A couple of years ago Geoff entered two paintings to the Royal Darwin Show, they formed a series called the Longrassers. The theme of the competition he entered was Darwin Topical.
I like these paintings very much; occasionally I drop in to look at them.
What astounded me at the time and disheartens me now is that the officials rejected them both and would not show them. The reason given was that they were not in theme with the topic.
Longrasser 1. by Geoff ~ Darwin
An Aboriginal man slumped over a wine cask in the long grass on the outskirts of town at night.
The curlew (a bird related to death) in the background is significant.
At the time this was painted a person had been nailing wine casks in the shape of a crucifix trees in scrub land and roadsides all over Darwin. + Thong
Longrasser 2. by Geoff ~ Darwin
White (Balanda) man sitting in the long grass on the outskirts of town. Bloodshot eyes, tattoos can in hand. Wine bladder crucifix nailed to tree thong on the ground, full moon behind him.
The term 'Longrasser' has become widely politicized. The word describes a lifestyle adopted by vagrants, swaggies and town campers in Darwin regardless of their ethnicity. However a couple of years ago it became a popular label for used to stereotype drunk or undesirable Aboriginal people. It is also accepted among indigenous town campers to describe themselves as a minority group. (When asked for an address by government bodies a common reply might be "In the Long Grass")
For a while back then, when the Territory government decided to clean up Darwin's streets by flying troublesome people back to their communities, the bourgeoisie of Darwin took hold of the label and applied it ruthlessly to Aboriginal people in general. To begin with the term 'longrasser' came into common use for any drunken or unruly indigenous people seen about town. Then slowly through various forms of media and amongst the chatter and gossip of family BBQ's the word took root and seemed to be a politically correct way of slagging off at Aboriginal people generally.
Often when people said Longrasser what they were really talking about was undesirables. In peoples minds and in the media references to Indigenous people became inseperably linked with the word Longrasser. Therefor the familiar concept of Aboriginal people being by default undesirable has managed to become a popular and common conclusion among much of the non-indigenous community in Darwin.
I am certain that amongst elements of the Darwin community there was a great sigh of relief. People could go back to slagging off at aborigines without being labeled as racist! finally a loophole had been created that allowed for the vilification of an ethnic group whilst remaining politically correct! Wide acceptance of the word Longrasser as code for Aboriginal people brought forth all kinds of public discussion about what to do with them and and how to get them off our streets... Aboriginal people that is. By now the fact that there were scores of non indigenous people living in the longrass appeared to have been completely ignored.
Somewhere along the line someone came up with the brilliant idea of showing recognition of the Larrakia people, the traditional owners of Darwin and its immediate surrounds. A campaign then began to remind visitors from other communities (most of the indigenous longrassers come from other communities) that they should respect the Larrakia people and act appropriately on their land. Signs were erected as reminders, seemingly for indigenous people, but how were the broader community educated about respecting Larrakia places? I don't recall seeing any education campaign that was directed at non indigenous people. Maybe because the campaign wasn't to to educate us or to encourage respect for country. It was designed to evict aboriginal people from the beaches and parks of Darwin! That is all! What a farce! My apologies to the Larrakia people but from my limited knowledge of the situation, as a non-indigenous person living in Darwin it seems that our government and community are not really interested in recognizing Larrakia people. The whole thing looked to me like an elaborate way of shaming indigenous people away from Darwin. Non indigenous people are not asked to show the same respect for Larrakia protocol or traditions, we are not shown how or expected to abide by any traditional forms of respect for the land we are on, or it's people.
I think that was about the time when the Federal Government cottoned on to the idea of labeling asylum seekers as 'Cue-jumpers'!
For a while back then, when the Territory government decided to clean up Darwin's streets by flying troublesome people back to their communities, the bourgeoisie of Darwin took hold of the label and applied it ruthlessly to Aboriginal people in general. To begin with the term 'longrasser' came into common use for any drunken or unruly indigenous people seen about town. Then slowly through various forms of media and amongst the chatter and gossip of family BBQ's the word took root and seemed to be a politically correct way of slagging off at Aboriginal people generally.
