Turangawaewae is a beautiful word, and I resonate with all you have said in the article, Sally. I was born in London, lived in the South East suburbs from 2 to 17, yet never felt truly at home. I settled here in West Wales in 1973, and it is the home of my soul. There is word in Cymraig, the ancient Welsh language which preceded English is these islands, miltir sqwar, which means ‘the square mile in which I am known and which I know’ in other words Country, it evokes that sense of belonging to the fields, trees, hills and streams that is so much a part of living in, and loving, this incredible land which still beats with its ancient heart.
Hi Josie so lovely to hear about your soul home in West Wales, how incredible for you to have been called there at such a young age and then to have made your life in your miltir sqwar. I love what this means , to know and be known by Country, it’s a beautiful surrendering to a place that calls you into relationship . Thanks so much for sharing this here.
Thank you! There is so much needed wisdom in what you wrote. I found this quote from Bruce Pascoe particularly compelling: "to identify with the land or otherwise how can they care for her? They will be restless spirits forever feeling at a distance from their home."
This is what I am learning here, many thousands of miles away. And I am seeking to share it through my post: Living Earthwise. Thank you for your thoughtful and heart inspiring posts.
Very very good to journal, and to listen to the wise indigenous elders. in this way we help honour where we stand. in a buddhist talk last night i heard tell of native american indiand who said "see the clouds, see the stars, they are working for you." we are indeed all a part of a mystery way beyond conventional western understanding. thank you for your wonderful postings xx
Thank you Brigid, yes seeing and feeling world relationally as kin, they work for us and we will nurture feelings of belonging when we notice , honour and protect them
A deeply interesting Post, Sally, and since you invite readers to comment, I will have a go at explaining where my own feet stand.
From the mid 80's to the late 90's I had the privilege of living and working in remote Aboriginal communities of the Northern Territory, as well as parts of the Kimberley and also the Pitjantjatjara and Ngaanyatjarra Homelands. Those experiences brought home to me - with great force - what it meant to live in what was, and sadly still is, a colonial society.
My birth family had already taught me respect for Aboriginal culture and a deep love of the natural landscape, but living with, travelling and hunting with, and attending ceremony with Warlpiri friends in the Jarnami/Tanami desert lands brought everything into far sharper focus, and I learned much there and still more, over time, in other places and from other peoples.
One early product of this was a short descriptive story of one of those experiences, which I submitted to "Australian Short Stories" - the fabulous short story book series created and edited in the 80's by, yes, Bruce Pascoe and Lynne Harwood. I was an unpublished unknown, and if I had understood Bruce's background I might have been too scared to offer my work for his judgement, but in those pre-internet days I knew nothing about Bruce at all, so I posted it off and some weeks later - to my own immense surprise and delight - a letter came back saying that it was accepted for publication in Issue No. 30 and was, Bruce said, his favourite piece for the book. He is a deeply generous man.
You mention how Bruce writes that non-Aboriginal people living in Australia need to be encouraged:
"to identify with the land or otherwise how can they care for her? They will be restless spirits forever feeling at a distance from their home."
It is the same generosity and encouragement offered to me by so many Aboriginal friends and colleagues in the NT and elsewhere, despite a colonial history of violence and dispossession which is unspeakable, but which - for that very reason - desperately needs to be acknowledged and spoken of. I have tried to do that in some of my own writings, including a little volume of my poetry from the NT (Spinifex. Five Islands Press 2001) - a selection of which now also appear on my Substack. (Try Junga Yimi; Lajamanu Morning; Kngwarreye).
I have always hoped that this country - which I do feel I belong to - would follow the lessons of Aotearoa. When the Statement From The Heart was first issued my immediate thought was astonishment, that the request made of other Australians was so very very modest - too modest in my view. I was appalled when the Prime Minister of the day dismissed the request for The Voice immediately - without even attempting to support it - and I was hopeful when the current PM put it forward for a Referendum.
Sadly - when presented with cynical political culture war posturing, and lies supported and multiplied by large swathes of the media - this nation failed that test of humanity and wisdom.
I stand with those who continue to work for a better future - and that is partly why I have returned to publishing my Poetry and other writing after a public silence of around 22 years. My wonderful partner Meg and I are now semi-nomadic ourselves, dividing our time between the country of the Yaegl people on the far North Coast of NSW, and the country of the Worimi and Awabakal in the Hunter region.
Thank you so much Dave for sharing where your feet stand, I am now reading your posts and am very moved by them. Thank you, you express so well what all of us living on this incredible continent need to hear. I have not travelled widely as you have around the many Countries of this place, I look forward to learning more from your experiences. Recently however I did attend a First Nations Earth Summit on Gumbayngirr Country, and learnt so much from elders who as you write show the most incredible generosity and courage in their sharing of their history, culture, and heart. So much hardship and trauma yet so much unwavering commitment to Country. I cannot get my head around how many voted against the, as you say far too modest, proposals of the Voice. Clearly a lot more truth telling is needed. So very pleased you have broken your public silence and we have met here.
Although like yourself shocked and disheartened by much that I see - including the referendum result - I am an optimist at heart. Yes - more truth telling is needed. Some people resist that fiercely, but it is the way through to a better place for us all...
