Careful with that mutika

I am not sure how to approach this subject since it arouses quite a bit if anger within me and I feel the subject is terribly misunderstood by the general public and more specifically the Dominant Anglo Mutika (motor car) obsessed culture!

(Telltale markings on the road)

I have to write something but once again I doubt I will do it justice! Maybe this can be the preliminary for some more substantial writing about the issue of road safety and the basic human rights of pedestrians.

Once again on my way to work I came across the remains of a grisly scene. Spray painted marks on the road indicating the various points of impact and final landing place of various objects after having been impacted by a motor vehicle. As I rode down Bagot Road toward the city I noticed the markings one by one until reaching the unmistakable outline of a person!

Another body has been smashed on the road! As I ride to work it is not uncommon to ride across blood stains and fur from countless, bandicoots, rats, cats and sometimes dogs. Occasionally but far too often there is evidence that a person has been hit. Thursday was one of those days!

I am talking about Bagot Road which links Darwin city with it's Northern Suburbs. It is three lanes wide and carries what I would expect most cities would consider a moderate amount of traffic. The road divides the residential suburbs of Ludmilla and Coconut Grove from the patch of land containing the RAAF base and Airport. Along the outbound side of the road there are retail outlets, MacDonalds, Red Rooster, two Primary Schools, blocks of flats and the Bagot Aboriginal Community. The majority of the in bound side has only a strip of grass and trees seperating the road from a high cyclone wire fence behind which is the RAAF, there is no footpath and very little space to stand, the ground is sloping towards the road. There are several bus stops along the road with about 4 or 5 on the side which has no footpath and very little space for people to sit.

Here I think are some of the factors which I believe have contributed to far too many people being hit on this road.

1. Speed limit - 70 - 80 kmh

2. Lack of appropriate pedestrian crossings

3. Lack of appropriate lighting at key sites where people cross the road

4. Higher than usual number of pedestrians/ Public transport users

5. Higher than usual likelihood of people who are not familiar with road conditions (a lot of people who stay at Bagot actually come from Aboriginal communities where there aren't any busy roads)

6. Pedestrian Intoxication

7. Driver negligence 
8. Insufficient space to stand at side of the road, sloping surface

I do not have any details about the facts involved in this recent accident and I would prefer not to speculate or try to draw any conclusions as to what happened on this occasion. However I would like to reflect on the attitudes that I come across when discussing the situation with people generally. I find their comments quite revealing and believe that it is popular Car Culture attitudes which have allowed this situation to continue without any 'meaningful' attempt to improve safety for pedestrians. (I use the word meaningful because there have actually been some attempts made to improve bus stops and crossing but they do not really address the real problems.)

These statements are a generalization and are not related to any empirical data, they are based only on general themes I have picked up on in discussion with people who are not experts... and were not present at the accidents. It is possible they may read a little too much of the local Tabloid or watch news on TV.

Q. What caused the accident

A. The the pedestrian was drunk and black

Q. Who was at fault

A. The pedestrian

Q. How could this have been prevented

A. He/She should stay off the road

Q. What about road conditions?

A. Not a problem.

Generally the answer I get  is that The pedestrian was hit because they were drunk and stepped onto the road at night, weren't seen and an innocent driver hit them.

Those hit aren't always black or drunk but there seems to be a general sense that this is the reason why people are hit by cars on Bagot Road. When the situation varies though people often seem just as willing to blame the victim of the incident rather than consider that there might be some other serious causes for the incident. For instance when a cyclist was hit a couple of years ago I remember the major point of discussion was whether or not he was wearing a helmet! It seems the blame for the accident could be shifted from the driver to the cyclist simply because he didn't have a helmet on when the car hit him!

Personally I find this situation quite intolerable and because it will result in more people being killed or maimed unnecessarily. I don't want to be one of them.

I will try to post on this subject in more detail when I have time to compose a constructive argument. But I would like to ask a few questions which I have asked several people I know and received somewhat negative feedback.

