2011 - Theses - Flinders University

The missionaries came to us with nothing: we had to give them everything. We had to givethem a donkey, and cart to go get the rations: they had nothing.How true. The Adnyamathanha took them in, gave them a community to belong to, and a taskto believe in. Gave Jim a cart, and a donkey, and in return he gave them white patronage thatdelivered rations once a fortnight. A fair exchange. Without them, Jim had nothing.Minerawuta, April 1930The men had erected a makeshift structure for Jim of tin and frayed canvas, not far from theWimila. He had asked for a brush shelter too, where he might have church meetings, andwhile the fellas had shrugged at this request, they had put up two poles for him, reasoning hecould fill in the rest the way he wanted. A fire pan had been given to him, and children hadbrought a stack of kindling, and now were stand around hopping from one foot to another asthey watch him go about lighting it. Shadows begin to lengthen, and he is a long way from anevening meal.‘I’ve brought you a lump o’ cake and a mug of tea.’ The words ring like a bell, wrenchingat his gut as he turns to the source.‘Thank you.’ And for a moment he doesn’t say anymore, staring at this tiny petiteapparition that brings everything of his childhood flooding into that moment.‘You’re from London?’‘Bow Bells. But I’m from here now. You met my husband, Jack Forbes, earlier.’ So one ofthose men had been him. ‘The tall thin man, short beard, getting on now. Anyway, pleased tomeet you. I’m Mrs Forbes.’ That last she speaks with some dignity, rounding the sounds ofher name. Then she leaves the tea and camp oven cake on the ground by his climbing fire,and hurries away across the flat.95