'Drumbeat' - farewell

Drumbeat

Australia seems to conjure up images of kangaroos, dangerous creatures and the movie “Crocodile Dundee”.  Students often say to me – “Have you ever seen a kangaroo?”  Outside the major cities, kangaroo’s are very common and in some areas of Australia their numbers have become a concern for farmers.  They are indeed a unique animal and made popular by the film – “Kangaroo Jack”.  The most impressive one is the red kangaroo which can stand taller than a human when they lean back on their tail.  Americans seem to be wary about all the animals which may potentially kill them in Australia such as snakes, jelly fish and red backed spiders.  But, one of the most feared animals of course is the crocodile which has claimed many victims including the American tourist, Ginger Meadows only a few hundred miles from where we live.  While the danger is always present however, most Australians seldom get themselves into life threatening situations.

When Kathy and I first came to Crow Creek people scared me with all sorts of stories.  “Don’t go near the cemetery, a young kid was bitten by a rattlesnake over there last year” Others cautioned me about the weather.  “You just wait until winter, you know someone froze to death here at this school over a hundred years ago.”  I thought “Crikey, what have I let myself in for here.”  There were also stories too of tornadoes, blizzards and hazardous driving conditions on the roads.  “If you feel your car skidding – just drive into the ditch, this will save your life” recommended a new friend.

Luckily, we seemed to have survived the perils and come to really enjoy this unique part of the world.  The prairie is indeed beautiful and the people are accepting and genuine.  We have made heaps of new friends and learnt so much culturally.  To experience such things as pow wows, ‘buzzer beating’ basketball games, and guest speakers in the gymnasium has been entertaining and a privilege.  On the school side it didn’t take too long to adjust but a few things caused me to raise my eyebrows.  ‘RD’ has a different approach in hurrying up tardy students. He could be heard in the hallway calling out in his familiar voice “Round em up, head em out – yeeeeeeeee ha!!”  Meanwhile Mr. Johnson seemed to be on the warpath for students walking the corridors after the bell and meanwhile Mr. Mohnen was trying to lay low.

The students like to have fun and it’s great when they often say in passing – “how ya goin’ mate?”.  I must say I was taken aback when we had the cross dress day.  Students entered my classroom voluptuously endowed and blinking their eyelashes in a playful manner.  Then there was the Halloween contest with students dressed in way out costumes and one in particular caught my eye - the sight of the weird old lady banging on the gymnasium door.

There are many contrasts between Crow Creek and our home town of Broome in Western Australia.  It is so eerie to experience the silence here in winter when the hibernation of animals and the migration of birds occur.  Of course the weather variation is so great and the night sky is completely different over here.  For instance, all the constellations are different and the moon appears to be upside down.  Then there are the small things like watching the water disappear down the plug hole in a clockwise direction.  We live next to the ocean and the surrounding soil is red while the weather is hot or very, very hot for the whole year.  Our students begin the school year in February and finish in mid December.  Like the school calendar here in Crow Creek there are four quarters but there is a two week break at the end of each quarter and a six week break over the Christmas period.

I have been teaching Aboriginal students in Australia for the past 25 years and they share an identity of culture and attachment to the land with the Dakota people.  Their struggles have been long and painful at times and our students face similar issues like those everywhere of possible unemployment and substance abuse.  Hopefully, there is always a light that shines somewhere drawing us all forward to a better, smarter future.

With heavy hearts we will return to Australia to resume our previous teaching roles in January 2005 since my school has only granted me sabbatical leave for 18 months.  Kathy spent two enjoyable years in Crow Creek in the late 1980’s and was eager to return to the school and her many friends.   We are so grateful to be given this wonderful opportunity but perhaps like the Aboriginal boomerang we will return again because we love the people and the prairie.

Brian Kane