1. What if the speed limit was reduced to 60km. (how much time would actually be lost?

2. Would pedestrian crossings or lights make it safer for people to cross the road going to or from the buss stop?

3. Would improved lighting crossing the road near a buss stop increase visibility of pedestrians?

4. Would drivers pay attention to signs alerting drivers to the presence of pedestrians make them more cautious?

I am not blaming drivers for this situation. I still don't know any of the facts that contributed to this latest  incident and would hate to attribute guilt to anyone involved, it's not my place to do that. I have been in the situation more than once when an intoxicated pedestrian has stepped onto the road at night and it is a frightening situation. I have learned that there are times and places when this is more likely and I slow right down, regardless of what the other traffic is doing! Really I would just like to take a look at the whole situation and challenge some of the popular thinking on this subject in the hope that a solution might present itself.

Surely we must be capable of putting our fundamental responsibility for the care of human life before our perceived rights as drivers of motor vehicles?

Visit and fellowship in Arnhemland

Thanks to good fortune I am currently employed in great job that occasionally requires me to travel to Aboriginal Communities in Arnhem Land. Recently I had the opportunity to visit the Island community of Milingimbi in North Eastern Arnhem Land. This was a special place for me to visit since it was the home of a man who had made a big impression on me before he passed away last year. He was a special person who had an enormous capacity for love and forgiveness he did a lot to create channels of communication and understanding between Yolngu and Balanda.


This has been my longest stay in an Arnhem Land community and the best chance I've had so far to experience the atmosphere in this unique part of the world.

Although my schedule was extremely busy and there were all kinds of logistical problems that I just hadn't counted on, I still managed to find plenty of opportunities to get about and meet up with some rather inspirational people as well as attend some local activities.

There's a lot going on over at Milingimbi at the moment and from my perspective I'd say much of it is very good.


(Stained window, Milingimbi Church)

Milingimbi is an old Mission settlement and there are several Clan groups living in the township. As with most other Aboriginal Communities Milingimbi is affected by the Federal Intervention and all it's restrictions and impositions, however unlike many other Communities Milingimbi had already been dry for some time before the Intervention and functioned fairly well without the new laws that were brought down upon them 2 years or so ago. (Of course Milingimbi has seen some benefits from renewed interest from Government agencies)


(Sitting in comfort on a rug on the sand)

While I was there I was fortunate to see just how well things can come together at the initiative of local people. Although my experience of Christianity is quite limited (actually prior to 5 years ago I'd had no meaningful contact with the religion outside of attending weddings or funerals) I'd have to say that the activities at Milingimbi are quite a phenomenon! There is a strong Christian Fellowship in Milingimbi that meets every night and I found the gatherings quite amazing! On my second night there I went along to the beach expecting maybe half a dozen loyal followers of the tradition handed to them by missionaries in the early 20th Century... What I found was a crowd of maybe 200 people, gathered together in fellowship, families, young and old people together. Singing, Dancing, Sharing stories. I saw a group of up to 30 young children performing a carefully choreographed dance, perfectly synchronized, later a group of about 8 young men performing their own dance, then more beautiful singing from the older ladies and on it went until late at night. People sitting happily with their family and friends, on rugs and mats as a gentle northerly sea breeze kept the sand-flies at bay and cooled the brows of some very enthusiastic performers.
What a BUZ!

Unlike many outback townships there were no sounds of drunken brawls, no screeching tires, smashing glass, abusive language or any of the behavior that might prevent families from venturing down Mitchel Street on any night... Just the sound of singing, happy chatter and the bark of an occasional dog as people wandered home after a night of warmth and fellowship.

It happened to be school sports week while I was there so lunch times were spent cheering the young athletes as they raced each other down the mains street. I'd heard about low attendance rates at Community schools but what I saw on Milingimbi seemed to contradict this story completely. In fact I saw kids turning up more than an hour early for school full of enthusiasm and ready to get stuck into the learning before their teachers had even arrived. The kids there really seemed to be engaged and interested in learning... The school seemed to have just the right ingredients. Music, Sport, some really involved teachers and a library full of Yolngu stories. The library even had a traditional hand carved canoe and one of the bark canoes from the film 10 Canoes. The Milingimbi School is COOL!

