mudunama kundana wandaraba jarribirri: Judy Watson

JOYCE WATSON My mother Grace, or Gracie as she was known, ended up working on May Downs Station, near Mount Isa, Queensland. She worked for George and Lillian Isaacson, looking after their children, whom she was very fond of, as well as helping with the cooking and cleaning. The workmen on the station used to come to the house for their meals. One of them was Alf Isaacson, George's younger brother. He later became my father. My mother was very shy, used to being told not to speak unless spoken to. Grace was a beautiful girl with long, wavy hair. One day Alf asked her to marry him. She did not know him very well, only seeing him at meal times. I believe Grace's situation became intolerable for her, so she probably thought the best way out would be to marry Alf. She did not speak to him when he asked her to marry him. Instead she wrote 'Yes' on a small piece of paper and placed it in his hat with a stone on top of the paper. To be able to marry, Grace and Alf had to write to the Protector of Aborigines, as she was 'Under the Act'. They needed to get permission for Grace to marry a white man. Lillian Isaacson wrote to the Protector and said the Isaacsons did not want an Aboriginal woman to be married into the family as it would be a disgrace. George wrote and stated he did not object to his brother Alf marrying Grace, as he knew she was a good worker and looked after her money. She worked for a pittance in those days. JUDY WATSON There was no reason why they should not marry. JOYCE WATSON All of this information was retrieved from the Queensland State Archives in Brisbane. 1 One day when Alf was having a drink at the local hotel, his friend Eddie Hooker was there. When Eddie asked Alf how he was getting on with his letters to the Protector, Alf said he had no idea of Grace's birth date. Eddie laughed and said, 'I was there at Riversleigh Station when Grace was born on Christmas Day 1912.' Eddie and three of his brothers were mailmen who delivered to stations in the Camooweal area. So that was the last box ticked, the last problem holding up their marriage. Lillian Isaacson, or Aunty Lil as she was known, went to live in Mount Isa from May Downs Station so her children could receive their education. Alf and Grace continued living on May Downs. One day, my mother Grace was working in the kitchen when someone called to her through the window, 'Is that you Gracie?' The windows of the house were corrugated iron like the rest of the house. They were propped open with a long stick. There at the window was Mabel, Grace's mother. That was the first time they had met since my mother was a small child — they had been apart for 17 years. My mother was pregnant with me. I was born when my mother was 22 years old. Grace and Mabel had a wonderful time together fishing and hunting along the river and creeks. I can remember the times Old Mum, as I called my grandmother Mabel, taught me to look for tracks of snakes, birds and other animals. One time I recall Old Mum sitting in the sand, smoothing it with her hand. She began drawing a line with her finger, as she told me a story. At several places on the line she would emphasise something important by making a dot on the story line. The story she was teaching me went on until it became a spiral ending in the middle of the circle. I realise now Old Mum was teaching me one of our story lines. I feel so sad that I cannot remember it now. I use the spiral in my artwork from time to time as I think of Old Mum. Old May Downs Station 1979 Alf Isaacson (EA Isaacson), Mount Isa Alf and Grace Isaacson 1970s OPPOSITE Waanyi Country 82