Larrakia Nation

Through Noodle I met a really nice guy Coz, that works with the Larrakia Nation (an NGO that assists Aboriginal people) I volunteered with them for a week and had a very powerful experience working beside the wonderful people (Margie, Jossette,Paul Joe...) of that organization. Basically for a week, Margie would pick me up in the mornings and we would drive out into the "long grass" bush and assist people living out there. We would bring things like blankets, food, toothpaste, first aid supplies, clothes, etc...(one day Paul gave them haircuts and shaves) We also provided transportation. Which is really key! Basically any of you that have been without wheels knows how time consuming and tiring the bus system can be (no matter where you live) the luxury of having a car really saves so much time; and especially when one lives out in the bush and has to come up with the money to take the bus...and also deal with the obvious prejudices of some of the other bus riders. So one day we would drive people to their doctors appointments, their DMV tests, their hospital surgeries, their families house..you get the idea. Providing transport for people is really a easy and profound way to assist someone...I know I feel crazy lucky when someone offers me a lift. One of my most eye-opening days was when Josette and I had to get a mob's (what many here refer to as a group of people, it is not used negatively here) swag and belongings (swag - bedding) from the ranger's station. The rangers here patrol the bush and really in general I have had positive experiences with them; but that being said, they do sometimes remove people's belongings in such a way that makes me wonder . (They removed a pan with the food still in it, so when we picked it up 2 days later you can imagine the bugs, smell etc....now would it have been so hard to just dump the food out of the pan?) Anyway rangers constantly have to "move people on" in the bush when companies and individuals complain etc... When Josette and I met with a ranger he honestly seemed a bit frustrated too...so Josette was really calm and thoughtful, she proposed to them that they contact her before they "move people on", maybe contacting her could illuminate some of the issues that do not get discussed and also having the Larrakiha Nation NGO involved could also reduce some of the stress and increase understanding for all involved. Anyway she was really great in that meeting. Another interesting experience was attending a feed (feast basically) we picked up the people living in the bush and brought them to the LN Center which is also a Senior day Home, and we had a feast. Traditional food was prepared and people really enjoyed it. I am really honored to have met everyone and I feel privileged to have had a glimpse into the history and the stories of the people from that region. Darwin is developing at such a fast pace and what strikes me most is that people keep moving on, development is creeping in all around them and groups of families living in the bush keep moving...to spots where the fishing is good, or places with shade...but the bush is getting smaller...development is getting bigger...and it mostly is all about the dollar.....will there ever be a balance? like so many histories of Indigenous, the various Aboriginal tribal histories are extremely painful....I sit here now overwhelmed and overcome by all of it really, because here it all seems extra raw in many ways that though I had anticipated, I am still surprised by. It just is so recent really, It was still in the law books in the 1970s that in some parts of Australia it was legal to kill an Aboriginal person. When I went out into communities there are large signs that talk about alcohol and pornography being illegal...these signs were placed by the government in Aboriginal communities ONLY...as if they are the only people that partake in things like this...there are other better ways to handle peoples dependency issues...there are better ways...how about instituting more programs run by Aboriginal people themselves for their communities? Maybe it is done but from people I have talked to it is just not done enough...but then what is right? Sorry about my monologue but that is what a blog is...:) Anyway.... I saw many things that most Australians never see...though maybe they could if they really wanted to....any maybe if these things are really seen and talked about something good could come of it all....but I am sure I am not the first nor the last to say that. The power is in the stories I say ....and speaking of stories...Samson and Delilah is a great movie and see it if you can...it is about 2 young Aboriginal youths in Alice Springs.