Aboriginal Australia – A journey to witness that age-old happy marriage of nature and culture

What is knowledge? Where does identity come from? Who does the land belong to? Sometimes our journeys bring forth momentous questions that we don’t even know we are seeking answers to! Such was our travel to this remarkable island country continent in the Southern Hemisphere – Australia!

Australia – A land that immediately brings to one’s mind images of kangaroos, koalas and cricketers! This country was not unexplored territory for us, with Madhan having studied in this country for seven years, and as a family, having visited this nation of the good-natured more than once. However, the previous journeys had always been to familiar places and that too in the company of friends. So, this time around, we wanted to hit new ground and what beckoned us more than anything was to understand the culture of the Aborigines of Australia, who have lived in this same place for more than 65,000 years and offer us the privilege of experiencing the ways and values of the oldest living culture on earth.

The best base for this exploration turned out to be the lesser-known city of Darwin in the Northern Territory of Australia. When talking about a vacation, if one mentions Sydney, Melbourne, or Brisbane, people will immediately respond, ‘Oh! Off to Down Under, are you?’! But if we tell them ‘Darwin’, most will ask ‘Where’s that?’ This happens to be the only state in Australia where Aborigines, who once spread in every region of this vast continent, extending from Darwin to Adelaide and Sydney to Perth, but now reduced vastly in numbers, still make up about 30% of the population. That’s a great number when you consider how in the entire country, they make up only 3%. In my imagination too, I felt that perhaps this was the place, where one clan of those earliest human migrants, walking out of Africa, took a turn south and meandering through the coast of India and other south-east Asian countries, stepped on to the shores of this new and magical continent.

Before leaving for this trip, I decided to learn more about the Aborigines and was lucky enough to find this book called ‘Welcome to Country’ by Marcia Langton, which gave me a glimpse of the past, present and future of the Aborigines in many fascinating areas such as their history before colonialism, language, knowledge, art and many of their other concerns in this modern nation of Australia. Highly recommend this book for people visiting and living in Australia, especially in the cities. Seeing these places, you take for granted, through the perspective of the ‘Traditional Owners’ is sure to be a mind-expanding exercise. A moment to pause and explain the term ‘Traditional Owners’, which is the title given to the Indigenous People of Australia. Unlike their American counterparts, they signed no treaty with the colonialists, who had declared this island as ‘No man’s land’ and claimed it for the Crown of England. However, the truth as it is becoming evident is that these Aborigines were the First People, who had been living in this land for millennia before, and in consequence, the government of Australia has been giving the Aborigines the Native Titles to the lands that their ancestors had taken care of. Thus they are now being recognised with this title of ‘Traditional Owners’, to whom the land truly belongs to. Returning to the book, the second part of ‘Welcome to Country’ was the friendly guide to find the right people with the right attitude, who would help us appreciate the culture of the first people, living on the margins now. Thankfully, the book pointed me in the direction of ‘Venture North Safaris’, a touring company with an excellent rapport with the Traditional Owners in the Northern Territory. 

Down to Earth Darwin

The very first image I encountered when flying into Darwin was that of huge clouds of smoke rising from what seemed like patches of dense forest. Thinking ‘Is it one of those Australian wildfires I keep reading about in the news?’, I was a little alarmed! As I made a mental note of this sight to later query on its meaning, Darwin’s little airport, reminding me of travels to Madurai surprisingly, came into view.

A compact little city that was a pleasure to explore by foot. On our walk to the waterfront, caught a few glimpses of the influences from the unique Aboriginal art. A teaser for what was to follow! After taking a walk around the main streets of Darwin, as if the remnants of our last trip invited us, we decided to dine at Alfonsinos, a delightful Italian place and it was the taste of Naples all over again. On the walk back home, saw some Aborigines in the middle of a fight in the street, and at that moment, felt a sadness for these descendants of a people, removed from their rightful place that they had established over thousands of years, and made to fit into an alien culture within a few hundred years!

