Welcome to Hamish’s Fortnightly Findings 2#.
Fortnightly findings from the Editor in Chief.
Hello,
So, I was at my parent’s place for dinner last Friday, it is a beautiful 2-acre block just outside of Mullumbimby, Northern NSW, which they have lived on for the last 45 years and which I was born on.
Mum n Dads 1978
Pic by JW McCormick
They built their own house on it and have no running water, a composting toilet and have lovingly looked after the land for over 4 decades, they will be there until they pass on. As I was walking around the property I was marvelling at how the trees had grown and how the memories and knowledge of the block flowed over me – ‘I remember when that rock was put there, that tree has always been there’ etc – flashbulbs of memories from the last 37 years.
It got me reflecting, that this was just the memories and knowledge of one generation who was born on that land – me – what must it be like for Australia’s First Nations people who still live on their ancestral lands (Sadly a vast majority do not), the collective knowledge and memories from over tens of thousands of years.
I spent this year’s ‘survival day’ the 26 of Jan, educating myself about the first nations people of the area I am lucky enough to call home – the Arakwal Bumberlin people of the Bundjalung Nation who have lived in the area around Cavanbah (Byron Bay) for the last 22,000 years.
As a very very small yet positive step forward I would encourage every non First Nations Australian to educate yourself about your local Traditional Custodians and the traditional names of the places around you.
- Found contentment through: sitting down to a home-cooked meal with the family
- The joy of: the feeling of rain for the first time in months (it only lasted about 5 minutes – come back!)
- The satisfaction of: picking food out of your garden
- Feeling gratitude for: the space and land I get to call home, beautiful Arakwal, Bundjalung country in Northern NSW.
- The lesson learnt: you can’t leave the big silver bus at the bottom of your block unattended for weeks on end – the rats WILL get in and make a nest! (I cleaned it out before Mike got there haha)
- Reminded that: your kids are only kids once – spend quality time with them.
Inspired By: Brené Brown
I came across Brené Brown a few years ago and read some of her books and listened to interviews with her. I just recently revisited this awesome TED talk which put her on the map.
Brené is an author, storyteller and research professor at the University of Houston who studies courage, vulnerability, shame and empathy. She has written some great books and there are other talks on youtube but if you haven’t come across her before I would start here.
Stoked about:
This video that Carnival Cinema Member Ciara Thorburn (Spin Festival, Circus Garage Sale) made at Woodford Folk Festival with some of the Tribe – Legends!
Video Inspiration: MARQUESE SCOTT, 2011
and on that note…
As always make sure you get off your computer, check out live shows and try and take a moment to check in with yourself and each other in real life,
Peace & respect,
Hamish
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We acknowledge the people of the Bundjalung Nation, traditional custodians of the land on which the Magazine originates and pay our respects to their elders past, present and future.
The way we do things around here is that regardless of Age, Gender, Sexuality, Ethnicity our philosophy and our logo stands for inclusion, safety, connection and family.
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