Mybalgohome

CULTURE LESSONS AT THE WAKALA CENTRE Each term we do a Culture topic.  This term it was around family and relationships. The children were being told by Cathy an Elder, about their ‘skin’ names.  Each person has a skin name which dictates who they can marry.  Jeff and I have been given skin names which of course line up.  I am Napurrula and Jeff is Tjapanangka. Kamus was interested in the old tools and weapons which are housed in this building.  It is called the Wakala Centre and it is essentially the Balgo museum. It’s a great place to get lost for a while. CULTURE AFTERNOON AT OLD BALGO 50 odd years ago the township of Balgo as we know it didn’t exist.   Old Balgo is about 30 km away.   This was a mission where desert aboriginals were picked up and taken here.   The children were put into the mission school and were told not to speak their language.   The children were only allowed to see their families at Christmas if at all.   These children ar

AROUND COMMUNITY The kids are resourceful.   They have added a second set of wheels to the front of this green bin.   It adds another dimension to ‘Bin Isolation’ !!!    There really isn’t much for the children to do in community so they need to get creative. The boy pushing the bin is in my grade. This big fellow wanders around the community always wary of the camp dogs and kids with sling shots.   Sling Shots are the new fad here.   Unfortunately, the kids like to make the rubber band part from a football bladder.   The sports shed at school is running out of footballs very quickly….grrrrrrrr Well, here it is…the new perimeter fence that goes around the school and the teachers compounds.   It is 2 metres high with spikes on the top…. But we have seen kids climb them already!!!   The only people it will keep out are oldies like us!!   Breakins are a constant threat so we can’t let our guard down. We keep everything locked. This is out the front of o