ABSTRACT

The serial production of summary accounts constitutes an objective formulation of the talk at hand, displaying (i.e., making publicly available) the developing achievement of the participants in such a way that the parties may move forward in their thinking together —oriented to the objective version of their developing talk —so that when they have secured any substantial conclusion it is already a conclusion that is unanimous. If any dissension is present, the round-the-rally production of accounts is halted and in most instances the gathering will abandon attempts to force a decision. There is a strict refusal to force a way of thinking on others, and so Aboriginal parties will only ratify what is universally supported. Correct Aboriginal discourse is that in which the parties "all speak with one voice" (wangka kutjungka).