(Image if person now deceased has been removed out of respect for the family)


(Rev. Larry B------ with some home grown watermelons)

All these things were great but there was one aspect to this trip that really impressed me. While I was talking to Rev. Larry we got talking about gardening and all the benefits that come from growing vegetables in particular. Before I knew it he was imparting a whole philosophy on me that absolutely fit perfectly the concepts I'd been thinking about over the past few years. A program for providing young people with an environment where they can develop a sense of, community self worth and become confident independent thinkers. The Patch down in Leanyer is a great example of the enormous benefit this kind of education can improve the outcomes for students who are struggling with the regular curriculum.
Nature is a great teacher, by engaging with the natural processes of planting, nurturing and growing vegetables we can learn a lot about the skills we need in other aspects of life. Patience, care, observation, a little bit of sweat and the reward of reaping what we have sown... If for some reason the crop fails we learn how to deal with disappointment as we proceed to try again.
Larry has teamed up with a teacher at the school and they've been working with a couple of boys who have benefited greatly from the activities. The idea of a larger project has taken on and they've produced a short documentary in which Larry explains the philosophy behind the project which has an excellent name that I will publish when I know it's OK to do so.

It seems the school may even come on board and dedicate some land especially for the purpose of developing a larger training program around this philosophy! Since all the fresh fruit and vegetables on Milingimbi are imported, this project could have many flow on benefits for the community.

There's so much more I could rant on about but basically I have come home feeling recharged and optimistic about all the potential of this small community.

Gardening (for food) in the town

(Bundoora Park Community Garden, Bundoora, Victoria)

It's been great to see a revival and growth in Urban food production, which is apparrently becoming hugely popular in Australia, UK and the USA. To grow your own food is now considdered to be cool... (Common practice in most other places)
A couple of years ago I discovered the Life Island website after viewing an amazing video about the Manor Gardens in Hackney, UK. At the time they were fighting to protect their 100 year old garden allotments from being leveled to make way for a sporting complex for the Olympic games... Sadly they lost the battle and the whole site has since been completely cleared! But! I will be very difficult to rebuild the sense of community that appeared to have existed in that special place and I was really saddened when I learned about the garden's demise.

Somewhere in my trawling of the internet I discovered that there was a cookbook produced with photos of the people and their special places in the Manor Garden. The Book is called Moro East.
I managed to order a copy of it online and it was delivered toward the end of last year. It's a wonderful book full of very rustic recipies and images, the cover features some beautiful Islamic art.

(Moro East Cookbook by Sam and Sam Clark)

It may be idealism or escapism but this stuff really inspires me. The book is wonderful and I like just flicking through the pages.


Sliver Gardening

Back at home our little garden is providing shade and green where once there was only the blinding glare and heat of too much concrete ... We've eaten a delicious pumpkin, snake beans, heaps of basil and enjoyed Lemongrass tea. We only harvest food occasionally but the aesthetic value of a food garden makes enormous improvements to our peace of mind regardless of limmited crops.

The Patch Open Day

Today was another Patch Open Day.

I headed down there on my lunch break and was very pleased to see that The Patch is going from strength to strength! I can't begin to describe the beneficial vibes this place is putting out! I am always blown away by the sense of connection, belonging and purpose everyone has when they become part of the life of The Patch!

There were so many young people there today and all of them seemed to be completely engaged and actively creating a space where we all can flourish! What was really inspiring this time (as with every other time I've visited) was how the young men and women take on a sense of ownership and pride in the jobs they are doing and the space they are creating! This stuff is GOLD!

I won't bore you with a long story about why I think The Patch is so important or how I believe that it is projects like this that will lead our society towards a brighter more inclusive future. Towards interdependence and away from a destiny of social apathy and self interest.

Just have a brows through the images and enjoy the green, feel the peace, imagine the garden of sensory delights that is growing.



