News Petyarre Nugget Smith

%\*UDKDP-DFREDQG0U6PLWKåVIDPLO\ In that way, it becomes part Nugget was a man from Amaroo and Greenwood, of you and you in the Sandover country. but he always came back turn belong to it. He told me that his to his family at Lake Nugget also family came to the Lake Nash. learned about Nash district back in the When he was about Akaneng tradi- 1920s to get away from the five years of age his fam- tions from An- cheeky white fellas in the ily moved to May Downs tarrengy and region. station because of work Aharreng ances- Frank Sutton was the and that’s where he start- tors. manager of Lake Nash ed to hear the stories He did men’s Station at the time and about mustering, brand- business at Lake there was also a police- ing, fencing, windmills Nash back in man at as well and all that station talk , those days when as Lake Nash. as well as learning about Slippery Morton Petyaare Nugget Smith his own culture. Apetyarr was the was born near a signifi- By the age of 12, he boss law man. cant sacred site named could do almost every job He was taught Pipakarinya not far from there was to learn on the song and ceremo- the old camp down near station. ny for arlewatyerr Lake Nash Station. He told me that in that (goanna) and ar- Nugget had two bush stock camp, he learned rarntenh (bush names. to ride and shoe a horse plum). His first bush name and brand, castrate and He was also was Aratilkerk, which he drove cattle, to cook stew shown the sacred shared with his father’s and make damper and sites associated father. bush brownies, and to with these dream- This bush name was work leather for green- ings, including about the flower of the hide hobbles and whips. Akaneng. bush plum Arrarntenh, When the motor car So living in two the major Akaneng came, he learned to drive worlds taught Nug- dreaming. and repair engines and get a lot of things. He never forgot that he not, jobs on the station be- He was also given an- motors. came harder to get. other bush name Nyema- He also worked on was a proud initiated Ab- original man. This meant life at the la, with this name con- windmills, digging holes, bush camp became much necting him up forever, fencing, putting in bore 'UHDPWLPHVWRULHV harder for Nugget and his not only to Ilperrelhelam, casings and installing The old ones from family. but also to its dreaming new heads. the Warluwurra and There was even a time stories. It was a life full of Pwelanye were slowly dy- when that station mob Nugget’s dual interests proper hard work, he ing out but they could see shut the store and stopped in his arrengey and birth- said. he was someone who could Aboriginal people from place countries (Akaneng Nugget spoke proud- be trusted to keep this buying things there. and Ilperrelhelam) have ly about working un- knowledge alive, someone The whole thing be- long been acknowledged. der Charlie Paine, head who could tell the stories came an issue about land. )DPLO\ stockman at Lake Nash, a of the dreamtime, espe- The people Nugget’s father was well known figure in this cially the dreaming sto- wanted country to live on, Percy Kngwarrey who was part of the country ries for this country. and the station mob said said to be born about 1894 %XVKFDPS So this meant that that they couldn’t have Nugget began to learn all and his mother’s name Even when he came any of theirs, so a big fight fence going through. of this and as he did he be- get and ask his opinion, or was Ruby Pwerle. back to the bush camp at followed. More than anything came stronger and stron- get him to sign papers, be- Nugget’s father died Lake Nash, that meant This went on for years else, Nuggett was a family ger until everyone began cause he could speak for when Nugget was a small tough living again. until, it was finally agreed man. to see that this old man this country. boy and he never had the There was no running that this little piece of He used to get sad when was the proper traditional 6DFUHGSODFH chance to know his father. water, or toilet, or show- country here would be giv- he knew they were talking owner for this country, be- He had three sisters, ers or going to the shop, en back to the Alyawarre Even just before he bad way about each other cause he knew everything Ivy, Daphne and Gladys. because there wasn’t one. to live on so that they passed away, Nugget or fighting. about the dreaming for Nugget used to talk not In the wet seasons, could have proper home, signed some papers I had Even before he passed, this place. only about his mum but there was mud every- running water, electric- taken to him in Mount he asked me to say to his From the 1930s right also about his other young where and everything ity, clinic, school, a store, Isa which would mark the family and everyone else through for almost the mum Maggie Long who was wet, in the dry sea- a place that belonged to place where all the old here on community, out of next 40 years, Nugget also helped to grow him son there was dust and them. people from the old bush respect for him, he didn’t worked all over the Barkly up. heat and flies, and in the So every time some- camp are buried as a sa- want any more fighting, Region. He was married to Eth- winter, there was always thing had to go to Govern- cred place. he wanted people to work He worked on May el and has three children the cold and the wind, ment about this country This would mean that out their problems togeth- Downs, Yelvertoft Sta- Nancy, Donna, and El- but there was always the or community, people people buried down there er, and to get on living life tion, Brunette Downs and len, who in turn also have fire that everyone could would always come and would never be disturbed good way. That’s what he Barkly Downs and he also their own families. gather around. sit down to talk to Nug- by a grader or bulldozer or asked me to say to you. Nugget always told But as the number of did a lot of droving on the them that they are people living in the camp road with Ron McNamara. Akaneng-areny, like their increased, people had to Someone once said that 6XQULVHZHXVHGWRJHWXS%HIRUHVXQULVHPD\EHJHWWLQJKRUVHV3XWDEULGOH father. walk further and further Nugget’s contribution to RQ\RXNQRZ6WDUWPXVWHULQJ the pastoral industry in Nugget also has two for wood, and you can 6XQJHWXSDQGZHJHWXS:DONRXWWRJHWWKHKRUVHVJHWKREEOH8VHGWREH other daughters from an even see now, today, that the was legendary, and that QRSDGGRFN\RXNQRZ:DONRXWHDUO\DERXWIRXURåFORFNLQWKHPRUQLQJQR earlier relationship. there is not a lot of fire- EUHDNIDVW These daughters are wood down around the they knew of few other Noreen and May Dunn. station because most of it people who could match -XVWFRPHEDFNDQGKDYHEUHDNIDVWZKHQDOOWKHVWRFNPHQJRRXWPXVWHULQJ Nugget and Ethel met was used up by people at him in terms of what he DQGFRPHEDFNKDYLQJEUHDNIDVW,WZDVKDUGZRUNSURSHUZRUNSURSHUKDUG at Georgina Downs station the bush camp. had done. ZRUN

 $SULO