so that no-one who needs or
wants to be seen is missed. There are
children and adults to test, hearing aids
to be fitted and followed up on,
soundfield amplification systems in
classrooms to be checked, meetings to be
arranged with community leaders, clinic
staff, medical officers and school staff.
Ngaanyatjarra people are still quite
mobile so tracking people down takes
time. Missing a person may mean
waiting three to four months until the
next visit.
The visit by our audiological team in
November 2003 was fairly typical – a six
day 4WD journey from Alice Springs,
41 hours on the road (across three time
zones) covering some 2000kms on
largely unsealed roads.
First overnight stop is Uluru, where
all provisions required for the trip are
purchased. As the sun rises we cross into
WA and on to the
communities of Wanarn,
Mantamaru (Jameson),
Warburton, Papulankutja
(Blackstone) and Irrunytji
(Wingellina) where over
the next five days clinic
and school-based services are provided.
Mid-week at Warburton there is an
opportunity to address a health
workshop. Health and education
professionals travelled many hours from
all over the Ngaanyatjarra Lands to
attend the workshop. Never have there
been so many white LandCruisers lined
up in one place at the one time!
On the last day, after a morning clinic at
Wingellina, the car is packed for the
long drive back to Alice Springs via the
Pitjitjantjara Lands in SA.
As well as the daily clinical activities,
many domestic decisions need to be
made – who drives, who shops, who
Manager of the Australian Hearing Indigenous Programs, Chris Burton, assists
Alkawari Dawson, an Australian Hearing client from Irrunytju (Wingellina) in
the Ngaanyatjarra Lands in Western Australia.
packs and unpacks the car, who cooks,
washes and dries, who gets to sleep on
the bed, the kitchen floor or the
verandah (not a bad option with daytime
temperature around 40°C). Time also to
get to know fellow house guests, on this
occasion a group of environmental
scientists working with the local people
to restore ancient waterholes.
Back in Alice Springs, there are reports
to be completed and a visit made to
the Ngaanyatjarra Health Service local
office to meet with the various Health
Team Leaders to assess the year’s
program and to begin planning for the
next twelve months.
A visit to Jigalong
By Glenn Johnson, Audiologist, Australian Hearing.
Fly two hours north to Newman, drive
east on the dirt “highway” towards
Marble Bar for an hour, turn right at
the “Jigalong Community” sign then
bounce along for another hour well
into the Western Desert. Pull up at the
clinic, switch off the engine and bathe
in the soft sound of the delicately
whispering she-oaks. Dust off the red
dirt, stretch and wonder how long it
will take for your body to stop rattling
in time with the road.
Expect to arrive with the clinic either
deadly quiet – community business
happening – or, more likely, in complete
mayhem with the arrival of a truckload
of kids from Cotton Creek, five hours
away. Adjust accordingly. Set up quickly
as there are three waiting adults and the
clinic staff say “they won’t hang about.”
Shift portable airport landing lights off
the desk to the reclining dental chair,
then shift again as you realise you’ll
need this chair to seat clients.
Jigalong is located in the Western Desert.
Hear kids raking sticks across the
corrugated iron walls of the clinic then
wait for an effective “get out of it!”
from the health worker. You’re ready.
Tell the waiting room you’re the “Ear
Man” and you’re on your way.
Hear&Now 15