Mid Term Break - October 7

We had a School discipline Issue this week and now the Tiwi parents are hammering the kids that they come to Downlands to be educated with Non-Aboriginal Australians, therefore they have to follow the local rules!

The Tiwi kids realize they have to pull one another into line, for they need each other to get the right tuning - the cultural gulf is so great there is plenty of room for misunderstanding. We think the Tiwi kids and the other kids at Downlands are doing a great job, and we know it is hard.

Just to put a meter on how hard it must be, we took time out to read of the problems Joshua Wedgewood encountered in 1777 as he attempted to train English Workers for his new Pottery Factory.

He gave up on the older workers so by 1790 three quarters of his workers were apprentices. He created a rule book to inforce New Values: punctuality, regular attendance, fixed hours, scrupulous care, cleanliness, avoidance of waste. He punished sexual immorality and drinking because he wanted his workers be efficient producers.

It took a while for the New Values to surplant the Old Values: Faith and Hope and the primacy of Charity, but over the last 200 years the Factory efficiency New Values have become embeded in our culture: a prudence to buy low and sell high, to trade rather than invade, and to claculate the consequence before pursuing a good.

The English worker of 1770 was more ready than any other, and probably a millennium ahead of nomadic tribes such as our aborigines. And is'nt it funny how these New Values exasperatedly taught to our young: to wash your hands, turn up on time, don't waste, do your hair ... become the front line criteria for judging the new comer to our world.

Greater Brisbane Junior Tennis (GBJT) at University of Queensland treat the Tiwi kids as Honary members!

If you are able to help fund this project, go to Vinnie's website: https://www.vinnies.org.au/show_appeal.cfm?table=appeals&parentid=0&id=43

End of Term 3, 2007

Kids, Parents, School and St V de P all decided that the Tiwi kids should finish off and commence each term with the other Downlands kids.

We had been getting them away early and bringing them back a bit late, because the plane fares are cheaper - but it was not working out.

It is better that they don't miss the experience of departing and arriving with the other kids.


This is our fifth term and the most successful - everyone was happy with progress, the staff and the kids.

We have a few issues that need to be fixed:
1. The boys have to handle ordinary dorm banter without 'doing the block'

2. They have to quit talking Tiwi in class - leaving everyone out of the the conversation

3. The 'free ride' has to end, the parents are telling the staff to give the Tiwi kids the detentions that other kids get, for being late, for leaving clothes around ... etc

4. The kids have to be better in following staff directions - part of being at Downlands is to learn to fit into non-aboriginal australian society. This means you have to do what your told even when you don't feel like it - same for football and class room, you follow the coach.

Talking of football, the Tiwi boys came into their own this term, when Downlands played AFL - a bit of mesmerizing Tiwi magic was on display.

The plan is to bring two extra 12 year olds next year - will commence with the girls who really had a great term, and if all is okay, bring two more 12 year old boys down ready for the football season. But first, there has to be improvement in the four points above!

Had a call from Margaret-Mary Turner, Alice Springs Arrerente grand lady who showed the Pope around in 1986. She said "what about getting out kids to Downlands, my people are being wiped out by the troubles!"

If you are able to help fund this project, go to Vinnie's website: https://www.vinnies.org.au/show_appeal.cfm?table=appeals&parentid=0&id=43