I left Cowra in November, 1986 with an enormous debt to all those people who had taken me at face value without much understanding of what I was doing, despite my attempts at explanation. Those who told me about their side of issues (and non-issues) could have held little hope that I could further their cause. Their motives were not selfish, certainly not as selfish as mine would have been if I had intended to take information and give nothing in return. In the case of an overt exchange process, that of the ‘Community Needs Survey’ (Gray, 1987a), I provided a report in exchange for the extensive support I was given, but that may not have fulfilled the hopes of all my supporters. At times I felt that some people helped me because they thought I might be an ear in the national capital, and while there may be some truth in my interpretation, it would be unjust as a generalisation. I believe that people saw me as a student who was ignorant of life in the bush and, being willing to listen, was worth talking to.

Throughout fieldwork and during the contact I have continued since, I felt from time to time that if Cowra people had the means of sociological understanding, they would be better able to direct their action towards the systems of rule rather than the personalities which just happen to be involved in it. I came to believe that my understanding could be just as valuable to them as their understanding of themselves was to me.