Museum Meandering

The next day was about ‘theory’ meaning we visited the Museum and Art Gallery at Darwin. One of the things that impressed me was the exhibit of the Yolnu people and their poetic take on life. There was one that remains fresh in my memory like a newly sprouted Pandanus leaf – The words “Intertwining ourselves into the big picture of unity, of being Yolnu’, to describe what basket-weaving as a group means to them. ‘Rom’, a ‘Yolnu’ word to describe their law, culture and way of life, I encountered, remains fresh in my mind. I couldn’t help but notice the similarity in sound with the word ‘Aram’, a word signifying justice and fairness in Tamil. A mere coincidence or does it speak of some long-lost connection?

Seeing a sample Aboriginal Art in the gallery, the first thought that arose was how humans were made to look so puny and negligible in this depiction, whereas the animals and spirits they drew were so much bigger, which to me, seemed to reflect their reverence for nature’s power. Then, an exhibit that spoke about rations of sugar being given out to these people made me wonder what harm this introduction of an artificial product must have done to these ancient people, who had learnt to live on the natural wealth for the land for thousands of years. On the note of sweet things that will kill you, caught sight of the famous killers of Australia, the numerous poisonous beings that can steal away your life in a jiffy, as well as the poignant story of the capture of Australia’s giant crocodile ‘Sweetheart’. The importance given to art education was evident in the exhibits of the art of Class 12 students in Darwin- Insightful echoes of the world from the minds of teenagers!

Cozying up with Crocodiles

Next, was a controlled, close encounter with the ‘Crocodile’, an ancient life form that is said to live on, unchanged for 200 million years. The latter half of the day was spent in the Crocodylus Park, where numerous reptiles teach one the art of stillness that no monk can.

The day ended with a walk around East Point Reserve and watching rock patterns. Nature’s art made me instantly think of the abstract patterns in the art of the Aborigines. Felt so still, as if life had slowed down. I guess Australia has this effect on one, especially Darwin. Felt blessed to witness another sunset in a faraway shore and feel the connectedness of the world and our bond with nature.

Top Notch Tour of Top End

Next day, began our five-day tour with Venture North Safaris. Greeted our guide, Damon, his partner Annie, and went on to pick an Australian couple, Mark and Wendy, who would be our companions in this exploration.

After a long drive away from Darwin, took a morning cruise on the Corroboree Billabong. First, I should tell you what a Billabong is! No, before that, I must tell you the main seasons of this region of Australia. The big wet and the cool dry! Actually, this would be considered ‘seasons for dummies’ by the Aborigines, for they have intricately divided the climate of this region into six unique seasons. But to start with, let’s understand the simpler division into two. In the wet season, it pours and pours, and all land gets submerged. As the dry season starts, small pockets of water break away from the streams. Such waterbodies teeming with life is what a Billabong is. And here, nature seemed to speak in the voice of ‘David Attenborough’ even without any words! Caught a glimpse of the silent killers, the saltwater crocodiles or ‘salties’ as Australians like to call them. By the way, Australians are known to give cute nicknames for anything and everything. The region of ‘Northern Territory’ we were exploring is ‘Top End’ they say. Even that I can accept, but one coinage bowled me over and that was how they refer to blood-sucking mosquitos as ‘mossies’ as if these pests were dear pets!

Returning to the Billabong from these curious Australian ways, I must mention that this is a true birder paradise on earth. A field of waterlilies and a towering bird called the ‘Jabiru’ taking a walk and greeting the flowers will always be an unforgettable memory. The slow boat ride presented a slice of the rich biodiversity that this land is known for!

Kakadu Calls

Back in the car and onward on our road trip to Kakadu National Park, saw many little fires in the grass here and there. It reminded me of the first image from the flight and in conversation with our guide Damo, understood that fires like this was not something to be anxious about, but these were a good thing, done intentionally. A small fire to keep away huge wildfire catastrophes! Apparently, the Aborigines had managed the land this way for thousands of years because of their intimate knowledge of the seasons, the changes and how everything transforms. They have evolved nuanced strategies such as ‘cool burning'(low intensity fires) to ensure the trees survive, and ‘mosaic pattern of burning in small patches’ to make it less likely for lightning to start a huge wildfire later. And this practice of ‘cultural burning’ is something they have evolved over millennia by acutely observing the land, the flora and the weather to make these intricate decisions. Later, when reading about the same, I sensed the beauty and significance of this practice in the words of an Aboriginal Elder:

“This earth. I never damage. I look after. Fire is nothing. Just clear up. When you burn. new grass coming up. That means good animal soon. Might be goanna. possum. wallaby. Burn him off. new grass coming up. New life all over. “

-Bill Neidjie, Bunidj clan

Only after the arrival of Westerners and their suppression of these cultural practices of the Indigenous, did huge bushfire catastrophes start in this continent. Now, the Australian government, at least in the Northern Territory, has recognised the importance of this irreplaceable native knowledge and has imbibed these bush fire practices of Aborigines in their own regular maintenance of land. 