(New Permaculture project)


(Just another great banana tree)


(Snake: To be planted out with sweet potato)



(Paving: It's all about teamwork. Mentoring is a crucial element)



(This is a safe place for even the smallest of visitors)


(Winged beans... I am not going to stop posting photos of these)

Down at The Patch folks are preparing for the Open Day between 10:00am - 11:30am on Thursday 14th August.
The open day is an important opportunity for the students to present their projects and engage visitors. A lot has been done during the first half of this year and there will be heaps to show off.


View Larger Map
Enter The Patch via the gate on Leanyer drive, follow the road straight through towards the big clump of trees at the end of the long Shed, park your car and follow the sound of happy people and you will find The Patch.

Malak community garden begins

As we look towards an uncertain future of high fuel prices, and growing pressure on food supplies there is a movement amongst urban people who have the vision to realize that we need to re-connect with our environment.
At the same time the Northern suburbs of Darwin have attracted a rather bad reputation for crime and violence by young people. There is a perception that the situation is becoming very quickly out of hand and with an election looming Law and Order is high on the agenda. But how do we bring peace and stability to our fracturing society?

It's obvious that the answer needs to be in the hands of the community itself. The general impression I have from speaking with politicians and councilors is that they want their names attached to grand events and big money deals. Many of our elected representatives do not appear to be truly connected with the local community. From my experience they are quick to give lip service to our projects but when it comes to the crunch they are seeking something more grandiose and are reluctant to commit to supporting real community action!

There are all kinds of community building activities happening in our town that are acting against the fragmentation and alienation of our society. After spending a little time down at the Malak shops on Sunday my spirits were raised to see the efforts made by Darwin Community Arts.

Darwin Community Arts, appears to be an unbrella organization for a wide range of community services. As interested as I am, I have not previously had any contact with this group and was awestruck by their connectedness to my local community.

On Sunday they had an official opening of their Malak center which included the creation of a Community Garden. I arrived at 4:00pm with the two kids and watched as a very enthusiastic group set about transforming a tiny patch of dust into a magnificently designed herb and vegetable garden plot. There were bands scheduled to play later in the evening and I noticed the mob from The NEo there but unfortunately we had another event to attend that day.
I did manage to have a chat with on of the organizers of the Malak center who explained the reasons behind moving their operations to this site. Darwin Community Arts is based in Malak so that it could be closer to the people it serves. Malak is very close to where I live and just the area for an injection of community spirit.


Building raised beds and watering in soil


Adding manure and straw


Preparing beds for planting


The garden planted out complete with banana trees at on the side

Good on them for realizing what is needed in our local communities! These community gardens have a curative effect on the soul and can address many of the social and micro economic issues faced by many members of our community. There is also another garden in Bagot community. This is another community that could seriously use some TLC. Gardens are the way!
You just have to see what is going on down at The Patch to realize how beneficial these projects can be for bringing communities together.

A garden plot

Down at the Patch there's been a bit of activity.
The garden is flourishing and it's nearly time to plant our vegetables.

I haven't had time to visit very often and the allotment is only attended once or twice a week but hopefully this will change soon. There has been a fair bit of interest in the site and larger groups have been visiting.



Red bananas (I think they are for cooking)



Snake beans on a tripod of native bamboo


The plan now, will be to encourage school groups and individuals to come down and create their own vegetable gardens and get some activity down there over the dry season. There's plenty of potential for this site and we will need to act fast to show the council that urban agriculture will be of great benefit to our community in the future. Unfortunately with two small kids and a full time job, the time I can devote to this project is severely limited but you never know what interest might rise around a great idea.

I had some grand ideas about using folia to link our gardeners up and as a means of showing parents the great work their children have done down at the patch but time is scarce and no one has shown much interest yet so it will remain on the drawing board until others show some interest.


