I was a Drover once myself: Amy Laurie of Kununurra

Abstract

Amy Laurie was about sixty-nine years of age when I recorded her experiences. She lives in a Housing Commission home in Kununurra which serves as a meeting place for her numerous relatives, some of whom spend most of the dry season on the surrounding Kimberley cattle stations. As Amy explains, 'You should see when they all come in together. This yard is going to be full.' Much of her time these days is taken up looking after the youngest of her twenty-one grandchildren. Possessing an excellent rapport with the teenagers, she listens attentively to their viewpoints, taking an active interest in land rights and other vital issues affecting Aboriginal people. She is astutely aware of the dilemmas and difficulties facing the younger generation, but despite the absence of ultimate solutions, she remains positive. Amy is eager to share her past experiences with 'the kids', telling them a 'good yarn' about 'early day black-fellers' or a 'bullock rush', and teaching them pride in their culture.