He was aged about half way
between my parents and myself
and, as a child, I always called him
“Uncle Max”
and took great pleasure
in visiting him
and “Auntie Margaret”.
He had served in the air-force
during the Second World War,
only to return home
to a community petition
to have him removed
from the “war service home”
that he and Auntie Margaret
had been allocated.
They had grown up
in mission children’s homes
and knew very little
of their indigenous language,
so, in later life,
when meeting,
we always used
what little "language"we shared
before reverting to English.
“Wai tjilpi. Nyuntu palya?”
“Uwa. Palya”
“G’day old man. Are you well?”
“Yes. I’m well.”
Sep 28, 2023
Sep 28, 2023 at 10:10 PM UTC
He was aged about half way
between my parents and myself
and, as a child, I always called him
“Uncle Max”
and took great pleasure
in visiting him
and “Auntie Margaret”.
He had served in the air-force
during the Second World War,
only to return home
to a community petition
to have him removed
from the “war service home”
that he and Auntie Margaret
had been allocated.
They had grown up
in mission children’s homes
and knew very little
of their indigenous language,
so, in later life,
when meeting,
we always used
what little "language"we shared
before reverting to English.
“Wai tjilpi. Nyuntu palya?”
“Uwa. Palya”
“G’day old man. Are you well?”
“Yes. I’m well.”
I have changed names for publication but the people in this write are both real although now deceased, an important part of the rich heritage of my life.
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