Family Affairs: an historical anthropology of state practice and Aboriginal agency in a rural town, North Queensland Thesis submitted by Sally Marie Babidge, BA (Hons) UWA June 2004 For the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the School of Anthropology, Archaeology and Sociology, James Cook University STATEMENT OF ACCESS I, the undersigned, author of this work, understand that James Cook University will make this thesis available for use within the University Library and, via the Australian Digital Theses network, for use elsewhere. I understand that, as an unpublished work, a thesis has significant protection under the Copyright Act. I wish this work to be embargoed after examination of the thesis, subject to negotiation with the Industry Partner. ………………………………….. ………………….. Signature Date STATEMENT OF SOURCES DECLARATION I declare that this thesis is my own work and has not been submitted in any form for another degree or diploma at any university or other institution of tertiary education. Information derived from the published or unpublished work of others has been acknowledged in the text and a list of references is given. The proposed research methodology received clearance from the James Cook University Experimentation Ethics Review Committee (approval number H1148). …………………………………… ……………………… Signature Date i Abstract This thesis is an historical anthropology of power, a study of the relations between the state and Aboriginal family in Charters Towers, a rural town of approximately 9,000 people, 135km south west of Townsville, North Queensland. In this thesis I argue that the state/society relationship is mutually (if unequally) constituted, and that the relationship (in practice, in discourse, and in the imagination) operates at many levels. The thesis takes up critical evaluations of the anthropological research on family/kinship in rural Aboriginal Australia through an ethnographic study of the practices of family and belonging. I begin by examining the nature of the frontier, in the construction of knowledge across the frontier and the early practices of the state and Aboriginal people in the reproductions of cultural and social boundaries. The reproduction of Aboriginal difference is institutionalised at the turn of the 20th Century when the state creates specific legislation to control Aboriginal people under the rhetoric of ‘protection’. Subsequent state policies of ‘assimilation’ and ‘self-determination’ are seen as extension of measures of control, although practised by state bureaucracies in novel ways. Under ‘recognition’, in the era of Native Title, Aboriginal difference is ‘recognised’ in terms of concepts of ‘traditional culture’: a static de-historicised Aboriginality with which Aboriginal people identify as well as subvert and resist. In the thesis I examine how Aboriginal families are produced and reproduced in ways which are enmeshed in state practice as well as constituted by practice identified as particularly Aboriginal. Utilising archival sources produced by the colonial state, as well as published histories, oral history and ethnography, I analyse the complexities of state intervention into Aboriginal people’s lives and Aboriginal discourse and practice in response to these measures. An ethnographic study of everyday articulations of ‘family’ and of events such as meetings and funerals, demonstrates that relations of kinship are formed and reformed through frequent performance, which as practice creates and recreates the terms of such relations. My engagement with these arguments in relation to Australian Aboriginal anthropology, is distinct in its analysis of the role of power outside of the resistance/domination duality. ii Acknowledgements My first thanks must go to all of the Murri women and men of Charters Towers. I thank them for their permission to do this research, their patience and forbearance, their care, for opening their doors to me (and shutting them), taking me fishing, sharing cups of tea and for teaching me about themselves and myself. In alphabetical order (by first names) I thank Mr Arthur Spencer, Mrs Alice Fischer, Mrs Bev Santos, Mrs Beverley McKean, Mr Bill Jerry, Mr Bob Masso, Ms Colleen Kennedy, Ms Connie Sailor, Mr David Alley, Ms Dorothy Masso, Mr Eddie Alley, Mr Edward Masso, Mr Evanis Sailor, Mrs Faye Mitchell, Mr Gordon Santo, Mrs Grace Reid, Mr Harry Santo, Mr Henry Mitchell, Mr James Reid (RIP), Mrs Jessie Coleman (RIP), Mrs Kathy Kerr (RIP), Mr Lawrence Kerr, Ms Lizzie Hero, Mr Major Escott, Mr Major Mitchell, Mrs Mary Fletcher, Ms Maureen Reid, Mr Mervyn Santo, Mr Myers Masso, Ms Noreena Masso, Mrs Patricia Dallachy, Ms Priscilla Huen, Mr Reggie Santo, Mr Richard Davidson, Mr Ronald Davidson, Mr Roy Tobane, Ms Ruth Ward, Ms Sandra Callope, Mrs