Читать книгу Into the Unknown - Joy Dunicliff - Страница 14

Chapter 8 – Joe’s New Zealand plans

“You know I have plans for Charlie in New Zealand too.” Joe continued. “We are a global family concern. My grandparents have made a good living in America, but I am the eldest of my family, and I have the rest of them to support. Charlie needs something, as up to now, I have had to keep him. Then I have my sisters to keep, and my favourite aunt, Aunt Eliza, and I still have a brother to educate. Schooling is not cheap in England. “

“I know that,” said Alfred, “It was the reason my parents took us to Heidelberg as children. Mother thought education would be cheaper, but it turned out it wasn’t because it was a university town. I shall never be able to keep up with you, work wise anyway, that would not be my life style. You like to make money; I like peace and quiet. I like to think and ruminate. I think it has done me good to get away from London, just to leave the bustle.”

“What, leave the bustle when you have it here too” retorted Joe. “Men shouting, because they feel they have been out done. Others are just noisy from drinking excess and those brawls, and all those ‘working class’ who come from poor areas, and just do not know how to behave. We might as well be in the East End of London down by the docks. No I would not like what you call peace and quiet here either”.

“You do realize don’t you, that we have native people all over Australia, and they are very primitive to our way of thinking. To undertake such operations, you would have to get them on your side. They are very good at hiding in the bush, leaving you alone, but knowing all about you and what you do. They can get very upset you know, if what you are doing, interferes with their culture and beliefs. Do bear that in mind. I get on well with some of the tribes, and they can be very helpful, once they get to know you, and realize you are trying to understand them too” said Alfred.

“I hadn’t thought of that” replied a surprised Joe.

He had been in the habit of going to countries, which were already in the British Empire, who already experienced British culture and understood our ways of doing things, even if they disapproved.

“I am very interested in the Aborigines”, Alfred explained their way of life, how they survive in this difficult climate, and their stories of “The Dream Time”. I have a lot to learn about them and from them. I love some of their art, which you need to understand, before you can fully appreciate it.”

Alfred did spend much of his life studying them, and he was making a significant contribution to the infantile study of anthropology, especially in respect of the Australian Aborigine. He was also to become the only white man to be taken and ritually initiated into one of the tribes.

Cooper’sCreek Australia

Darwin River