Oh and I've also been thinking a bit, as I look out my office window, about how much space is wasted on rooftops. I know people have created functioning rooftop gardens but haven't yet read much on the subject. There are heaps of spaces where I work that would make excellent gardens. A favorite rooftop spot just outside my office window always collects a thin film of water. When I'm feeling particularly uninspired I gaze out over the horizontal plane and imagine it as a rice padi... (it works for me)

Rice padi rooftop?

Sweedish film 'As it is in Heaven'

Last night for Valentines Day I decided to hire one of the more romantic looking selections from the shelf. I wasn't exactly sure of the story but there were bicycles on the cover so I thought even if it was a bit mooshy I would find something of interest in the film.
What a stroke of luck! The film turned out to be the most beautiful film...!
The best I've seen since 10 Canoes! Both wonderful stories of the importance of community that give a real sense of belonging to a place and people.

(Image courtesy of Wikipedia)

The film was called: As it is in Heaven

A great story about community, love, music and fear. Once again I've run out of time for blogging but if you get the chance you gotta see this film!

Intervention

Just before I go to bed I thought I'd add a comment to my previous rant about the long awaited apology.
The policies that lead to so many children being removed (sometimes forcibly) from their parents were what is commonly known as "intervention", I'm pretty sure child welfare agencies still use the term. It was the intervention by Government agents, which resulted in effect in the stolen generations.
I really hope that after having made such an important apology our federal government is able to see the similarities between the policies they have recently acknowledged as harmful and wrong and their current "Intervention" in the Northern Territory. Surely now would be a good time to re-asses the way that the federal Intervention is conducted and prevent the terrible errors of our past from being repeated!
It must surely now be acknowledged that Aboriginal communities are not all the same, that cultural and social protocols can vary from place to place and that the people in each of these communities deserve the right to be listened to. Shouldn't the members of those communities be offered assistance to improve their communities based on the work many have already begun by their own initiative?

I hope the attempt to protect children in aboriginal communities can now be approached in a more compassionate way rather than applying the carpet bombing approach.

Aside from the current NT intervention and the dysfunction it is trying to address I believe a lot more can be achieved if we Balandas could simply give in and make some attempt to understand and become part of this countries rich heritage.

P.S... (added 16.02.08)

PM speech: http://www.aph.gov.au/house/Rudd_Speech.pdf

Nelson speech: http://www.aph.gov.au/house/Nelson_speech.pdf

SORRY

This morning as I was sitting at my work desk, about to begin the morning ritual of logging on, checking email, updating record etc... etc... I received a call from my wife. It was early and I'd only just arrived at work, so naturally I suspected there was something wrong at home.
The tone in her voice was heavier than usual which worried me a little more. I quizzed her straight away. "What's wrong?" "What is it?"

She replied with an air of disbelief and shock, "The Prime Minister is saying 'Sorry' on TV right now!"
It was 7:45 am! I knew it was on the agenda but being busy looking after 2 young kids has totally prevented me from following any news outside of what pre-school we can turn to when we're not happy with the one we're at or how long can you keep fresh milk out of the fridge and does that apply when you've already warmed it!

Oh... in case you are not Australian or don't know what the Sorry is for. Basically it is an apology from the Federal Government for the policies of previous years which oversaw the removal of children from Aboriginal mothers. The policies were responsible for the fracturing of aboriginal communities, the separation of children from their natural families and the various forms of abuse, neglect, displacement and general harm resulting from the actions involved in their removal. The children who were removed are commonly known as The Stolen Generations and as the name implies the removal process spanned across generations for most of the 20th century. (This is my very rushed and poorly researched understanding)

So I furiously and fruitlessly ran around looking for a TV, found none, spat the dummy and ended up tuning in to the ABC's online podcast of the historic event.
On the whole the apology was quite eloquently made. Of course the opposition leader Mr Brendan Nelson responded with a general lack of tact or understanding choosing to preach a rather irrelevant history lesson in some kind of attempt to negate the appropriateness of the apology. It seems his place history will be gladly forgot. However I must commend the previous Prime Minister Mr Howard for his show of good taste in not showing up at the great event. Stick to your guns Mr Howard and watch the country unite without you.

