Introduction Through a study of station life in the Kimberley our understanding of race relations and the frontier are enhanced. The references chosen are aimed to emphasise the variety of resources available. They were chosen in order to encompass broad perspectives and experiences of station life in the Kimberley, including Indigenous and non-indigenous and to cover a broad time period representing the history and contemporary times. Non- Indigenous Resources Interview with Elizabeth Durack Hughes, R. (interviewer), & Durack, E. (interviewee). (1997, September 3) Elizabeth Durack [interview transcript]. Retrieved April 2011 from http://www.australianbiography.gov.au/subjects/durack/interview1.html An interview of Elizabeth Durack (1915-2000) by the Australian Autobiography project provides a detailed account of her experiences of station life. Elizabeth and her family are of Irish decent and owned and managed many Kimberley stations including Ivanhole, Argyle, Newry, Auvergne and Bullita. Elizabeth grew up frequently visiting these stations so provides a unique account of station life as experienced by a child, and later as a woman. Elizabeth speaks of her past relationships with Aboriginal people and what she learnt about land, culture and art.
Mary Durack’s Poem The Boab Tree (1935)
There where the red plain stretches to the river And the bank is furrowed by flood and the feet of the herds Where acacias dip to the changing brink of the water And the age-old rocks are the preening place of birds, You had borne and shed the fruit of your countless seasons From fortunate seed to tree of mighty girth Where the dream-folk met sometimes for the fore-telling In chanted treasure of a race more bold Than they - pale skinned - the conquerors of earth. And when we came - we were young then - believing Those limitless prospects of the coming years, Yet time it seemed old tree, the stars of heaven Clung to your branches like a fall of tears. We saw you as a friendly monument When, with perhaps some dream of future fame, (for we were not the travellers come so far Like eastern prophets following a star?) - We carved into your bark each man his name. And so the years passed and one by one We ceased to gather in your ample shade, For some had passed into the deeper shadows And some had gone where fortunes might be made. So much for hopes we cherished when your blossoms Waved on the wind intoxicating sweet til every hardship wore a garment splendid That hangs forlornly now the dream has ended Our far horizons shrunk about our feet. You would remain - part of that lonely landscape - So we believed, though we came back no more And nature with unsentimental fingers Strove to efface the names you staunchly bore. Was it disenchantment you surrendered Growth of a thousand seasons fruit and leaf To the embrace of that consuming fire Blazing your branches to a funeral pyre, Leaving a heap of ashes, grey and grief? W.A Bush Poets (2010) The Boab tree. Retrieved April 2011 from http://www.wabushpoets.com/pastpoets/durack/boabtree.html Mary Durack (Elizabeth’s sister) transferred a story from her father into a poem of truth and meaning. Mary flawlessly incorporates Indigenous and non- indigenous differing relationships with the land. Mary also suggests that the pastoralist industry in the Kimberley was not what was hoped by the many non-indigenous people who swarmed to the Kimberley looking for fortune. From this we begin to understand the non indigenous perspectives during the pastoral frontier. Newspaper Article- Kimberley Blacks. Work on Stations Special Representative (1934) Kimberley Blacks. Work on Stations. Western Mail (Thursday 22 Novemeber 1934) Retrieved April 2011 from Australia Trove: http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/37707665?searchTerm=stations in the kimberley&searchLimits= This newspaper article explorers the expanding pastoral industry in the Kimberley in 1934. It provides an insight into the era’s non indigenous perspectives and ideologies in relation to Aboriginal people and the effects of colonisation. Although the perspective is racist and overtly paternalistic, realisations such as the low level of understanding about Aboriginal people was noteworthy. This article, unlike that of Elizabeth and Mary’s doesn’t incorporate experiences or evoke empathy from the reader, it does however represent the broader societies ideologies at the time, held by people who had not had direct experience with Aboriginal people or station life. Indigenous Resources Video clip Mervyn Street- I am an Artist. I come from the bush. ABC Kimberley (2011) I am an Artist. I come from the bush. Retrieved April 2011 from **http://www.abc.net.au/local/videos/2011/04/06/3184025.htm** Mervyn Street speaks about his memories growing up on Louisa Downs and how he integrates his history in to his artwork. Mervyn speaks highly of his time spent on the station but does acknowledge the hardships. Mervyn makes clear his strong relationship with the land when speaking of his birthplace but this relationship with his country must have experienced turbulence as the station now is a bare resemblance of the station he so foudly paints and speaks of. Blackfella- Whitefella by Freddie Timms (1999)
Image retrieved from National Gallery of Australia (2010) Freddie Timms. Retrieved from http://cs.nga.gov.au/Detail.cfm?IRN=21651 Raft Artspace (2002) Timms Freddie. Retrieved from http://www.raftartspace.com.au/freddie.htmlFreddie Taylor, P. (1988) Fitzroy Crossing. In P. Taylor (Eds) After 200 Years Photographic Essays of Aboriginal and Islander Australia Today (p. 143- 163) Canberra: Aboriginal Studies Press This chapter on Fitzroy Crossing provides a detailed recount of the history of the Kimberley. Fitzroy Crossing was a town established during the pastoral frontier and has been directly influenced by it ever since. This photographic essay is a creative way of incorporating history and various Indigenous people’s experiences. The essay also explores the contemporary lives of people who left their home lands as a result of the equal wages grant and decreased available work, who have now reclaimed their traditional lands. Conclusion This selection of resources captures the essence of station life in the Kimberley through unique resources. Through a comprehensive comparison each source can be seen as valuable to contributing to our understanding.
