26

26.9.2001

Us mob Jinang

Tammy and Jedda, twin sisters are sitting with their Aunty Agnus at a picnic table at Lee Point. Rosemary their other sister is scrubbing cloths under the outside shower at the public toilet block. On the table is a billy can with cold tea, a stereo is playing songs from their peoples language. Agnus is talking about buying a throw net next payday, how much it will cost and where she can get it?

On the ground at Tammys feet is littered the bright orange seed stem from the black acacia seed, she is making necklaces, some seed, some shell and bones from a fish collected from the Lee Point area. Tammy is using green fishing wire to string the necklaces together and has a bunch of 10 shell and 10 seed which she hopes to sell for about $8 each.

Rosemary has finished the washing and lays out a couple of bright coloured skirts and tops on the green grass in the hot sun to dry. Rosemary joins us at the table.

One or two months we been staying here. We used to stay Daisy Yama back way but to much Police and Night Patrol. They said – No camping round here and no making fires, some of those boys where making it (fire). We moved here, Lee Point and the Conservation mob they told us when we where sitting in the shade like today – You people not allowed to camp here, pack your bags and go, it’s against the law, go somewhere else.

They went by themselves to our camp, they asked us – You mob camping here? We told them strait – Yes, we camping here, where we going to go? We got no house. What… we got to make the tree house now? Bring all the tools for us and we can build it, to live in the trees….

Every time they say – Go somewhere else. They don’t give us the reason. They say there's not enough room here (at Lee Point) but there’s a big mob of room here. They should be shame of themselves when they hear this story, treating us like a dog, making us sleep everywhere.

We told them, we're not going, we're going to stop here, they told other people who are stopping with us - We might burn all the tents and clothes for you if you don't go. One of the Conservation mob said - If you mob stay here, you have to pay $25 each for the fine.

If we leave this stuff and nobody here, they will come and burn it. When we come back - all ashes. If we go long way we can't find water so 3 or 4 of us stay here and look after camp. If they going to burn our stuff, we going to belt them.

Night Patrol came here just once, we told them - don't you mob come here, we got to much stuff, we can't move.

Night Patrol and Police grab people, City Council giving us the fine every minute and stealing our bags and Ranger / Conservation mob they think their Policeman now to.