Sandra Escott, Mrs Shirley Huxley, Mrs Sidie McLean, Mr Sonny Burdekin, Mrs Stella May McLean, Ms Tracey Jerry, Ms Trisha Reid, Mrs Valerie Alberts, Mrs Vassa Hunter, Ms Vicky Kerr, Mr Vincent Reid, Mr Warren McLean, Mr William Coleman, Mr William Santo, Mrs Yvonne Moore and their families. A sincere apology to those I no doubt missed. The Central Queensland Land Council Aboriginal Corporation contributed the ‘Industry’ part of the Australian Postgraduate Award (Industry). From the CQLC I would like to thank most especially, Mr Bruce White and Mr Peter Whalley who (as I understand) were the initiators of the project. I also thank Mr Rod Hagen. The Governing Committee of the Inland Land Council Aboriginal Corporation in Charters Towers gave me permission to attend many of their meetings, and access to their office and business most generally. The Warringnu Women’s Group, the AICC, Gudjal Justice Group, Jupiter Mosman Housing Cooperative, the night shelter and Charters Towers CDEP all allowed me access to their meetings or their staff and offices at some time or another. I thank them all for their patience with my questions and time to discuss their interests. Interviews with Mr Peter Black, Dr Jock and Mrs Allingham, Mrs Olive Bagnall, Mr Mac Corr, Mr Jeff Phillips, Father John Emerson, and Ms Sarah Nelson provided invaluable insights into (non-Aboriginal) Charters Towers. I thank them all for their time. Reading, thinking and talking history in Charters Towers was made possible by the Charters Towers & Dalrymple Archives Group run by Mr Mike Brumby and Mr Mike Power. I thank them for their time on Sunday mornings, their interest and help. Thanks also to the friendly staff at the Northern Miner newspaper, Charters Towers, for access to back editions of the broadsheet (and their air conditioned office). Likewise to the Charters Towers City Council Offices for access to their Minutes of Meetings books from the 1960s and 1970s. Staff at the Queensland State Archives were very helpful when I visited in November 2002, and have been of great help in correspondence. Archival research was facilitated by Margaret Reid (DATSIP) in the Queensland State Archives. iii Jonathon Richards was also most generous with his knowledge of the location of particular records and discussion of colonial bureaucracy. I would like to acknowledge the wonderful help of Sallie Webster and other staff at the James Cook University library (archives), and Dr May Abernethy at JCU History archives. I thank all the other postgraduate students in the School of Anthropology, Archaeology and Sociology, but most especially: Celmara Pocock, Jane Harrington, Dr Darlene McNaughton, John Edgar, Annette Field, Dr Julie Lahn, as well as academic staff of the School; Dr Doug Miles, Dr Shelley Greer, Dr Rohan Bastin, Dr David Roe and Dr Maureen Fuary, who have attended seminar papers I gave and made useful comments on rough drafts and works in progress. I thank also my early associate supervisor, Dr Peter Veth. The School’s Administration staff past and present; Walter Dixon, Audrey Logan, Louise Lennon, Robina McDermott and technical staff, Robert Palmer, have all been enormously helpful along the way. Special thanks to Canberra anthropologists who gave me a copy of their theses and unpublished work: Dr Julie Finlayson, Dr David Martin, Dr Jerry Schwab, Dr Yasmine Musharbash, Dr Sarah Holcombe, and Dr Patrick Sullivan. Dr Dawn May was very generous with her time and own research material. I thank Dr Marion Stell for reading drafts of Chapter 2 and 3. Heartfelt thanks to Yasmine Musharbash for friendship and infectious enthusiasm for anthropology, for listening to phone calls ‘from the field’ and from afar with patience and interest, discussing ideas, and reading a draft of a troublesome chapter. The wonderful Celmara Pocock has shared an office with me and without her generous offer to read drafts and her willingness to discuss ideas, I am certain I would not have enjoyed this process, nor been at all satisfied with the result. Thank you for inspiration and friendship and putting up with me. My parents, Mark and Merilyn Babidge, sent me a note in March 2004 that contained the following quote: “Happiness is having a loving, caring, close-knit family… In another city” (George Burns). I thank them and my sister Kate, for their enduring support from across the country, their ongoing interest in whatever I do and their financial, emotional and loving assistance. I would also like to acknowledge with love my two grandmothers, Doreen Longmore and Emeline Babidge. Thanks, Pat Blue Dog, for welcoming me home and taking me running. Thanks must go to Dr Mike Wood my Associate Supervisor, for his entertaining ‘obscure marginal comments’ (his own words) but principally for generosity