In 1942, a secret congress was held by Pilbara Elders, attended by over a dozen interpreters to facilitate communication among the 23 languages spoken by the tribes. The meeting, which lasted six weeks, also featured a long-time supporter of the desert people, prospector Don McLeod. The congress decided to organize a strike to demand better wages and conditions, as well as to raise awareness about the treatment of Aboriginal people in Western Australia.
How the West Was Lost
In May 1946, a massive strike began in Western Australia's north-west region when approximately 800 Aboriginal station workers walked off the job, a protest that would last for three years.
