This dispatch first saw the light of day on 2 August 2012
晕的朋友
Now and then there’s a fool……
http://youtu.be/qYuTr7e1F-Y
NOW– Scheduled Visitors to Yuendumu below:
Week beginning July 30, 2012
NTES, Keith Lewis 26/7 – 30/7
Community Fire Protection Project, David Hutt and Brady Starfield (CDS/FaHCSIA) 29/7 – 3/8)
READ Program, NT DET Julie Griepsma/Enid Kay 30/7 – 24/8
NTG Health Development, Early Childhood Community Nutritionist, 31/7 – 3/8
DHLGRS (Territory Housing) Trish Crowe 2/8 – 3/8
World Vision 5/8/ – 6/8, Early Childhood Support
Week beginning August 6, 2012
DHLGRS (Territory Housing) Trish Crowe 6/8 – 9/8
CDU – SNP Cooking Program 6/8 – 10/8 Judy Bell
FaHCSIA – Jo Ann Cunningham, Remote Staff Coordination South, 8/8
NT Dept. of Children and Families, Mobile Outreach Services, MOS Plus 7/8 – 10/8
No folks, this isn’t fiction. I didn’t make it up. This is dinkum. Thus the Gap is being closed while we sally forth http://youtu.be/ksz2sdGXoFs towards Stronger Futures!
and THEN– From an article by Wendy Baarda ‘The impact of the bilingual program in Yuendumu 1974-1993’ in ‘Aboriginal Languages in Education’ (published by IAD):
“… The status of the Warlpiri language has improved greatly in the community, in the eyes of both white people and Warlpiri people. It is not ignored or put down by anyone. Lots of meetings are conducted in Warlpiri these days, with the decisions being related to the white people afterwards. And as the language has gained in respect, so have the people. The bilingual program, together with the much less racist treatment of Aboriginal people, seems to be producing young people who are more sure of their identity and more satisfied with it….”
and THEN– On May 28, 2000- more than 300000 people walked across the Sydney Harbour Bridge in support of Indigenous Australians and reconciliation.
and THEN- in 1997 the Yuendumu Mining Co. put in almost 1,000 Km of low impact mineral exploration tracks in the Highland Rocks area (Pakaru-kurlangu, Kalipimpa, Yalaya, Mina Mina, Juntu, Pirlinyarnu etc.) using YMC’s front end loader. This multi-client effort was carried out by a rotation of Yuendumu Warlpiri men. Warlpiri sense of direction came into its own and the GPS was only used to check on the accuracy of the west-east and south-north tracks. At no point did our ‘lines’ deviate more than 100 metres from the set course and usually much less. To take part in this operation was a privilege and a pleasure. Our operators who never ever learned to read and write so well, could play the machine like ringing a bell …..
and THEN- 11 April 2011 -Centrelink has temporarily shut its office in the remote Northern Territory community of Yuendumu because it is concerned about the safety of local staff.
and NOW– 19 June 2012- Centrelink was evacuated and remained closed until a rear gate was installed in the Centrelink compound. Ever since, a 4WD vehicle has been parked inside the fence facing this rear gate. It hasn’t moved. It has this logo on it: . Is it just me? I think this is an oxymoron.
It is Centrelink’s evacuation vehicle.
I will not bore you with the sad story of how local initiatives have been suppressed under the Intervention. I’ll just say that it is not well known that as well as the Racial Discrimination Act having been suspended, sections of the Trade Practices Act (dealing with unfair competition) were also suspended.
I am happy to report that for the Yuendumu Mining Company there is light at the end of the tunnel. Looks like at last we will be able to live up to our name and get to do some real mining.
We are front runners to win the contract to dig the Centrelink escape tunnel.
The Tunnel of Love….
http://youtu.be/_ZsyEy1uJtg
再见