Because this was a dance for white people only I wasn‟t
allowed into the hall, so I just stayed out on the ramp and looked in. After this particular dance was over the MC came out to me
and said, „Can I help you?‟ „Oh no, I‟m just watching the dancing,‟ I said.
„Well, now that it‟s finished,‟ he said, „I want you to leave, because you‟re not allowed to be here you know.‟
I felt very hurt – I‟d been quiet so as not to disturb anyone.
„But I‟m only just watching, I‟m not doing any harm,‟ I said. „Yes I know that, but still, you‟re not allowed.‟ p.160.
The MC forbids Alice to come to the dance and tells her to leave, but Alice refuses it because she actually does not enter the dance room and
she is just watching from outside. Alice tells the MC too that she will be quiet and not disturb anyone so no one can know her. Still the MC forbids
her to stay and ask Alice to leave.
5. Conflict between the Aborigines and the Chief Protector of Aboriginal,
Mr. Neville.
Another external conflict is between Aboriginal people and Mr. Neville, the Chief Protector of the Aborigines, in Geraldton town. Mr.
Neville builds some reserve that has housing on it, so the Aborigines who live in Geraldton have to move out and live in the reserve. It is because the
city council wants to build a new suburb for white people. When Mr. Neville is in town and tells about the reserve for the Aborigines, lots of the
Aborigines resist the forced exile. They do not take any notice of Mr. Neville. Although lots of Aborigines against it and do not want to leave,
nearly everyone is moved to another place p.167. In the end, Alice is moved to the reserve that is provided by Mr. Neville.
6. Conflict between Alice and the owner of a hotel.
The conflict happens in the middle of hot day when Alice and her two children go to town. Because her children do not wear any sandals, they
have to cool their feet in the shadow of trees or building. They decide to shelter under the verandah of the hotel, and then the owner of the hotel
approaches them: Suddenly he turned
to me and said, „Excuse me, madam, but you know you‟re not allowed under these premises.‟
I looked at him to see if he was serious, „Who said?‟ I really couldn‟t believe what I was hearing.
„I‟m asking you to move because you‟re not allowed under these pre
mises.‟ „Who said?‟ I asked him again.
„Look, if you don‟t move I‟ll get somebody to move you.‟ „You get whoever you like to move me. I want to know the
reason why. And if you think I want any of your rotten beer, well, you know what you can do with that.‟ I was that mad with
him. „I‟ll stay until you push me off here,‟ I said. „You wouldn‟t
deprive your kids of shade when their feet were burning on a hot bitumen road like this.‟
„That‟s none of my business,‟ he said. „No,‟ I said, „But it‟s mine,‟ and I went on standing there
p.181. The proprietor of the hotel tells Alice to leave because in his
opinion, Alice is not allowed in the hotel. There is a law that forbid Aborigines drink alcohol Korff, Jens, 2000. The society, including the
owner of the hotel, thinks that the Aborigines like Alice cannot enter a hotel because the hotel provides alcohol. Alice refuses to leave because what she
wants is to cool down her children‟s feet under the verandah and she does not want the beer that is available in the hotel. Alice states there is no law
that forbids her to stay under the verandah to cool down for a moment.