Anyway I've got heaps on and have to fly.

Here's a link...

http://www.abc.net.au/news/events/apology/


(apologies for any inconsistencies in this post it was a 10 minute rush job on a subject that seriously deserves much much more time to consider)

Walk against warming 2007

There are two weeks until the Australian Federal election. On Sunday 1,000's of citizen voters united around the country to send a clear message to our potential leaders.
Not all voters will be satisfied with gifts of lap top computers or tax rebates. People are demanding leadership and direct action on the urgent issue of climate change!

Pedal power.... The natural way to move forward

My folks down in Melbourne just put me on to a great story about a guy down there who has devoted himself and his yard to the promoting cycling in his community.
Exactly what I'd be doing if I had a yard... the slightest amount of mechanical knowhow... a lot more spare time... and so on...

The guy's name is Bill Bretherton. Check the story in the Age:
http://www.theage.com.au/news/

Good on you Bill!

"Hybrid cars still hurt"

(Bill is the guy under the car)

This is bigger than one man!
Check the web site: HUMAN POWERED~Cycles

This is a brilliant idea! Actually it is something that is constantly on my mind! It's so Great to see someone contributing in this way. I have come across the same problems with giving/loaning bikes to people. They rarely appreciate or take care of something that given them for free. As mentioned in the article this approach only seems to turn bicycles into a devalued commodity (Not the desired effect). But sharing knowledge and providing help to those who are prepared to make an effort must be a more effective way of reaching out to ones community. This approach could actually help to create a situation where cooperative social networks are forged, materials renewed, resources appreciated and active, conscious, communities are grown!
All I can say now is That's so COOL!! GOOD ON YOU!

Rapid Creek Revival

Rapid Creek Revival

So much fun! Heaps of people turned up to the Rapid Creek shops on Saturday to enjoy a full day of entertainment and community involvement. I imagine that this event was called a revival because about two or three years ago the center was in a state of decline. There was a fair bit of vandalism around the area, very few people came to shop here because there is a much bigger shopping mall not far down the road. Sometime along the way the place was re-painted and started to be re-populated with community organizations and service bodies. Now it seems the whole center is being used again. The New Environment Hub is located in the shopping center and brings together various lobby groups, there is 'Greenies' the organic food store, Napcan, Down's Syndrome association, Mat Bonson MP's office, Asian food stores, Art space and framing shop, and heaps of other community based services that I can't remember now.
At the Revival there was heaps of stuff for kids to do and most of it free. Kids were running around all over the place, painting, drawing playing games and generally having a ball! The breezeway was full of stalls and people were deeply engaged in the community building event. For me this was the first opportunity I've had to check out some of the organizations whose stores are always closed by the time I knock off work. The day was a huge success thanks to a very determined and civic minded organizer and of course all the people who came together to create a very special atmosphere.

At 4:30 I peddled off to the Casuarina coastal reserve Landcare anniversary! We all met down on the Cnr of Tiwi Gardens Rd and Rocklands. Met some very nice people and saw how effective their land management and rehabilitation program has been. These landcare groups are essential to our open spaces being maintained and kept free of weeds! The local park ranger payed tribute to their work and confessed that Parks and Wildlife would struggle to manage these spaces without their help. We wandered down to a rehab area at the Freebeach which was growing very successfully. Too bad I had to leave before the BBQ... Thanks Guys!


Protest at Mindil



The question of the Millennium

After racing home I stripped out of my sweat drenched shirt (It's getting pretty humid these days), chucked on my black T-shirt and we all headed to Mindil beach to protest against the Federal Government's obviously racist intervention into Indigenous communities.

