AustLit

Mabel Tommy was born at Jirrirdinku on Mount Brockman Station. Her mother was Bimba Maggie and her father was Joey Kaybi who had two wives. Tommy's parents worked on Hamersley, Murimamba and Mount Brockman Station. Tommy's traditional area was Turee Creek. She did not go to school, but the elders trained her to be a dancer. Tommy had four grandmothers and was taught the Aboriginal way of corroboree and songs. Later on she married a much older law man named Old Tommy and had four children. Mabel Tommy's husband taught her to muster sheep and they worked together on Ashburton Station, until Old Tommy went to live in Onslow where the children were being educated.