Hi Friends,
I've just arrived back in the 'Territory' after a week at home with some of you, for Nuffy and Karens' wedding. It was a great time away I'm feeling recharged for my next stint up here. This year has taken a bit of adjusting as I've settled into my third home in just over 12 months. I'm starting to feel more at home in the bush than the city now which I think is a positive sign. It's a way of life that is challenging, but laid back. It's often hard work but the weekends are usually great times of relaxing with countless hours spent at a beach, billabong or waterfall. I've had the opportunity to witness some unique Aboriginal culture during a number of ceremonies. Sadly all events have been funerals so far, as three of our patients have passed away. On each occassion a large group of traditionally dressed Yolngu men and women have been present. Typically if the patient dies in the hospital the relatives will be ready to immediately come and demonstrate their sorrow. On one occassion a terminally ill patient passed away and within minutes the room was filled with wailing and women throwing themselves at the deceased persons body to demonstrate their grief. One woman cut her head badly on the ground and required medical treatment. I was confirming the death of the patient as parents were holding their small children up to the body to allow them one final goodbye. A large group of men arrived playing didgeridoos and tapping sticks. They took the body to the morgue while dancing and chanting. One man had a small bag of bones from the deceaseds' ancestors which he shook in his teeth. The Aboriginal liason officer explained to me this was to call the spirits of the deceased persons ancestors so that his spirit would be able to find them in the after-life. On another occasion, in the Raminiging community, I was invited in to a funeral of a young girl who had committed suicide. All her mothers (women who belonged to the same skin group as her biological mother) were sitting in the middle room of a house with the body in a coffin covered in flowers. By traditional law they had to maintain a vigil by the body for the duration of the funeral which took a week. During the evening there was dancing outside the house with men in one group dancing in a line to didgeridoos while the women started on the edge of the gathering and slowly danced towards the men. The tempo increased part way through the dance and it became a fast choreographed routine which was quite amazing. It was interesting that at the funeral there was Jesus' portrait displayed which I think demonstrated the the mix of tradional religion with Christianity. I wasn't able to understand much of what I witnessed as Yolngu Matha is the only language spoken. Hopefully as I learn more language I'll be able to understand what it all means. I was told the the men and women dancing replicate different totem animals. Everybody at birth is given a particular animal name which becomes their totem for life. Dances for example, mimick the python (the men) or brolga (women). Totems affect hunting as well and certain animals are only to be hunted by some people. I had the chance to go hunting with some guys and learn how to throw the spear which is harder than it looks. I certainly couldn't see the fish and stingray that others were seeing all the time! I'm keen to get into more cultural activities and am trying to learn more about the language by doing an external course at Charles Darwin University in the Gupapuyngu dialect of Yolngu Matha. I'll let you know when I can say a few words! Otherwise I'm glad to be 'home' and will write again soon.
I've just arrived back in the 'Territory' after a week at home with some of you, for Nuffy and Karens' wedding. It was a great time away I'm feeling recharged for my next stint up here. This year has taken a bit of adjusting as I've settled into my third home in just over 12 months. I'm starting to feel more at home in the bush than the city now which I think is a positive sign. It's a way of life that is challenging, but laid back. It's often hard work but the weekends are usually great times of relaxing with countless hours spent at a beach, billabong or waterfall. I've had the opportunity to witness some unique Aboriginal culture during a number of ceremonies. Sadly all events have been funerals so far, as three of our patients have passed away. On each occassion a large group of traditionally dressed Yolngu men and women have been present. Typically if the patient dies in the hospital the relatives will be ready to immediately come and demonstrate their sorrow. On one occassion a terminally ill patient passed away and within minutes the room was filled with wailing and women throwing themselves at the deceased persons body to demonstrate their grief. One woman cut her head badly on the ground and required medical treatment. I was confirming the death of the patient as parents were holding their small children up to the body to allow them one final goodbye. A large group of men arrived playing didgeridoos and tapping sticks. They took the body to the morgue while dancing and chanting. One man had a small bag of bones from the deceaseds' ancestors which he shook in his teeth. The Aboriginal liason officer explained to me this was to call the spirits of the deceased persons ancestors so that his spirit would be able to find them in the after-life. On another occasion, in the Raminiging community, I was invited in to a funeral of a young girl who had committed suicide. All her mothers (women who belonged to the same skin group as her biological mother) were sitting in the middle room of a house with the body in a coffin covered in flowers. By traditional law they had to maintain a vigil by the body for the duration of the funeral which took a week. During the evening there was dancing outside the house with men in one group dancing in a line to didgeridoos while the women started on the edge of the gathering and slowly danced towards the men. The tempo increased part way through the dance and it became a fast choreographed routine which was quite amazing. It was interesting that at the funeral there was Jesus' portrait displayed which I think demonstrated the the mix of tradional religion with Christianity. I wasn't able to understand much of what I witnessed as Yolngu Matha is the only language spoken. Hopefully as I learn more language I'll be able to understand what it all means. I was told the the men and women dancing replicate different totem animals. Everybody at birth is given a particular animal name which becomes their totem for life. Dances for example, mimick the python (the men) or brolga (women). Totems affect hunting as well and certain animals are only to be hunted by some people. I had the chance to go hunting with some guys and learn how to throw the spear which is harder than it looks. I certainly couldn't see the fish and stingray that others were seeing all the time! I'm keen to get into more cultural activities and am trying to learn more about the language by doing an external course at Charles Darwin University in the Gupapuyngu dialect of Yolngu Matha. I'll let you know when I can say a few words! Otherwise I'm glad to be 'home' and will write again soon.
Cheers Daniel
Please pray for:-
Settling into church, a small Baptist church.
Help learning language and culture
Making relationships with local Aboriginals
Give thanks for such a beautiful place to live close to beaches and islands.
Please pray for:-
Settling into church, a small Baptist church.
Help learning language and culture
Making relationships with local Aboriginals
Give thanks for such a beautiful place to live close to beaches and islands.
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