make criminals of past adults intent on ensuring that their charges learned the hard way what was acceptable behaviour and what wasn’t. The good name of a family was important and the concept of shame caused extreme discomfort. The Ten Commandments loomed large in the minds of these forebears and there were no soft options. Conversations were peppered with the hundreds of sayings passed down over the centuries, most of which contained solid grains of wisdom and common sense.
Whenever anyone in our family became bolshie, my mother referred to it as “the Sullivan streak”. The Sullivans probably referred to it as “the Williams streak.” With growing understanding of the effects on our lives of our genetic heritage it is a sobering thought to realise how much those who are long gone continue to have an impact on both our physical and emotional lives. In this respect science confirms that we are truly at the mercy of our genes.
The Fox Glacier township is now a busy tourist centre attracting visitors from all over the world. All the usual amenities are there - cafes, motels and hotels, a camping ground, backpacker and B&B facilities, a garage, several helicopter companies offering scenic flights, alpine guide services and the very popular sky diving sport. The Department of Conservation also maintains a visitor centre. All of these are a far cry from the heavily bush-clad valley which the early settlers set out to make their own.
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