Introduction
Through a study of station life in the Kimberley our understanding of race relations and the frontier are enhanced. The references chosen are aimed to emphasise the variety of resources available. They were chosen in order to encompass broad perspectives and experiences of station life in the Kimberley, including Indigenous and non-indigenous and to cover a broad time period representing the history and contemporary times.
Non- Indigenous Resources
Interview with Elizabeth Durack
Hughes, R. (interviewer), & Durack, E. (interviewee). (1997, September 3) Elizabeth Durack [interview transcript]. Retrieved April 2011 from http://www.australianbiography.gov.au/subjects/durack/interview1.html
An interview of Elizabeth Durack (1915-2000) by the Australian Autobiography project provides a detailed account of her experiences of station life. Elizabeth and her family are of Irish decent and owned and managed many Kimberley stations including Ivanhole, Argyle, Newry, Auvergne and Bullita. Elizabeth grew up frequently visiting these stations so provides a unique account of station life as experienced by a child, and later as a woman. Elizabeth speaks of her past relationships with Aboriginal people and what she learnt about land, culture and art.
There where the red plain stretches to the river
And the bank is furrowed by flood and the feet of the herds
Where acacias dip to the changing brink of the water
And the age-old rocks are the preening place of birds,
You had borne and shed the fruit of your countless seasons
From fortunate seed to tree of mighty girth
Where the dream-folk met sometimes for the fore-telling
In chanted treasure of a race more bold
Than they - pale skinned - the conquerors of earth.
And when we came - we were young then - believing
Those limitless prospects of the coming years,
Yet time it seemed old tree, the stars of heaven
Clung to your branches like a fall of tears.
We saw you as a friendly monument
When, with perhaps some dream of future fame,
(for we were not the travellers come so far
Like eastern prophets following a star?) -
We carved into your bark each man his name.
And so the years passed and one by one
We ceased to gather in your ample shade,
For some had passed into the deeper shadows
And some had gone where fortunes might be made.
So much for hopes we cherished when your blossoms
Waved on the wind intoxicating sweet
til every hardship wore a garment splendid
That hangs forlornly now the dream has ended
Our far horizons shrunk about our feet.
You would remain - part of that lonely landscape -
So we believed, though we came back no more
And nature with unsentimental fingers
Strove to efface the names you staunchly bore.
Was it disenchantment you surrendered
Growth of a thousand seasons fruit and leaf
To the embrace of that consuming fire
Blazing your branches to a funeral pyre,
Leaving a heap of ashes, grey and grief?
W.A Bush Poets (2010) The Boab tree. Retrieved April 2011 from http://www.wabushpoets.com/pastpoets/durack/boabtree.html
Mary Durack (Elizabeth’s sister) transferred a story from her father into a poem of truth and meaning. Mary flawlessly incorporates Indigenous and non- indigenous differing relationships with the land. Mary also suggests that the pastoralist industry in the Kimberley was not what was hoped by the many non-indigenous people who swarmed to the Kimberley looking for fortune. From this we begin to understand the non indigenous perspectives during the pastoral frontier.
Newspaper Article- Kimberley Blacks. Work on Stations
Special Representative (1934) Kimberley Blacks. Work on Stations. Western Mail (Thursday 22 Novemeber 1934) Retrieved April 2011 from Australia Trove: http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/37707665?searchTerm=stations in the kimberley&searchLimits=
This newspaper article explorers the expanding pastoral industry in the Kimberley in 1934. It provides an insight into the era’s non indigenous perspectives and ideologies in relation to Aboriginal people and the effects of colonisation. Although the perspective is racist and overtly paternalistic, realisations such as the low level of understanding about Aboriginal people was noteworthy. This article, unlike that of Elizabeth and Mary’s doesn’t incorporate experiences or evoke empathy from the reader, it does however represent the broader societies ideologies at the time, held by people who had not had direct experience with Aboriginal people or station life.
Indigenous Resources
Video clip Mervyn Street- I am an Artist. I come from the bush.
ABC Kimberley (2011) I am an Artist. I come from the bush. Retrieved April 2011 from **http://www.abc.net.au/local/videos/2011/04/06/3184025.htm**
Mervyn Street speaks about his memories growing up on Louisa Downs and how he integrates his history in to his artwork. Mervyn speaks highly of his time spent on the station but does acknowledge the hardships. Mervyn makes clear his strong relationship with the land when speaking of his birthplace but this relationship with his country must have experienced turbulence as the station now is a bare resemblance of the station he so foudly paints and speaks of.
Blackfella- Whitefella by Freddie Timms (1999)
Raft Artspace (2002) Timms Freddie. Retrieved from http://www.raftartspace.com.au/freddie.htmlFreddie
Taylor, P. (1988) Fitzroy Crossing. In P. Taylor (Eds) After 200 Years Photographic Essays of Aboriginal and Islander Australia Today (p. 143- 163) Canberra: Aboriginal Studies Press
This chapter on Fitzroy Crossing provides a detailed recount of the history of the Kimberley. Fitzroy Crossing was a town established during the pastoral frontier and has been directly influenced by it ever since. This photographic essay is a creative way of incorporating history and various Indigenous people’s experiences. The essay also explores the contemporary lives of people who left their home lands as a result of the equal wages grant and decreased available work, who have now reclaimed their traditional lands.
Conclusion
This selection of resources captures the essence of station life in the Kimberley through unique resources. Through a comprehensive comparison each source can be seen as valuable to contributing to our understanding.