2011 - Theses - Flinders University

White Lives in a Black Community: The lives of Jim Page and Rebecca Forbes in the Adnyamathanha communityTracy SpencerVolume One Creative Writing Component: Excerpted Chapters from Volume Three Appendix OneNepabunna, June 1935‘That old udnyu, he’s no good. They all saying that.’ Winnie fixes a sideways glare at MrsForbes, her eyebrows raised, and waiting, while her arms pumped the stick stirring the sheetsin the boiling bucket.‘Hmm.’ Rebecca hated the way the rest assumed she should be responsible for Mr Page.She liked the man, and she performed small kindnesses for him, but at the end of the day, hewas a missionary and he had his own affairs to attend to. She slapped her wet dresses on therock, which is exposed now the level in the waterhole had dropped so low.‘The old fellas, they been talking about it. What you gonna do, Mrs Forbes?’ Winniewouldn’t let up.‘What do they say I should do?’ she retorts.‘I don’t know. Udnyu. Maybe he’s lonely. Other fellow got his woman, he’s alright. ButMr Page, he’s just one.’‘Winnie,’ snorts Rebecca, catching the inference, ‘I’m much too old for him! And besideshe’s a missionary.’ She rests back on the rock, thoughtful for a moment. ‘When I first comeout on the ship, I remember there was all this talk about a missionary in Queensland. Got oneof them mission girls pregnant. And his sister run off with a mission boy too. Oh, that was ascandal. That old man got real sick then, and you should have heard the talk. Wouldn’t wantto see that happen to our Mr Page.’‘Hmm,’ said Winnie, mimicking her friend.106