Anyinginyi Manuku Apparr: Stories from Our Country

Working for Rations

Pankurrpankurr
E. Nelson Nappanangka

That wulkuman, Mrs. Ward, she been boss then. All big boys and men, Ross-mob, Kenny-mob, my daughter come. Kids go to convent school. My mob grow up here, station, that other mob went to convent. Mrs. Ward she been chasing all the kids to school. Look all the houses if they're clean, yard used to be clean. She used to take all the kids around and pick up rubbish and rake. She take lollies for them, peanuts sometimes.

We was working, ironing, washing the laundry, and water boil, too hard. We making bread punching, punching, milking cows, making butter. Milk run self and cream, butter. Soap bucket for laundry. All the ladies work then. Take toilet water out then, bucket, heavy one. Kids come from school, wash clothes, clean ones, iron, ready for next day. Kids line up everyday, morning, cup of tea maybe porridge, and dinner time now, come in big mob. Get all rations, take-im to camp then, we go make tucker then.

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