Galiwinku Diary

Well after our evening walk on the beach which is an important antidote to the days tropical heat lockdown in the airconditioned donger, we’re using the Aboriginal corporation vehicle to make the 5 km trip home. Louise calls out to a small family group walking up the road – anyone heading to Bhutan (our suburb) …?  We’ve thought we’d dodged the tropical storm heading across the bay – but as soon as the door shuts with our 4 lucky passengers now inside – whamo we’re hit with a tropical downpour. They include a 9 month baby in a pram on their 3 km return trip from a Sunday arvo family visit.  There’s two broken down vehicles in the front yard and an old fella under the verandah. The young father in relative impecunity doesen’t lack connections – he’s confident and proudly tells us his dad now deceased was on the board of our first nations corporation employer. To my way of thinking he should be living in middle class comfort. We’ve been told that first nations families suffer overcrowding – one family to one bedroom with up to five families in any one house. There might be one fridge and if that breaks down how do you manage your food – hard to manage anyway in such a household, not to mention your sleep which might not be setting you up for a good day at school.  School attendance is only 30 – 40 % in this community.