History Lesson & Bush Walk

Tuesday, 06 July, 2004 by Cheryl W. Colan

My word of the day is Joe.

Joe was Linda, Rachel and Roger’s Aboriginal guide last year on their day trip to Frasier Island. He ran into Linda yesterday at the grocery store and came over to the community this morning to meet us. He brought Linda a white rose, which she wore in her hair most of the day.

Joe is absolutely wonderful and nearly indescribable. Humour. Sharp. Humble. Beauty. Incredible smile. Infectious laughter. Expressive. Unabashed. Joyful. Enthused. Athletic. Nimble. Gracious. Graceful. Delighted. Delightful. I have not met a person warmer or more immediately likable.

History Lesson

The community provided a bus, and Joe and Auntie Francis took us on a tour of the Hervey Bay area. As we drove, both told us about the plants we could see from the road and the areas we passed through, how the Aborigines managed the land before it was taken over by Colonialism, and how their traditions and language have been lost. Many children of their tribe, the Butchulla tribe, were taken from their families and placed in foster care. Prior to that, Butchulla people were traded as slaves. Some traditional practices were outlawed. Elders who spoke the Butchulla language have died off, and the language is only being recovered through painstaking research. Many of their tribe died of new diseases brought over by the British. The Butchulla live on the east coast of Australia, which was the primary area taken over by the British during colonial times. In a way, they bore the brunt of Colonialism, which probably allowed the tribes in the central areas of the continent to hold onto much more of their language and culture than the Butchulla have managed to retain. Their situation is very similar to that of the Native Americans.

They told us of the work they’ve been doing to regain their lands. If they can document certain sites, apparently they can file claim to land. However, they told us there are several areas of land being sought by others. They are fearful of documenting their claims, because during the review process the documentation is publicly available. They do not want the anyone else to review the documentation and use its information to make their own claim on the area. So it’s become a bit of a political game, and meanwhile they cannot claim lands they feel are rightfully theirs to the extent that they historically lived their. The Aborigines do not believe land can be owned.

Bushwalk

Joe and Auntie Francis were taking us to one undocumented area. They had found evidence a few years ago of Butchulla people chipping pieces of rock to make heads for spears. They hired an archaeologist to authenticate the site and record the location with a GPS. We got out of the bus and began a trek through the bush. Along the way we ran into the tracks of a kangaroo being chased by a dingo, and some really big spiders. We kept an eye out for koalas, but none obliged. While Joe scouted ahead for the rocks, Auntie Francis showed us more useful native plants. One she identified as mosquito tree, because the crushed leaves provide an aromatic oil that acts as an insect repellant. After seeing the size of the spiders, we all rubbed our arms down with mosquito tree leaves. Auntie Francis also identified a blue flowering plant she said they don’t use much, which she called “Pee the Bed.” We saw red gum trees, spiral gum trees and squiggly gum trees, so named for the marks insects leave on the bark.

We walked quite awhile, some chatting noisily. I hung back and took photographs, preferring to enjoy the stillness of the bush. When I caught up with the others most were resting. Joe was still off out of sight, but eventually he returned. He had been unable to locate the rocks, but demonstrated the chipping technique on a nearby stone before we headed back out of the bush. The bus made a few stops on the way back to the community, once because we saw several kangaroos just off the road, and once because we though we saw a koala, though it turned out to be a termite mound up high in a tree. We also stopped at a pie shop in town and had a late lunch of delicious meat pies.

As we were about to get off the bus back at the community, Joe asked if we had seen the dancers yet. We had not. Joe was visibly upset and apologized that we had not been properly welcomed. Then he stood in the doorway of the bus sang us the Butchulla welcoming and farewell song, which is called Gari Gynda Narmi. It is a song used to begin and end ceremonies, to welcome visitors, their ancestors, and the tribal ancestors, and to say goodbye when parting ways. I was deeply touched by Joe’s performance, the beauty of the melody, and his concern for us and desire to honor us.

I spent the evening back at the community getting my gear organized, importing my photos to my computer, and recharging my camera batteries. The bush walk really recharged my spirit. The bush is beautiful, and exotic to my eyes. Joe and Auntie Francis were very generous in sharing their culture and knowledge, and I felt blessed to receive the gifts of their widsom and friendship.