My Aboriginal Heritage - Part 4 - Heritage and culture

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 Making connections

Yaama! I am very committed to learning about my heritage and culture, not only for the benefit of my family history but as part of my self discovery and identity. Yes, I know it sounds sappy but it is true :) So I have tried to immerse myself in many different ways.

Tours - One of the first things that I did was to go on a guided indigenous walk through the Botanic Gardens in Sydney and learn all about the different foods that could be sourced from plants. Very interesting.

We also did a tour of the Opera House looking at the heritage of the area and Bennelong with an indigenous guide who turned out to be Kamilaroi.

Places on Country locally - In my local area I have been to Dharawal National Park and have participated in an indigenous walk where we learned about plants and the way they show the seasons and what can be used for various medicinal purposes, such as the gum from a particular tree being used to numb the pain of toothache. Though one woman decided she would chew a great lump of it and ended up with a numb face!

After that initial participation my girls and I had made it a yearly ritual to walk to Minerva Pool, a sacred women's place to commune with nature. It was a birthing place. Only women and children are allowed in the water and we have made it a rule not to take any of our men there. On our very first visit, there were many dragonflies (probably Damselflies really) that hovered over us. I told my girls that they were the spirits of their ancestors. Since that time the dragonfly has become my "spirit animal". It shows up at all the important moments and especially so since the passing of my husband.

Minerva Pool - Dharawal National Park
Sacred Women's Place


Produce and Culture - We often go the the Blak Markets at La Perouse on Bare Island. Great indigenous produce and artists, jewellery, food and music. This is where I participated in my first smoking ceremony.

Clothing and design from Bundarra (now Yarn) - each year we buy a new shirt (or two) particularly those that celebrate the Naidoc Week theme, last year "Always Was, Always Will Be". https://www.yarn.com.au/

Food - We have also tried various foods with indigenous ingredients, and have been to a restaurant (more a pub bistro) in Dapto with Mark Olive as their chef/mentor? https://blackolive.net.au/

Comedy - Steph Tisdel (look her up on YouTube)

News, Views and Movies - 
  • Uni of Sydney (ask us anything series), First Australians (SBS series) 



  • Rabbit Proof Fence... I could go on and on.


Music - I also listen to a variety of indigenous artists such as Stiff Gins https://www.facebook.com/stiffgins (love their song Yandool below, they also have a lot of upbeat music) and Gurrumul.  His song Wiyanthul is one of my favourites, it brings me a feeling of peace.

 

Troy Cassar-Daley also just released this great song "Back on Country"




Books - I have more books than I have listed in my book library, including 2 dictionaries of Gamilaraay Language, an encyclopaedia and several novels. Language is a very important part of culture.

Art - Most recently I commissioned a young Aboriginal Artist Melissa Barton of Alkiira Indigenous Art https://www.facebook.com/alkiiraindigenousart  to create a painting for me to represent my journey home to find my ancestors. 

The road down the middle is the Kamilaroi highway and you can see my footsteps leading home to my ancestors. My 6 generations of women along the way, and at the bottom myself and my three girls. And of course my dragonfly spirit animal.


Yinarr walaaybaa dhina - "Aboriginal woman's journey home" 


The next part of my journey, I hope, will involve participation in a language camp on Country in Walgett. Yaluu!

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