The Woes of Jimmy Wongawol –

2 wives, 11 children and 7 dogs

He loves them all in his own way, and to varying degrees, but they make it difficult for him to find work. On the stations in his country, it is the practice to pay a worker about £5 a month and keep — the “keep” consists of feeding wives, children and dogs. Jimmy has two wives, at least eleven children and seven dogs at the last count — far too many mouths to feed for his work he is worth to a station owner. True, only eight of his children were living with him when he was interviewed — five were at his camp (with the seven dogs) and three, plus his two wives, were following him around Wiluna as he sought jobs chopping wood.

Other older children were working on stations, three for certain and maybe more — Jimmy has lost count. He had even to ask his wives the name of the daughter standing nearest him in the picture, but from the mixed Wongaii and English that followed, the name never clearly emerged. Because of the language difficulty, it is not certain how long Jimmy has been married to each wife, or even how old he is. He appears a little young to have children who are married, but Lily said one was married, and

Jimmy agreed, but he did not seem too sure about it.

When discussions with Jimmy, his two wives and his three shy children broke down, the information was sought from the missionary’s wife, Mrs. D. Vaughan and her daughter, Barbara. Between them, they counted 11 for certain, but ???

A LOVER OF CHILDREN  – But for all his troubles, Jimmy loves his children and believes he cannot have too many. When he applied for a job at a station recently, the owner, half thinking aloud, said, ‘You got too many wives, Jimmy.” “Might be”, replied Jimmy. “And you got too many dogs, Jimmy.” “Might be” he said. “And you’ve got too many children, Jimmy.”

“Ah, no, boss — not too many children !!!!”

Above – Jimmy Wongawol and (from left) a daughter (the one he couldn’t remember her name), his wife Lily, his wife Minnie and daughter Judy and in front, small daughter Gale.

“ME WONGAII”, said Jimmy proudly and whipped his hat off for a close-up of how he really looked — as a Wongaii

“ME WONGAII”, said Jimmy proudly and whipped his hat off for a close-up of how he really looked — as a Wongaii.

As reported by Bob Chambers.