Later, we saw our first rock-art site at Burrungkuy(Nourlangie), that of Namarrkon, the lightning man, a repeating theme in Aborigine creation stories. These stories of origin bereft of outside influences in the isolation of this southern continent endows them with a unique, colourful flavour. Talking of flavours, here we had an interesting tasting experience. Noticing an army of ants, our guide Damon, having learned of this nugget of information from his Aboriginal friends, remarked that these were the green ants, a bush medicine. He told us how if you had throat niggles, you would pick a green ant and squeeze its ‘green bum’ in your mouth and all would be well. Haiku, the ever daring one and the youngest member of the group, tried it rather willingly, and declared it was tangy like a lemon. A simple incident that gave us a tiny taste of how the Aborigines use nature for healing in a very direct sense!

Learnt that in the absence of the actual traditional owners of that region, the neighbours were managing the place for them. This led to a discussion in the group about Stolen Generations, about how many languages were lost when an entire generation of Aboriginal children were torn apart from their families and taken to Western institutions so as to assimilate them into the ‘mainstream’ culture of Australians. This is one of the terrible mistakes of history during the early years of colonisation that has far-reaching consequences in affecting the psyche of these ancient people to this day!

Following this, we headed to the final destination for the day – a walk to the Nowrlandja lookout. As I watched the sun go down as we sat on a high place in silence and took in the vast and pristine fresh country all around, the wise words of the Aborigines resounded – ‘Listen to country’. I did just that, and in that silence, I could hear the sunset.

Indelible Art of Injalak

The next day started with a visit to Injalak Arts in the Gunbalanya reserve. As we entered, saw a display stating, ‘No Liquor’, advising tourists not to bring in liquor inside the community. When I asked why, my tour companions said that there was something about Western liquor that makes Aboriginal men violent and aggressive towards women and get into domestic disputes and abuse. This reminded me of how it’s the exact same scenario in rural areas of Tamilnadu, where youth get sloshed at the Tasmac shops and then beat up their wives. Another stark indicator that echoes the connection in Indian genes to the Aborigines and how both populations must exercise caution with Western imports introduced in these recent hundred years of occupation.

Found the company of a guide Brendon to explore the renowned rock art site of this area. Not a signboard, not a single arrow could be found anywhere. There’s no way to navigate without a local person and that’s the best part, I think. Although it seemed like a walk in a park to him, Brendon gave us plenty of pitstops and smoothly took us to the top, guided no doubt by an ancient compass in his head, endowed by his ancestors. 

It was a challenging trek full of fascinating glimpses. I saw many layers of sandstone carved as if nature had been piling rocks and doing gravity meditation. Here, there was a lot of very old rock art – Depiction of lightning man again, one that had a lot of fish and waterlilies, a father teaching a son, earth-mother planting people in the country, baby with umbilical cord and Mimi spirits protecting a baby. The maze-like path to this special place was the most fascinating thing of the visit! Touching the rocks, sensing the majesty of this place, I felt awe soar in me. No wonder the ancients chose this site for carving their stories, and for a moment, I felt I was with them, as I walked on between the rocks, in this out-of-world place, even as those precariously balanced rocks seemed to me like a silent metaphor for life on earth. 

Along the tour, our tour guides, Damon and Brendon gave a demo of how Aborigines got their art supplies from nature. They showed how from the milkweed tree, a glue-like white substance poured out and this was one of the ingredients the Aborigines used in their paints. We also collected some red stones called as ‘ochre’ to gift to an indigenous friend of Damon’s. Fascinating how without inventing any of these chemical, artificial colouring elements that abounds in the world outside, the Aborigines got all they needed from their environment.

