I've been thinking recently about the 'type' of people that come to work in remote communities (or, more specifically, in the central desert - perhaps they're different, who knows?). I think I've identified the following:
The Idealist - an alternate name might be The True Believer. A truly admirable individual. I admire a pure form of idealism in anyone. For all its character flaws, this person is driven by social justice, a desire to help make the world a better place, and a sense of agency. Unfortunately, the Idealist often suffers with trying to reconcile how things should be with how they are - their choice is to ignore contrary evidence, or to quickly burn out with the failure of achieve that oh so nearly tangible sense of change (within their desired timeframe).
The Pragmatist - A close cousin of The Cynic, this poor soul has the invidious task of reconciling the reality of life with their internal self (whatever that may be). The Pragmatist senses all the different states of play, and attempts to steer their little boat through the treacherous waters (government policy, rules and regulations, cultural life, misunderstandings and miscommunication, difficult personalities, you name it!)
The Careerist - It helps to have remote Indigenous affairs experience on your CV. Sometimes. In some industries (especially government or human services). Can't beat that experience. And the extra salary dollars, or free rent, for the troubles of remote living don't go astray either. Buckle down, get some good mileage out of the job, help pay the mortgage off or build savings, and on your way. 2-3 years max. 1 year will do, if necessary.
The Hungry Beast - Some positions in the communities offer extraordinary tentacles of power over the lives of individuals. The community office in particular has extrarordinary access to and influence over other people's money (communal and individual), often with little effort or oversight. This offers extraordinary opportunities for the morally bankrupt to flourish. And sadly they do. This is by no means to say that all office staff fall into this category. There are some great government jobs that hold bucket loads of power over people in a world of systemic discrimination.
The Adventurer - Curiousity, a desire to do something out of the box, freedom to pick up sticks - all these things bring us the adventurer. He, or she, turns up in every field. I like the adventurer. There is a freshness to their demeanour, a sparky willingness to do anything that makes their company refreshing. I just keep my fingers crossed (behind my back) that they remember they have cultural values too. Once 'the mob' start to confuse or confound them, some turn into the cynic and back out of the experience, looking around for where else to go next that is a little less unsettling.
The Cynic - This poor fellow has given up trying to be any of the above (or perhaps never was, having always preferred this way of being). It is what it is. The mob will fleece you if you let them. The system's fucked. The whole thing is steadily going to pot. But what can you do?
The Recluse - A good way to absent oneself from the mainstream - go remote, go very very remote. Learn to love it, or just love it. Either way, it's better than being out there. Better than having those demons knock on your door daily. I like the Recluse. If they don't enjoy living out here, they find somewhere else to go to, so generally they're happy souls who participate in the community they've chosen to retreat to.
And where do I fit on this schema? Well, with the exception of The Hungry Beast, I think I've got a little of them all. I try to quash the Cynic whenever he rears his ugly head (and yes, it is a 'he'). I try to feed the Idealist some oxygen, but she's sorely starved of that at the moment. I am most aligned with the Pragmatist, but it's a hard path to tread (often it feels like treading water). The Careerist in me reminds me that my CV on the Lands has been a moving feast, and even though I'm not sure what it's morphing into a state of flux isn't a bad thing per se. The Adventurer and the Recluse just plain love being out here. Perhaps this is why I struggle so much with 'how' I am out here (rather than who) - I can't find a simple fit. Most of the time, I'm okay with that. But sometimes I look at the work of a rare few, and think that perhaps the Idealist can do the most, so long as they have a good solid dose of the Pragmatist to help them navigate.
Sophie Staughton
Blackstone, Ngaanyatjarra Lands
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