‘Livin’ this way’: Reading Aboriginal self-determination through some debates about freedom

My research in central Australia has involved repeated arrivals over many years. Three days on the road from Sydney would bring me to Hermannsburg, which was once a mission and now a service centre for the Western Arrernte people. In the days that followed, I would visit camps and greet friends. Generally, I asked, ‘Unte mwerre [Are you well]’? On one such occasion, a woman replied, ‘Jus’ livin’ this way.’ I had heard the remark before on similar occasions: for example, by a fire while camping on country, a woman said contently, ‘Bin livin’ this way – long time.’