Later, we passed an area, which was a burial ground, and out of respect for the wishes of Aborigines, no photos were taken in this place. Brendon narrated the process of how they preserve the bodies by painting in ochre and placing them there. I learnt that women participate in these ceremonies and wallow, apparently, which reminded me of the ‘Opaari’ in Tamil land, where women pour out their grief in the form of songs praising the dead. Later, Madhan recorded the beautiful language of Brendon, asking him to say a few words. While the English words came so hesitantly out of him, in his language, it flowed like a joyful stream that knows where it came from and where it is going!

A beautiful breeze in the warmth of the place reminded us of the pleasures of being alive!  Here, I felt truly connected to the earth and all that blooms here. We went back to Injalak Arts Centre, which is a collective of Kunwinjku artists, known for their paintings in x-ray style, and made a few purchases to support these special artists, keeping an ancient tradition alive. Met a woman artist, who was showing us the supplies she uses, such as berries, fruits and other little things they collect from the bush to colour these items woven from the fibres of the pandanus leaves. When I pulled out my earring to learn about where a particular colour came, was delightfully surprised to learn that it was this talented lady who had made that product. Felt a special joy when I received this work of art from the hands that made it. In all, this part of our trip felt like a rendezvous with that loving couple called nature and culture. 

Sunset over Kakadu

Later in the evening, took a sunset flight all around Kakadu, and saw its stunning evergreen forests and the stone country. Vast stretches of land extended everywhere, drenched in the water of the just-ended wet season with no people at all. And yet, saw the same smoke from bush fires, which they informed us that helicopters went in to start in small patches to prevent a raging destruction later. An instance of executing ancient practices with modern technology! Seeing the sunset from the air was a magical experience. Like a bird, we flew closer to the sun, and at the same time, saw and understood how this magnificent being in the sky was touching everything beneath!

The Ways of Aboriginal World at Warradjan

The next day began with a walk through this cultural centre, which is a structure built in the shape of a ‘Warradjan’, ‘a pig-nosed turtle’. In the Northern Territory, there seems to be a culture of constructing buildings in the shape of animals. I forgot to mention how a hotel we had stayed the previous night was shaped like a ‘crocodile’. Inspired by the Indigenous, no doubt! Returning to Warradjan, unlike many museums we have visited, the whole place was arranged in a very Indigenous style, where things are not neatly divided and classified but flow into each other organically. There’s even a sign asking one to ‘flow like the rainbow serpent through the exhibits’.

Understood their philosophy of how language and land was linked in their eyes. It was considered a moral duty to pass on language more than any heirlooms or wealth from one generation to the next. This was a culture that truly placed their trust on their children, and that’s how they managed to transfer their culture for the longest time, surviving the greatest odds!

On the ride from here, I got talking to our tour guide Damo, and asked him why he chose to do this work. He said he wanted to help change the minds of Australians about the Aborigines. He spoke about how there are a lot of wrong ideas in mainstream society about these native dwellers, about their backwardness and crime-filled nature. These are stories of prejudice, which have no doubt been drilled into the psyche of the descendants to ensure the survival of the invaders. There’s some serious unlearning to do indeed! Also, when I asked him, ‘What is that one thing you admire in the Aborigines?’, Damo said it was their connection to land and their innate sustainability that the world has so much to learn from. True words!

After the cultural exploration, did some swimming or rather water walking in a natural pool and thermal springs, and then retired to our stay at Cicada Lodge. 

Cruising in the Katherine(Nitmiluk) River

A two-hour cruise in the Katherine River, where those stunning sandstone formations, more crocodiles and a few Aboriginal dreaming stories greeted us. This region is populated by the Jawoyn people. Remember how I mentioned earlier the Aborigines are called ‘Traditional Owners’ because the land truly belongs to them, having occupied it before the arrival of the colonialists. But here, I saw a statement made by the Jawoyn people that simply bowled me over: ‘The land does not belong to us. We belong to the land’. Not mere play of words but a true statement about their philosophy of life! A single statement when fully embraced, that can end all the wars and strife between people and nations. 

Art that connects at Katherine Art Gallery

Visited the Katherine art centre and met an aboriginal artist at work, showing a special style of Aborigine painting with dots. She kindly explained to us, in terms we would understand about how using these simple elements, the people of their culture having been telling intricate stories from time immemorial.

