mr neville: two songs by miriny-mirinymarra jingkiri feature mr neville - the aboriginal protector made famous by jack davis in his play no sugar. 'murrkamalu jarnti nyinuya' / 'they built it right at murrkanya' p 29 tells of the building of a 'Lock-up Hospital' for aboriginal patients (on mr nevilles instruction). tho it doesnt recall any writer in particular to me theres something of the feeling of some holocaust literature in this poem. tho it has its own distinction. mr neville has become - it seems - something of a mythic figure or bogeyman - in terms of poetry - or culture - as well as a historical paternalist. consider the end of the poem:

In spite of all that and the parallel wires
we'll still find a way
of continually exchanging little things
through the gaps and cracks.

the wires refer to the barbed wire up to the trees to prevent patients escaping. the humour, the irony and the detachment typical of these songs (or davis plays or ten canoes) make room for symbolic or analogical interpretation.