When You Grow Up

Life experiences of Connie Nungulla McDonald, growing up in the dormitories of the Forrest River Mission (24), her bone condition, work as a teacher’s assistant, an Anglican Church Army sister, welfare worker, search for identity, search for family, World War II, , air raid shelter, air raids by the Japanese (34 & 47), Curtin’s Cowboys (44), smoke signals, tracking, medical treatment by Flying Doctors, Bremlah, flu epidemic (53), learning tribal Law, Yarrabah, abuse and racism encountered by Aboriginal peoples on the mission, the kindness of certain matrons, washing matrons’ feet, punishment for misbehaviour (28), problems of white sex education for Aboriginal peoples (67), tobacco rations (70),segregation (78), learning piano, use of Aboriginal sign language, leprosy (131), smoking ceremonies (137), the twentieth parallel and exemption from the act (141), marriage proposal, joining the Church Army (179), Holland Park (185), suffering migraine headaches (188 & 190), living conditions at Gnowangerup reserve (194), fostering and adoption of Aboriginal children (217), care of St Vincent dePaul workers (224), Anglican beliefs (228), writing a song about Oombulgurri (240), re-uniting with her father (246), a miracle (249), learning about her mother (250), religious and spiritual conviction and prayer (252). pp. 260 illusts #0121/110122 (light page tanning)