These paintings filled me with wow as I took in their abstract ways of representing the world around. Here, found another Indian connection, when I saw a collaboration between Kashmiri artisans and these Aboriginal artists. The designs of these Aboriginal artists have been brought to life and handmade by Kashmiri artisans. Excellent initiative by ‘Better World Arts’ to link these doctors of the soul beyond borders.

War memorial and Waterholes

Drove towards Darwin for a visit to the Adelaide War memorial. Among the many war exhibits echoing the World Wars that had loomed over this territory, one thing struck me rather forcibly. There was this Army general who had fought in the Second World War, saying that the Defence of Darwin was so important to them because if Darwin fell, the Australians would be occupied and would become slaves or servants to an alien people. So alarmed and indignant he felt at the thought that it made me ask ‘Didn’t he realise that was the reality of the Aborigines in his present?’. The way we humans can be totally blind to certain things just because a certain version of the truth has been ingrained in us was the shocking realisation I had just there, in that place, showcasing the horrors of war that the world is still not paying attention to!

Nature is the cure for the troubles made by humans! Realising this, in the visit to the waterholes in the Lichfield National Park, felt myself savouring the minute movements of nature and its echoes in me. As I sat on a rock and a stream rolled by, I savoured the smooth flow of water, the prints it makes and immediately erases in its traversing all the rocks in its path. Do the journeys we take and things we do matter in the end? Doesn’t all we do… no matter how spectacular or how mundane… doesn’t it all vanish away in the force of time? But the river stops not, worrying whether what it does makes sense. Through that, perhaps it whispers to us to keep flowing, and make the magic we can, for some eyes to see and be. 

The final trip was to the Florence Creek Falls, magnificent with the Black Saratoga fish swimming so close around and the crystal-clear waters, the sand in the riverbed that was reassuring to the feet and a smile at the daring fellows, who jumped from atop the waterfall into the deep pool of water. Then, it was a drive to Wangi Falls, closed because the dry season was just starting and it was dangerous to swim in still, considering the force of the water. Here, I captured shots of leaves and sprouts, and stood there, basking in the beauty of the place, and continuing to ‘listen to country’, as wise Elders of the Aborigines advise in books and message boards on sites. The last thing that stayed with me in this trip was the way the flowing water carved poetry on the rocks on its way down. Soon, after a drive back to urban Darwin, after days of witnessing the centring force of the remote and rural, it was time to bid bye to the whole group. Felt that travelling with this group having a couple in the twenties and another in the sixties, made us see the views of two generations and I felt they enriched our experience of this land and culture. One couldn’t ask for better companions.

An Indian Perspective at Darwin

On returning to Darwin after the tour, we decided to connect with a professor of Indian origin, Gokula Chandran, who has a PhD in Epidemiology, and now works on the public health of Aborigines, rehabilitating them. He showed us the harsh reality among Urban Aborigines. Many were homeless, moving around camps, having drinking problems such as addiction and abuse, and many, many issues. This is an affliction that affects ancient people all over the world, who are plucked out of their place, making them feel alienated in their skin and forced to live in the artificial constructs of modern society. 

Met Mary, whom Gokula Chandran described as a success story, who has given up drinking and was rehabilitated. We had many glimpses of such Aboriginal people, whom he was helping in many ways by coordinating with their relatives in other states, trying to connect with them and make a difference in their lives. During conversations, he told us of stories of Aborigines breaking in a convenience store for just a packet of noodles. How can thousands of years of eating from the bush suddenly accept and absorb the economics of money and survival? When I asked about whether the Aborigines were able to reach positions of power, he mentioned that a few are there in politics but not many. He spoke of it as the need of the hour for their progress and emancipation.

We got talking about the kinship and clan rules of the Aborigines. Learnt that there were strict rules about whom to talk to, whom to sit near to, what you can eat, whom you can marry in Aboriginal culture. It may seem made up without rhyme or reason to outsiders, but this is how the culture had protected the land, conserved its scare resources and kept all the people together for generations. I read later in Welcome Country, a striking statement that, “In the Aboriginal world, everyone is kin, either close or distant’. To see everyone as kin is a thought that yet again reminded me of the ancient Tamil phrase from the Sangam era, ‘Yathum Oore. Yaavarum Kelir’- ‘Everyone is kin and every town is our own’.

