To the westward of Tennant Creek were the so-called desert lands and the home of a nomadic tribe who were now in the process of being civilised. During our stay in the area naked groups of the desertites came in with their wooden water bowels telling terrible tales of white people on horseback who were chasing and shooting them down, as our interpreter remarked, 'All-a-same kangaroo'.
They were people of the Walbri tribe they told us. One of their tribe had killed a white man and now 'Everybody make trouble with us people for nothing'.
Looking upon those black people, who stood so erect and so pround as they told us about their grievances and how they were chased from water to water as they moved by night across the desert, I felt humbled and ashamed of our race. … (Harney 1961:43)
… the whites till they saw it. The natives told them it was called 'Din ninnie,' and strange though it may seem, that water is unknown to-day.
Years after, the old women, whose name was No alley, was …
… the horse was a quiet one, but these people had never before seen this strange animal. Owing to some irritation in its nostrils the animal happened to be snorting and showing its teeth. (Harney 1946:240-2)
© 2013
David
Nash
Created 25 January 2008
Modified 13 May 2013
URL http://www.anu.edu.au/linguistics/nash/kt/1932-WEHarney.html