Broome time

As I am coming to the end of my secondment with my partner organisation, I realise I haven’t really explained why/what I am doing here or talked about Broome or the Kimberley much. Time is really winding down now at the organisation – I only have a few days left in the office and have already presented my draft report to the CEO. After I finish off with his comments and finalise the report, then on Wednesday the Broome group will fly back to Kununurra for a larger group debrief (and a sidetrip that I’ve organised – a scenic flight over the Bungle Bungles for 6 of us!).

The organisation that brought me here – Jawun (pronounced “Jah-win”) – specialises in corporate and Indigenous partnerships. They essentially act as the agent to bring corporate, philanthropic and Indigenous organisations together to build the capability of Indigenous people and organisations across Australia. My company (KPMG) and many others (such as NAB, Qantas, BCG, etc) send volunteers who have applied and been through an interview and selection process. Jawun has worked with the organisations to find their project or resource needs, and then matches up the people – trying to get the right skills in the right roles at the right organisations. KPMG and the other companies not only pay our full salaries while we’re here, but also all the travel and accommodation costs. In a way they are donating not just money, but instead their most valuable resource – their people. (I know that sounds so lame but it’s true! I am away from my “normal” job for which I get paid and could be charging clients for; so it is kind of a big deal for KPMG to let me go away.)

Broome itself is a cute little town with basically 2 little main streets of cafes, businesses, shops, and banks. The permanent population is approx 15,000 but this swells up to 45,000 during busy tourist season. Broome is 1,400 miles north of Perth and yes….that’s in the SAME state (Western Australia)!!! Sometimes the distance of this country takes my breath away. I consider myself pretty lucky that my office is in the town of Broome, whereas most of my colleagues are stuck out in the Industrial Park outside the town. The best part of the office is that it is really close to the airport (which is in the middle of the town) and planes literally look like they’re going to land in the window! The second best part was the cute little puppy that was being fostered in the office for my first week.

See Broome at the top center of map

I helped take care of little George when foster mumwas in meetings,
even when he was super naughty he was super cute

The town has an interesting history – it was founded in the 1880s because of the pearling industry (but has of course been inhabited by Aboriginal people for 40,000+ years), there was a “pearling boom” in which many Japanese, Chinese, Malay, Koepangers, Filipino and Europeans flocked to make their fortunes. This unique multicultural population of pearl industry workers joined with the local Aboriginal people and Europeans to work on up to 400 Pearling Luggers that sailed out of Broome. It was a dangerous occupation which claimed many lives and there is a Japanese cemetery and a Chinese cemetery to prove it. The town still has an interesting mix of asian influence as well as a large indigenous population (and pearling is still important...there are about 10 very expensive shops. Broome was bombed several times during WWII and the town was ripped apart when the Japanese were sent to internment camps. From “Broome History”:

“Australia instantly joined America in declaring war on the Japanese and almost immediately, all pearling activity ceased in Broome. Men rushed to join the war effort and the industry’s labour pool vanished overnight as Japanese residents were interred in camps.

Since Broome’s livelihoods relied heavily on the skill and experience of Japanese divers this was an economic death knell for the pearling industry and the town. The residents of Broome were suddenly faced with rounding up and interring friends and employees simply because they were Japanese. Unlike other towns, Broome’s Japanese population made up a good portion of the towns inhabitants and many had been born and raised in Australia and had no ties to Japan. Although they complied with the internment policy, Broome, residents tried to make life as easy as possible for the Japanese.”

I don’t know why I’m so fascinated with this part of Broome history…and world history. I can’t imagine a world with concentration camps like in WWI or internment camps like in WWII. Yet we are still essentially doing the same things (many of us are just too naïve to see it or admit it) while this war rages on and racism is still happening. I am not on a political rant. I am just looking to the past and seeing our present for what it is.

Japanese Cemetery in Broome

Last weekend was great with the camping in Cape Leveque, then this week has been hectic for everyone trying to complete their projects to the very best of their abilities. Tuesday night we won 2nd place (again) at the Zee-Bar Quiz Night and Wednesday had a dinner with one of the CEOs. Thursday night a few of us girls went to the famous weekly "Wet T-Shirt Contest" at the Oasis (where all the backpackers stay) - no none of us participated but it is quite the tradition in Broome, and Thursday night is the biggest night of the week (and it was definitely hopping)! Friday night I went to a Youth Presentation for a Yawaru youth committee and heard a wonderful guest speaker. Today I was at the markets, spent some well-deserved time at the pool, and watched the West Coast Eagles (AFL) get beat.

General thoughts: I am feeling tired. Interestingly, I didn't know I would care SO much about producing an amazing piece of work and wanting to impress my organisation and CEO. I knew I would do a good job because that is who I am, but I honestly wasn't sure I would be so adamant about approaching it like any other paying client. My parents raised me right. :) As I approach the flight back to Kununurra to see the whole group, I realise that I've sort of forgotten about some of them. That seemed so long ago that we were all together. That may have sounded rude. In some ways I'm excited to see (some of) them, and in some ways I wish I could skip it and just have my vacation here in Broome, and then get back to my real life. I like "doing" things....I get sick of having to "talk" about things. Which is what a debrief is, "talking" about things I've already done, when I'm just ready to get on to the next amazing thing I have planned. Getting some closure is important though, plus how can we change the future if we don't take the time to talk and learn any lessons from past experiences? (See what I did there?)