[I’ve been storing up posts for a while since I’m waiting to get phone and internet at home here… stay tuned.]
So… I’m back here, relaxing at One Arm Point and being mooned by bowerbirds after a hard morning’s socialising and having some Bardi come at me full tilt (I’m sure B’s speaking especially fast just for me). I’m in the principal’s house with him and his family while my other accommodation is sorted — can’t do that at the weekend. B hasn’t changed a bit, still as wonderful as ever (although she wasn’t having any of my humbugging her for a fishing trip today!) The road is paved between before Beagle Bay and One Arm Point now, so there was only about 70 mins of surfing, and the grader had been through recently so that bit wasn’t bad. We were here in just over 2.5 hours, about half the time it used to take. The front cover image of my fieldwork book is gone forever: that bit is paved and they moved the road a bit to the left. Lombadina now has a police station. The water is nastier tasting than I remember (although I guess I used to boil it, maybe because it was nasty*). There are more houses, there’s less rubbish, and there’s a nice vibe. The public phone I tend to use still works. It’s a bit hotter than Broome, I think, and the wind has died down now (it’s mid-afternoon). I have a ‘date’ with someone to take me to the cemetery when it gets a little cooler. I know more people there than in the community now (although I hope that’ll change over the next few weeks).
The school program sounds like they’re doing great things, and I’m looking forward to helping out. The problem as always will be making sure speakers don’t get too tired, I suspect.
*There’s some problem with the decalcification chemicals, apparently. I’m not sure I want to know.
Anggarrgoon 