Another similarity of the Aboriginal people with the folks in Sangam Literature, I found in this statement about them in ‘Welcome to Country’: “Aboriginal people also had an encyclopaedic knowledge of their environments and were keen observers of human behaviour”. Prof. Chandran, vouched for this statement from his experience with them, and said ‘They will just take one fleeting look at you and know all about you. Know what sort of person you are. That’s their cultural training.’

As we tagged along with the Indian Professor, in between his visits and meetings with the Aborigines, we made stops to visit the pristine beaches of Darwin that we had missed out on the first day. One such was to the Mindil Beach. Here, I had a realisation that one should seek beaches, not just for the swimming and surfing, but also to sometimes pause and observe. For I found treasures like little mangroves sprouting in the saltwater, and also, patterns in the sand, made by mud carbs. These patterns immediately brought to my mind, the dot paintings I saw in Aboriginal art. In inextricable ways, the culture of Aborigines is deeply intertwined with nature and it’s this very reason they have survived for the longest. Their humility to learn from nature and be willing to be moulded by this force rather than wanting to control and defeat it is a stirring lesson, vital for the future of the world.

That night, we met Indian families for dinner and got the perspective of these latest migrants to this continent. They hardly had a day’s notice but insisted that we meet up with them and have dinner. So much affection to be sensed. I can never forget their bewildered look when they were informed that we came all the way just to Darwin, as they kept asking, “Really? They are not going anywhere else? Only Northern Territory?”

The Indian friends here shared their perspective on Aborigines. They spoke about the high rate of crime lately and their fear of being out at night. In these reactions and in our conversations with many other Australians, one could sense a feeling of helplessness. There is an understanding that these descendants of an ancient people need help. Wrongs have been done and it was time to do right by them. But how do you do that? Where do Australians start in the healing of the trauma of the Aborigines amidst the disorder of the present generation?

Hope for tomorrow

The first and foremost would be respect for the knowledge that these ancient people hold. A knowledge transferred for thousands of generations orally, directly connected to the nature around. This is not learnt for marks or grades or to get that lucrative job. Understanding this knowledge meant life or death to the people. It is something that dictated the very survival, and hence, so much more relevant and crucial today. Knowledge that was passed on through song lines, art, performances and rituals and storytelling. We all need to truly embrace the fact that there are different ways of looking at the world and ours may not always be the best. 

The next is surely in the direction of acknowledging the trauma the Aborigines suffered when they lost their children, lost their language and culture, because of the tragedy of the ‘Stolen Generations’. A warning bell to nations around the world if they have any thought of homogenising their land! ‘Stay away, do not destroy the beauty and knowledge that arises from diversity’ is a lesson the whole world must learn from this history. Former Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd’s national apology rendered in 2008, surely offers a balm to those affected by the terrible historic event of Stolen Generations. While this is the first baby step, there’s a lot more walking with the Aborigines to be done. Something which lays the road for this, I could sense in the ‘Uluru Statement from the Heart’, I read about, seeking a ‘First Nations Voice’ in the Australian parliament:

“We seek constitutional reforms to empower our people and take a rightful place in our own country. When we have power over our destiny, our children will flourish. They will walk in two worlds and their culture will be a gift to their country.”

If Australians can listen and respond to this heartbeat, life would smile in triumph. Another striking thought echoing the confusions and the questions that arise in the minds of Aboriginal Australians I found in this extract from Stan Grant’s ‘Australia Day’:

“We all seek identity: which communities we belong to; which football club we follow; what music we like; how we dress; where we live; religion; race; culture. All of this gives us a sense of who we are, somewhere to belong. But there is a darker side to identity, a stifling conformity; an us and them; identity that pits us against each other. It keeps returning me to that question: Am I Australian? Am I Aboriginal? Can those things be the same?”

All these experiences made me wonder if in any part of the world, the mainstream has done justice to the natives, or whether the natives emerged from all the oppression emancipated. Even as I wonder, I have the greatest of hope for these descendants of the Aborigines, for somehow, I’m sure they will soar from the turbulence of the intermittent years, on the wings of the wisdom of their ancestors. I know deep within they will triumph, for they come from a people, who have survived natural catastrophes like volcanoes, the Ice Age, a changing and challenging landscape, and the most devastating of all, an invading culture’s controlling ways, and yet, they still survive and continue to give the world the gift of their ancient ways of life!