Freda Wilson story continued

F. Yeah – and some other year we might go Argyle then some year they might walk from Argyle to here. (note – it was obvious Freda had something on her mind so Pam continued). Freda, do you see those people now – do they come in with motor cars? F. They got motor cars now. P. Do they come in to see you at Emu Creek? F. Not much – they are not the SAME people. They are not the same STYLE of people.

P. Yes, I know – they don’t want to mix as much – I notice the people come in from the Communities, do their shopping and business, and go home same day. Even five years ago they used to sit down longer here.
Freda - something made them change. (Note – Freda was obviously sad that the old way of life had gone and with it the exchange of conversation and old camaraderie she once enjoyed. ) P. Oh, Freda – things have changed – now people have T.V. and all that sort of stuff. In the old days, all they had to do was talk-talk. F. (brightening up) Sit down and Sing!. Conversation then ensued about the corroborees, the singing and dancing and the giving of presents at Christmas time. Freda was happier but said she thought that would all eventually go away.
Freda went on to say her friends were now in Kununurra, on stations – all over. Her Community, Emu Creek, is very close to Kununurra and Freda comes to town several times a week.


P. Freda, you get along really well with white guys, don’t you. F. Yeah – no problems. P. Freda, you been painting long time now – you sell plenty? Yeaaah! From Freda – big mob all over Australia. P. Have you ever been down to capital city to do Art Show. F. shaking head – Nothing.

P. Some people have, but it’s a long way isn’t it. F. Costs a lot of money. P. So you’d rather stay where you are and paint your country. F. Yeah, yes.
Conversation followed about different styles of painting, different stories, different languages – but what Freda was saying is that although the styles, stories and languages are different, Aboriginal people paint the same themes.

End Tape


NOTE – Tape - Worth listening to – this lady is very well spoken for the amount of education she could possibly have had –
On drive back to Emu Creek, she went on to say how important she had thought it to educate her children. She also spoke of her father and what he had taught her in the bush as a little child especially in relation to bush medicines (she has obviously passed this on to her children)– of the very very early days when the first settlers arrived – of the good and bad in all people.