LOMBADINA

An indigenous community called Lombadina is situated about 170 km north from Broome,
towards the Dampier Peninsula. This is a community with a total population of 397 with around
80% of its members being Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. It was set in 1910 as a
Catholic mission. As access through the area could be sometimes very difficult, it could be
considered as a remote community. Dirt 4WD road could get very muddy and often remains
closed during the wet seasons; it could remain closed for days or even weeks at a time.

One can easily identify the two indispensable keys to be defined as a community in Lombadina.
The shape and properties of Lombadina are evidently distinguished through its boundary
processes.

The fact of being born with a family group or being connected to the group through marriage is a
distinct characteristic that shapes the community. People are to be linked by one or another
means. There are some specific boundaries that one might abide by so that he/she shall remain as
a “part of” the group; if their linkage is by affinity. A member is to be eliminated from a group if
he/she commits acts of stealing, betraying, lying, not being productive to the development of the
“community” etc.

Nevertheless, the relationship within the community is much stronger and deeper. Intense trust
amongst the members of the community is notable due to thorough and close connectedness.
Here they consider everyone as “family”.

Moving on, Lombadina does have a community hospital. It is staffed by a couple of nurses and a
doctor that visits it several times in a week. Medical experts visit the area every 90 days or so. In
addition, there is an airport. This can be used in emergency cases/ incidents such as RFDS if
required.

Again, the grouping of the population of this community exerts the mentality of “us vs them”. As
mentioned before, the population is mostly aboriginal where the only non-aboriginal people are
staffs in the hospital, police and so. It’s kind of divides the community and creates “two” groups.

According to Lamont (2002), social boundaries can be referred as the objectified embodiment of
social inequalities. These are expressed through unlike accessibility and unequal management of
resources and opportunities. The “locals” get the benefit of chronic disease services, whereas,
temporary migrants are to drive at least 2.5 hours to go to Broome to get these services;
exceptions are in emergency incidents. Even though police officers, nurses and protection officers
are supposed to be a very important part of a community, in Lombadina, community members do
not usually socialise with them. The officers often chat among themselves. Surprisingly, even their
houses are built outside the community.

Some assertions by Lamont (2002) bring light to this attitude that introduces social boundaries. His
analysis about moral and universal opinions of workers speaks how it directs them to create social
divisions. An example could be about the way white workers involve with blacks seeing them as
poor people having poor quality of work strategies or ethics. Then, black workers see whites with
middle class egotism.
However, in the community, each of the members is assigned to a role to fulfil, a work within the
community. Everyone is provided with education “interstate” or at least given the opportunity to
get education and further jobs; from being a worker at a mechanic workshop or a care-taker of
vehicles to fishing tours or managing housing for visitors. To mention, here they have a boat for
fishing in the deep seas, watching the sea-creatures and kayaks as parts of trips.

A shop with only vital food supplies runs in the community. But the cost is very high, and it sells
only to community members. There is an adjacent bakery shop that opens only once in 3/4 days
offers fresh breads to members and hotels. A community garden was initiated as an attempt to
produce their own fruits and vegetable, but with a non-favourable climate, it has proven to be
difficult. As a result, members rely on the shops in Broome to get fresh production; which
obviously is not always accessible and convenient.

A notable issue has been about accommodation in the community. But, fortunately it has been
rectified recently. The dwellings were built in 1970s. So, maintenance has always been a problem
as it was left in the hands of people working locally; but local labour was not noticeable.
Consequently, houses were being unusable and stamped inhabitable and eventually were left
closed. This incident resulted into overflowing of people in the existing houses. Even many people
moved out of the area or community to find suitable dwelling and working opportunities.

The WHO defines social determinants of health as the settings of a surrounding in which a person
takes birth, grows up, works, lives and ages. And the broader set of energies and qualities forming
the conditions of life itself.

Healthy is a term where people have enough housing, edible food and accessible health services
(medicals, hospitals). In Lombadina, the limited medical services problem still exists, but the
housing problem has been taken into consideration. The quality of the houses was beyond the
point where they could be repaired. Henceforth, the houses were eradicated and rebuilt.

Finally, community members do fishing, hunting and craft making as social activities. They create
jewellery for themselves with shells and different elements found locally.