A contradiction unfolded during the stamp saga, which raises questions about Holmes’ ‘chance encounter‘ with Tjungurrayi. In September 1950 Holmes advised he had met Jimmy in 1935. After the stamps had created an international sensation and Jimmy became an icon of the quintessential ‘authentic’ Australian Aborigine, Holmes and MacGregor settled on a common meeting date of 1931. This was used in many local and international publications.^[125] This modification may appear like an insignificant lapse of memory or slip of the pen. The reason, however, may lie elsewhere.

Strehlow’s records provide a valuable clue. A footnote made by the linguist in Woritarinja’s genealogy — also known as Jim Utjeba or ‘Goggle-eye’ — identifies him as Tjungurrayi’s older companion in tourism photographs (Fig 5.22). Strehlow claims Dunstan took these photographs near his camp at Arltunga on 14 July 1935.^[126] His diary records interaction between the man ‘connected with ANTA’, the ‘official photographer’ and Aboriginal men. It describes the arrival of a ‘party’ of ‘tourists’ in a Bond Tours’ lorry and their ‘demands’ that Strehlow organise a photo session of ‘natives posing at the Rock Holes’ and a corroboree for the following day. Despite his indignation at being treated like the so-called ‘cheap proprietor of a cheap monkey-show’, Strehlow persuaded an older man named ‘Jim’ (probably Jim Utjeba) to organise the men to perform for the tourists and Dunstan’s camera.^[127] Many of these photographs now form part of the collection of the State Library of Victoria.^[128]

Strehlow Research Centre, Alice Springs 05572.

It appears Holmes preferred his readers to believe he encountered Jimmy under less contrived circumstances and revised the date to suggest Tjungurrayi was the ‘Jimmy’ he described in his We Find Australia of 1932. During his 1931 travels to gather stories and images for Walkabout, Holmes had preconceived ideas of ‘authentic’ Aboriginality and searched for living specimens of Pickering’s ‘wild’ ‘original’ hunter and Spencer’s ‘Stone-Age’ man. These ideas were tainted from the beginning and Holmes’ use of Tjungurrayi’s images perpetuated this flawed preconception. We may never know the truth about the meeting between Holmes and Jimmy. The contradictory explanations offered by Holmes and Strehlow raise important questions: why did Holmes permit 1931 to become the accepted date of their meeting when Dunstan started working for Walkabout in March 1935 and Bill Howieson^[129] was the photographer who accompanied Holmes during the travels recorded in We Find Australia.^[130]

Writers have long meditated on the origin and meaning of Tjungurrayi’s anglicised name. Holmes stated that Jimmy ‘rejoiced’ under the name ‘One Pound Jimmy’ when he captured his images.^[131] Johnson suggests Tjungurrayi may have adopted this name in an attempt at anonymity, given that he was wanted by the police after his escape from custody following the Coniston massacre.^[132] Holmes’ claim is questionable. Tjungurrayi’s biographical information appears to have been supplied to Holmes later, during the stamp saga by Les Penhall from Native Affairs. ‘One Pound Jimmy’ is the racy kind of language Holmes liked to use. I believe he would have used it in publications before 1950 had he known it.

Also questionable are the suggestions made by newspaper, biographical and obituary writers that this name was bestowed on Tjungurrayi because he asked for the standard rate of one pound sterling for odd jobs or single handicrafts. Given this was equivalent to a week’s accommodation at Hermannsburg,^[133] two months work as a stockman in the Napperby area,^[134] or four weeks ‘regulation wages’ for companion/camel-man/guiding work for anthropologists,^[135] it is unlikely Tjungurrayi would have asked for or been given one pound for a single job he performed or a single carving he sold.^[136] For example, The Sun Travel Book confirms that two shillings was the ‘standard price for boomerangs, womeras [sic], and pitchies’ at Jay Creek.^[137]

Amadio and Kimber offer another solution. They suggest this name was given to Tjungurrayi during the stamp saga.^[138] This is also misleading because evidence records that this name was used much earlier. Clifford Possum states he addressed his father as ‘One Pound Jim’ from early childhood and Strehlow’s diary identifies him by this anglicised name in September 1935.

There is another possibility. It is not clear if Tjungurrayi assisted Strehlow as a ‘camelboy’, ‘informant’ or guide during the periods he was not required elsewhere for mining or pastoral work. It is probable Tjungurrayi witnessed or heard about an incident that occurred at Strehlow’s camp on 18 August 1935 when respected elders were held to ransom by Strehlow for their cultural knowledge. A diary entry describes Strehlow withholding ‘speech stew’ from hungry, elderly men for 24 hours during a drought because they would not give him songs when he wanted them. Even though Strehlow‘s Aboriginal camel-man ‘broke down’ and ‘pleaded’ for the hungry men, they remained unfed until Strehlow ‘acquired’ his ‘sacred songs’.^[139]

It is possible that this experience, like the Coniston massacre, provided Tjungurrayi with a hard lesson. Given that he had a record of overcoming adversity and turning negative events into positive outcomes, Tjungurrayi may have vowed never to let himself be exploited like this and placed an exceptionally high price on his time and capabilities when travelling scientists were arriving and his expertise was in demand. This may have been an attempt by Tjungurrayi to negotiate a degree of economic autonomy through the commodification of his culture, during which he could at least set the terms and price.