Reciting Banjo Patterson in his home
Pep proudly showing the sign for the Pepper Trail
You can hear his sound, rather loud and articulate voice from miles away. Pep has lost a great deal of his hearing and sometimes you never know how much he can still understand. His appearance is that of one of the old stockmen who are so often written about in Henry Lawson or Banjo Patterson's books. A stockman's hat with a broad brim, a leather-like skin worn out by hard working in the harsh nearly rotten climate of the bush. HOwever, he would transform into a nearly British gentleman when he goes out in the evening.
Arthur Pepper or "Pep" or "Peppie" as everybody in town calls him was born 74 years ago as the son from English tracker Tom Pepper and a partly Aboriginal mother. A predominantly white man in appearance and mannerism you can still perceive something very Aboriginal in him and he never tried to deny it for a single moment. As punctual and accurate as a German, quite tidy and orderly in his house, he sometimes talks about the significance of relationships which are only experienced by an indigenous person.
He was rough around the edges but his heart warm and generous. Never angry and quite laid-back he said he would only become mad when people abuse animals. If you look for deeper conversations and discussions, Pep would probably not be the one for you. Sometimes I really thought that he couldn't really distinguish a human being from one of his sheep or cattle. As a born gentleman he would not leave your wine(or beer?)glass empty. Everytime when I bought him food or beer, he would buy you back twice the amount he received.
His meticulous manners reminded me of a German. He would literally keep his word and show up at any appointment 5 minutes before time. I visited him in his house which was decorated with artefacts such as old leather belts, photos, whips and other tools used in a sheep and cattle outcamp. His collection of books about Australian outback history, Banjo Patterson and Henry Lawson's works as well as the Holy Books of the Bible would tell the whole life of a man who has always lived in an isolated Australian country area, happy with his own company.
He claimed not to be religious but I rather had the feeling that he had some issues with the institutional part of the Church. Well, we had something more in common in this case.....He recited some of Banjo Patterson's works and it came right from his heart. Only a true blue Aussie bushman can feel what Banjo Patterson tried to tell. Myself on the contrary prefer a lot of Henry Lawson's writings who always described the huge contrasting differences between the two Australian cultures, the remote countryside and the city.....Henry Lawson passed away in Sydney early 20th century but he always thought of himself as a bushman.
When it happened that I needed to raise my voice towards this stubborn and quite deaf man, the only reaction was:"Jeezz....you are like my father. A fuckin wild horse." If you ever get to visit the shearing homestead which is now not a working station anymore but rather part of the Francois Peron National Park, you will see the Pepper Trail named after his family along with information of the work on the shearing station. After all the pastoral land including homestead was bought by the government, Pep continued to work for the National Park after 40 years working in the homestead as it was still a working station. A true first-hand Australian experience with Pep. When you ever come to Denham just look out for Pep, the broad little man with that huge hat....
Maggie, Tim and me at Cape Peron, Francois Peron National Park, Shark Bay
