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 Oneof dirt worn bare around small fires and on mulkara grounds; on a people who are family,who are community, who scrape to survive on the dry pocket of ground. Fred McKenzie iswatching carefully; his son Angus clutching him, but not afraid to look. Women, fixed for amoment, are now putting their heads down and moving inside their huts, shooing theirchildren before them. Becky grasps her sons’ shoulders, and turns them to the doorway, butdoesn’t follow them. She watches, as this epiphany starts to fade. She has no idea why shefeels warm in the cold night air, only that she does, and is glad.Jack is calm as he sits down on an upturned kerosene tin by their fire. His breathing isquiet and soft.‘Jack?’ Becky prompts.‘Fred says we’ll be alright. You seen that.’ It was a statement, not a question, and Beckynods. She’d seen it, whatever it was. ‘Fred says, like Father, Son and Holy Ghost, like thatold pastor Kramer said. Coming to let us know they looking out for us. Something good willhappen now.’ His brow wrinkled slightly. ‘Don’t know what for. Maybe that old yura. Mayberain to drink.’ His expression turned wry. ‘Maybe pair of shoes for the frosty morningscoming up soon. Not everyone got boots made for snow, hey Mrs England?’He laughed at her then, and she felt good all through. With an easy chuckle she handed abowl of hot rabbit stew to Jack, and ladled out three more for herself and the boys. She evenscooped out a mess of bones and lay them in the dust for the dogs, which had stretched outwith their heads resting on their paws, asleep under the blanketing night. 121.6th April 1930, Copley, Flinders Ranges 12274