Often when people said Longrasser what they were really talking about was undesirables. In peoples minds and in the media references to Indigenous people became inseperably linked with the word Longrasser. Therefor the familiar concept of Aboriginal people being by default undesirable has managed to become a popular and common conclusion among much of the non-indigenous community in Darwin.
I am certain that amongst elements of the Darwin community there was a great sigh of relief. People could go back to slagging off at aborigines without being labeled as racist! finally a loophole had been created that allowed for the vilification of an ethnic group whilst remaining politically correct! Wide acceptance of the word Longrasser as code for Aboriginal people brought forth all kinds of public discussion about what to do with them and and how to get them off our streets... Aboriginal people that is. By now the fact that there were scores of non indigenous people living in the longrass appeared to have been completely ignored.
Somewhere along the line someone came up with the brilliant idea of showing recognition of the Larrakia people, the traditional owners of Darwin and its immediate surrounds. A campaign then began to remind visitors from other communities (most of the indigenous longrassers come from other communities) that they should respect the Larrakia people and act appropriately on their land. Signs were erected as reminders, seemingly for indigenous people, but how were the broader community educated about respecting Larrakia places? I don't recall seeing any education campaign that was directed at non indigenous people. Maybe because the campaign wasn't to to educate us or to encourage respect for country. It was designed to evict aboriginal people from the beaches and parks of Darwin! That is all! What a farce! My apologies to the Larrakia people but from my limited knowledge of the situation, as a non-indigenous person living in Darwin it seems that our government and community are not really interested in recognizing Larrakia people. The whole thing looked to me like an elaborate way of shaming indigenous people away from Darwin. Non indigenous people are not asked to show the same respect for Larrakia protocol or traditions, we are not shown how or expected to abide by any traditional forms of respect for the land we are on, or it's people.
I think that was about the time when the Federal Government cottoned on to the idea of labeling asylum seekers as 'Cue-jumpers'!
In Darwin there are some people who live and sleep out-doors. Some of them are Indigenous and some of them are not. They do this for all kinds of reasons, sometimes by preference, sometimes out of necessity. Although a lot of people in the longrass are male there are also women, they are young and old and there are family groups. Sometimes with children.
Grog affects the lives of many who are out there. People often seek comfort, and friendship through the grog but are led to despair insanity and death. Grog can be both comforter and destroyer. Life in the longrass can be a dangerous place the conditions are harsh and there is sometimes no escape from opportunists or violent and abusive people.
My feelings about the two paintings: The images above are both of men. One an Aboriginal man lost and close to death, the other a white man living on the fringes of society soulless and hard. When I look at the aboriginal man I feel compassion, I can sympathize with him, he is lost but a totem of his people is standing by, watching over him waiting to sing for him. When I look at the other man unfortunately I do not feel the same sympathy, but he is equally damaged. The crucifix may be a symbol of hope or a lost opportunity. I am inclined to think that both are lacking any hope. Geoff says it is a symbolizes the struggle of living a life trapped between two worlds.
Maybe the crosses bear witness to their persistence and ultimately their passing.
Grog affects the lives of many who are out there. People often seek comfort, and friendship through the grog but are led to despair insanity and death. Grog can be both comforter and destroyer. Life in the longrass can be a dangerous place the conditions are harsh and there is sometimes no escape from opportunists or violent and abusive people.
My feelings about the two paintings: The images above are both of men. One an Aboriginal man lost and close to death, the other a white man living on the fringes of society soulless and hard. When I look at the aboriginal man I feel compassion, I can sympathize with him, he is lost but a totem of his people is standing by, watching over him waiting to sing for him. When I look at the other man unfortunately I do not feel the same sympathy, but he is equally damaged. The crucifix may be a symbol of hope or a lost opportunity. I am inclined to think that both are lacking any hope. Geoff says it is a symbolizes the struggle of living a life trapped between two worlds.
Maybe the crosses bear witness to their persistence and ultimately their passing.
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