Chapter 9

It was another hour to Tennant Creek, which they spent in relative silence, but when they got to the town, Sam said: “See if you can spot the Nyinkka Nyunyu Centre. It should on your side, before the hospital.”

Tessa spotted the sign and Sam pulled in. They got out of the 4x4 and walked towards the front door. An older woman emerged.

“Wanyatta angi apan?” [‘Where are you going?’] she asked.

“I am not of your family,” Sam responded. “I can only answer an appropriate man.”

“Hunh.” She went inside. A moment later a man with a greying beard emerged.

“Piliya angi nyina?” [‘How are you?’] he said. “We are not open today.”

“And we are not tourists. Nor students. I am bunjil and was told to stop here.”

“Oh. Yes. It was foretold. You are the son of Yurrkulu [snake]. This must be Wodang. Eagle follows raven.”

“And you are?”

“Karupurlalki [someone from the west], because I was born in Lajamanu. The whitefellas call me Karl.”

“I am called Sam. My wife is Tessa. She is from the far south.”

“She may speak. The setting sun is taboo only to the egret.”

“Do you know why we are here?”

“No. I was only told to provide a sleeping place. I had thought the Aboriginal Hostel, but found that while they would accept Wodang, they cannot provide for a whitefella.”

“Also bigotry.”

“True. I have booked a room for you at the Safari Lodge. It is not cheap. Yet it is only a bit north of here.”

“Thank you. We will manage. We will go to Dunmarra tomorrow.” Sam nodded to Karl and they got back into the 4x4. As they pulled out, Tessa said: “Unfriendly.”

“We took him aback. He did not expect a white eagle with a raven. Nor one who knew some words in an appropriate tongue. And he is aware, but he is not nungungi, so he resents me.”

The Safari Lodge was quite welcoming. They showered, napped and had a quiet Chinese dinner at Wok’s Up, a five-minute walk from the Safari Lodge. They showered again before leaving in the morning. The drive to the Dunmarra Roadhouse was uneventful. Sam topped up the fuel and checked the tyre pressure before they went indoors. They took a room for the night and each had pie and coffee in lieu of lunch. Then they walked towards the camper area.

“I see you,” said an initiated man who was leaning against a metal pole.

“And I you,” said Sam. “Are you Djingli?”

“Hah! Djingli dead before my father’s father. We but a few dozen from all over, left here when the railroad gone.”

“I know a place where others can become part.”

“Far?”

“Two days driving.”

“Hmm.”

“One day to Yarralin. One day to Gabbaitch.”

“Where Gabbaitch?”

“You know where whitefella lake was?”

“Serpent wrecked dam.” While they spoke, two men, several lubras and a few children had approached. “Your woman?”

“I am Bunjil. She is Wodang.”

“She get sweets for us?”

“Tessa. Go into the shop with two of the women and buy sweets for the women and the kids. You want baccy?”

“Don’ smoke; don’ drink. Gonna die someday anyhow.”

“Coke?”

“Betcha.”

“And Cokes for...?”

“Denny.”

“Cokes for Denny and the two men.”

“You go Gabbaitch?”

“Yes. Josiah the headman gave us places months ago. We went to visit my dad and his dad; to visit her people. Now we tell you and Yarralin about the settlement and go back there.”

“Hmm.”

“Gabbaitch is a place of no tribe for all tribes.”

Several children, each stuffing something, returned. “Tell us a story,” the oldest boy said.

“Please,” said Denny.

“Please,” they chorused.

“My father is a carpet python. He is close to those black pythons who live here and they are all descended from Kunukban, the Rainbow Serpent. Kunukban came out of the sea that encircles Australia, making landfall in the Kimberly, near where Wyndham is now. Kunukban was determined to wrestle secrets from the all-father, Ekarlarwan. But Ekarlarwan was invisible and didn’t want to be found. So he sent his dog, Djaringin, to play tricks on Kunukban. The dog was glad to do so, and so the serpent followed the dog, making his way to Beetaloo Lagoon and Lake Woods, at the edge of the Barkly Tableland. In fact, Lake Woods is where the rain collects in the hole the serpent made in the dust when he rested. And the earthquakes in Tennant Springs and in the tableland to the east are the serpent still being restless.”

“Thank you.”

“Yes, thank you,” said Denny. “This has been a good meeting.”

“I think so.” Denny gathered his mob and walked off.

“I’d never heard that story,” Tessa remarked.

“Nor had I,” Sam responded. “Nor had I.”

Tessa asked “Have you any expectations?”

“Yes, I do. I just don’t know what.”

“Can you explain?”

“I think so. Yarralin was an important link in a traditional network for exchange of goods and culture among indigenous peoples – there’s apparently both archeological evidence and oral histories of the area and the community is diverse, with several language groups represented among the residents. I’m hoping that the diversity will make Gabbaitch yet more attractive.”

“Now I get it! We’re real estate salesfolk.”

“Maybe. But we’re not becoming wealthy nor making a profit. The NT government has only contempt for the area. There’s a report on the catchment. It’s in back.”

In the morning as they set out for Yarralin, Tessa reading from the report.

There are a number of small settlements in the Victoria River catchment, Timber Creek (300 people) and Top Springs, as well as four major Aboriginal communities, two minor Aboriginal communities, and 13 family outstations. The four major Aboriginal communities are Amanbidji, Daguragu, Kalkarindji and Yarralin, all of which have greater than 100 people, the largest being Yarralin with around 500 people. The nearest major population centres are Katherine to the east and Kununurra to the west.