Turangawaewae is a beautiful word, and I resonate with all you have said in the article, Sally. I was born in London, lived in the South East suburbs from 2 to 17, yet never felt truly at home. I settled here in West Wales in 1973, and it is the home of my soul. There is word in Cymraig, the ancient Welsh language which preceded English is these islands, miltir sqwar, which means ‘the square mile in which I am known and which I know’ in other words Country, it evokes that sense of belonging to the fields, trees, hills and streams that is so much a part of living in, and loving, this incredible land which still beats with its ancient heart.
Hi Josie so lovely to hear about your soul home in West Wales, how incredible for you to have been called there at such a young age and then to have made your life in your miltir sqwar. I love what this means , to know and be known by Country, it’s a beautiful surrendering to a place that calls you into relationship . Thanks so much for sharing this here.
Thank you! There is so much needed wisdom in what you wrote. I found this quote from Bruce Pascoe particularly compelling: "to identify with the land or otherwise how can they care for her? They will be restless spirits forever feeling at a distance from their home."
This is what I am learning here, many thousands of miles away. And I am seeking to share it through my post: Living Earthwise. Thank you for your thoughtful and heart inspiring posts.
Thank you Wade, so good to share this with you and our mutual journeys so many miles away yet so close in the heart 💚
Very very good to journal, and to listen to the wise indigenous elders. in this way we help honour where we stand. in a buddhist talk last night i heard tell of native american indiand who said "see the clouds, see the stars, they are working for you." we are indeed all a part of a mystery way beyond conventional western understanding. thank you for your wonderful postings xx
Thank you Brigid, yes seeing and feeling world relationally as kin, they work for us and we will nurture feelings of belonging when we notice , honour and protect them
A deeply interesting Post, Sally, and since you invite readers to comment, I will have a go at explaining where my own feet stand.
From the mid 80's to the late 90's I had the privilege of living and working in remote Aboriginal communities of the Northern Territory, as well as parts of the Kimberley and also the Pitjantjatjara and Ngaanyatjarra Homelands. Those experiences brought home to me - with great force - what it meant to live in what was, and sadly still is, a colonial society.
My birth family had already taught me respect for Aboriginal culture and a deep love of the natural landscape, but living with, travelling and hunting with, and attending ceremony with Warlpiri friends in the Jarnami/Tanami desert lands brought everything into far sharper focus, and I learned much there and still more, over time, in other places and from other peoples.
One early product of this was a short descriptive story of one of those experiences, which I submitted to "Australian Short Stories" - the fabulous short story book series created and edited in the 80's by, yes, Bruce Pascoe and Lynne Harwood. I was an unpublished unknown, and if I had understood Bruce's background I might have been too scared to offer my work for his judgement, but in those pre-internet days I knew nothing about Bruce at all, so I posted it off and some weeks later - to my own immense surprise and delight - a letter came back saying that it was accepted for publication in Issue No. 30 and was, Bruce said, his favourite piece for the book. He is a deeply generous man.
You mention how Bruce writes that non-Aboriginal people living in Australia need to be encouraged:
"to identify with the land or otherwise how can they care for her? They will be restless spirits forever feeling at a distance from their home."
It is the same generosity and encouragement offered to me by so many Aboriginal friends and colleagues in the NT and elsewhere, despite a colonial history of violence and dispossession which is unspeakable, but which - for that very reason - desperately needs to be acknowledged and spoken of. I have tried to do that in some of my own writings, including a little volume of my poetry from the NT (Spinifex. Five Islands Press 2001) - a selection of which now also appear on my Substack. (Try Junga Yimi; Lajamanu Morning; Kngwarreye).
I have always hoped that this country - which I do feel I belong to - would follow the lessons of Aotearoa. When the Statement From The Heart was first issued my immediate thought was astonishment, that the request made of other Australians was so very very modest - too modest in my view. I was appalled when the Prime Minister of the day dismissed the request for The Voice immediately - without even attempting to support it - and I was hopeful when the current PM put it forward for a Referendum.
Sadly - when presented with cynical political culture war posturing, and lies supported and multiplied by large swathes of the media - this nation failed that test of humanity and wisdom.
I stand with those who continue to work for a better future - and that is partly why I have returned to publishing my Poetry and other writing after a public silence of around 22 years. My wonderful partner Meg and I are now semi-nomadic ourselves, dividing our time between the country of the Yaegl people on the far North Coast of NSW, and the country of the Worimi and Awabakal in the Hunter region.
Best wishes
Dave
Thank you so much Dave for sharing where your feet stand, I am now reading your posts and am very moved by them. Thank you, you express so well what all of us living on this incredible continent need to hear. I have not travelled widely as you have around the many Countries of this place, I look forward to learning more from your experiences. Recently however I did attend a First Nations Earth Summit on Gumbayngirr Country, and learnt so much from elders who as you write show the most incredible generosity and courage in their sharing of their history, culture, and heart. So much hardship and trauma yet so much unwavering commitment to Country. I cannot get my head around how many voted against the, as you say far too modest, proposals of the Voice. Clearly a lot more truth telling is needed. So very pleased you have broken your public silence and we have met here.
Hi Sally. You are welcome.
Although like yourself shocked and disheartened by much that I see - including the referendum result - I am an optimist at heart. Yes - more truth telling is needed. Some people resist that fiercely, but it is the way through to a better place for us all...
Best Wishes - Dave
Thank you so much for this — feeling very affirmed by your words!
Thank you, this is the best possible feedback !
I’m going to love this book, thanks for introducing me to it. I’ve asked my kids to get it for Christmas:)
Great Christmas present and a holiday read, I was so absorbed in its pages as you can probably tell!