Arnhem Land Calls
Yolngu Culture Up Close....Open My Heart and My Ears and Eyes....Listen
The Northern Territory. Arnhem Land. Kakadu. Darwin.
Yolngu Land. Yolngu Music. Yolngu Culture.
In a full-issue article in National Geographic on Australia that ran in 1916, aboriginal Australians were called “savages” who “rank lowest in intelligence of all human beings.”
That magazine had evolved a bit by the 1960’s. And they got that seriously wrong.
Hey white fella, look in the mirror when you think of savagery.
My earliest exposure to Australia was via the National Geographic magazine delivered to my suburban home on Long Island. As we headed into the early 70’s who would think that I would have my eldest brother living in Australia? As a teenager I can recall making long-distance phone calls that echoed like crazy, cost 15 dollars a minute just so we could communicate with my brother in Canberra. It was good to hear his voice but i can’t say we had real conversation.
Look how far we have come with Facetime and Zoom and the like.
In the blink of an eye.
Indigenous Culture and Arnhem Land were still unknown to me. Turtle Island was my home. It was truly a colonised land as was most of the planet. We were not taught about how colonisation devastated Native Americans. There was no way they were going to teach us about Indigenous people on other shores. In short my programmed education said little or told me that indigenous people were uncivilized, savages that had no culture.
It has been a lifelong journey to become truly educated and unlearn much of what was fed to me as truth. And although I continue to decolonize my own consciousness, I know that we still live in a racist country and a racist world. You only have to look back at referendum day October 14th 2023 and the “NO” vote that echoed through this land, Australia. As an ally, I hurt and I hurt more when I gathered with my Indigenous brothers and sisters.
I know I am still learning in all that I do.
Hot Tip: Never stop learning.
My pain is insignificant compared to the First Nation people being shunned in their homeland. I marched in the streets of Sydney, across the Harbour Bridge, at Survival Day Gatherings and many Invasion Day and Yabun Festivals to show my support. I wore my heart on my sleeve and spoke up when I heard racist words.
My only trip to the Northern Territory was in 1984 when I was a 27-year-old tourist. My Lonely Planet showed me how to get to Ayers Rock as it was known to most white people. I flew in on TAA, Trans Australia Airlines, and made my way from Alice to the monolith in the desert.
There was not much out near Uluru in 1984. There were a few old, ramshackle motels and buildings and there were no tourists. Mind you, it was January and most people avoid the Red Centre in Summer. I had a swag and a little pack with my stuff. My ride dropped me near these buildings and I wandered in. There was a pub of sorts happening and it was filled with construction worker types who were building the Yulara Resort that would open later that year.
I had a few beers and chatted with some of the folks. There was supposedly a campground somewhere but after a few more beers I wandered out into the desert, set up my swag and retired for the evening. The sounds of Cold Chisel drifted across the sands as I closed my eyes to rest.
The sun comes up early in the desert. The coolness that had been there all night slips away in a moment. I left my swag and headed off into the desert with my water bottle and some fruit to investigate this amazing rock. I had only gone a couple of hundred meters when I saw my first snake in Australia. As a first-time visitor, I had been told about all the things that could kill you down under. To me, it appeared that this greenish-brown snake was coming right for me.
I sidestepped it and killed it with my axe.
No, I just watched it go by and I continued on my way. Based on my research later, it was one of these snakes, one of which is highly venomous. I did not stop to find out. I wanted to walk around this magnificent piece of rock and there was no one nearby to help me if I did tangle with a snake.
OK, I had no idea that Uluru was a sacred site. Call me an ignorant young man. Besides the new resort being built things were changing in the Territory and in 1985 the titles of Uluru were handed back to the Anagu people. Many of us thought things were improving for the First Australians back then.
I am sorry. We should be sorry as a nation. October 14, 2023 showed us that not much had changed in this sunburnt country.
Yes, I climbed Uluru in 1984. I am not ashamed but I wish I had been de-colonised enough to know that it was a sacred site. I had much learning to do and I have tried my best to do that over my 40 years in this new homeland of mine. If I had known about the pain that my climb could cause a culture and the anguish they felt when another balanda fell to their death attempting to conquer Uluru, my steps would have been different.
40 years later I am going to take steps in the Territory. I am going to Arnhem Land and this is a journey that has been on my mind for some time. My time there will be to attend the Garma Festival in East Arnhem Land. This is the largest gathering of Indigenous people in Australia and a celebration and sharing of Yolngu life and culture. Life and raising a family and the like prevented me from making that journey. I was getting close to making the trip in 2019-2020 as I had a good mate who was close to many in that region.
Tizza, Steven Taylor, was a mate of mine. He had hundreds of mates. He lived life to the full. One night over dinner, before one of our gig nights out (this one was David Byrne’s American Utopia in November 2018), he regaled me with his full tale of how he became involved with Indigenous Culture. We had plans to record what he had told me, not for broadcast, but at least for prosperity.
Tiz also said he would love to escort me up to Arnhem Land. Maybe for Garma or just a trip together when the planets aligned. He had sent me pictures through the years when he was up north and I was eager to make this happen.
Life is not always what you dream. Tiz and I were to attend a Nick Lowe concert on the 16th of February 2020. Tizza had other journeys to make and they were not here amongst us. On February 15th he hit his head and left us all behind. Hundreds of us celebrated his life in Manly just before the lockdown came and we partied, danced, sang , laughed, and cried for many hours. He missed one of the best parties ever.
My heart and soul look forward to walking on the sacred land of the Yolngu Nation. With an open heart, with a love for this precious life, and my ears attuned to nature, story, and song I look forward to unlearning more. Turning the volume down and listening to the people of this land.
Tizza will be with me in my heart and soul. Just as he would have wanted me to go see Nick Lowe the day after he passed (which of course I did!) I know and can feel that he is pleased and near me as I take part in this walkabout to Arnhem Land.
We all need to come together after the stunning and stinging defeat of the Voice in 2023.
Nothing has changed.
Everything has changed.
A post-referendum future has been encapsulated in the theme for this year's Garma Festival, which was announced by the Yothu Yindi Foundation on Monday.
'Gurtha-Wuma Worrk-gu', a Yolngu phrase signifying fire, strength and renewal is the theme for the 24th annual event, set to take place in northeast Arnhem Land in early August.
In announcing the theme, the Yothu Yindi Foundation said Fire. Strength. Renewal. represents key concepts in Yolngu culture.
"Gurtha (fire) is a central concept in the Yolngu world; it is the foundation of life that gives strength, energy, and power. It is in the people, and is of the land," the Yothu Yindi Foundation said.
"Worrk-gu (renewal) is in the life of the land and the people. It is the goodness that arises in the country after fire has burnt the land and cleansing rains have come."
We have the power and it is in this sacred land. We are all one. Peace.
See you there. Yalala!
This is the last video Tizza ever sent me. It was a very hot Invasion Day. There is no disrespect in showing that they shared a beer. I have checked this out with numerous people. Peace. Love.