It may seem a bit naive and presumptuous that a bunch of mostly non-indigenous city folk should be protesting against actions that are supposed to improve the lives of aboriginal people in communities most of us have never been to. How could we possibly understand what these people need? How dare we stand against an intervention that could protect the lives and welfare of innocent children from the most deplorable treatment? Well these may be valid arguments. But as far as I can see the Governments attitude toward aboriginal people has been heavy handed and insensitive.
As an Australian citizen I am particularly concerned when I see legislation created that, with the stroke of a pen, negates rights that took so long to establish. After such a long time of neglect and dysfunction I am suspicious of this military style invasion into indigenous communities. As if they will be able to drive the problem out by force. Considering the violent history between Indigenous and Balanda people in this country I can only imagine this will further feelings of alienation and lack of respect for Indigenous peoples rights. The distinct lack of community consultation only proves the governments lack of good will towards the people they are supposed to be helping.
What has astounded me even more than the Federal Government's dubious approach to save the children, was the response within the NT! Here is where I have truly noticed racist remarks and attitudes amongst our so called leaders! Immediately after the federal Government attempted to reduce the flow of alcohol into indigenous communities the minister responsible for alcohol in the NT Mr Chris Burns took up the cause of demanding exemptions for non indigenous people entering aboriginal land! Rather than recognizing and addressing the issue of excessive alcohol consumption he chose to demand what could only be described as racially discriminatory amendments to the legislation! Surely non-indigenous Territorians and visitors are capable of refraining from drinking while they are visiting these areas! Instead of supporting indigenous communities and creating laws that apply to all people on Aboriginal land our leaders demainded exemptions that would divide Territorians along racial lines! The only premise being that the non indigenous people should not be inconvenienced in any way for the sake of indigenous communities! To add insult to injury a group of prominent CLP members even took a cruise out to the Tiwi Islands where they anchored somewhere off the coast and had a little party which included the consumption of alcohol in very close proximity to a prohibited area! Why would they do this? If this was not a deliberate act of malice against the indigenous people of the area then it was a perfect example of the complete contempt and insensitivity these people have FOR their fellow citizens!

So! I must ask the question, and with the greatest sincerity and urgency! WHERE IS THE LOVE?

When we arrived a pretty large group had already assembled and ready to take the march to the shores of Mindil beach, traditional meeting and business place of Larakia People and their neighbors. A fitting site to make a stand against an out of touch government's racist policies!

The crowd gathers


Can we say we've really tried to help if so many recommendations are ignored?

Disability Awareness Week

Although I haven't been posting much lately, there has been plenty happening! I just haven't felt much inspiration to bang away on the keyboard about it. (Sometimes this whole blogging thing gets a bit tedious! What is the good in it? Who will even read it? etc... etc...) Oh well what else am I to do? It's 4:30 am, I have only had about 4 hours sleep and for some reason since we returned from Broome my skin has become so itchy that it keeps me up at night! I can't see any cause of the irritation but it gets worse at night and it's driving me crazy today!

Enough about my woes!

It's a big week in Darwin. The Darwin Festival is in full swing with a plethora of entertainment centered in the gardens precinct and branching out to various locations right across town. It also happens to be disability awareness week.
As part of the disability awareness week festivities Geoffrey Yunupingu performed to a select audience at a local university on Monday afternoon. I'd read about the performance in the Darwin festival events calender and decided to get down there to see him. It turned out that the concert was by invitation only! Buy the organizers were very understanding and permitted me to come along, so I gratefully accepted their invitation...
This guy has such a great musical style! His songs are full of emotion and a deep love for his people, his family. Although the lyrics are mostly in Yolngu no interpretation is needed to convey the beauty he expresses. This was the second time I've seen him in a month and I can't wait for the next performance.

Yesterday also as part of disability awareness week we went down to an open day at a special little garden in Leanyer called The Plot. It is an amazing gardening and craft space that has been set up in a disused council works depot. In a shady nook of the property a group of students, teachers and support workers have created an oasis of calm and purposeful toil. I was really impressed by what I saw there and hope to be able to give some of my time to their activities in creating what may turn out to be a much needed community space on the edge of town.
This could be exactly what our community needs! A people's space run by the people, for the people! The opportunities this project has already provided it's participants are proof of its future potential! After spending just an hour there I felt empowered and energized enough to see out the rest of the day with a smile on my face!

A full day at environment expo

I only have time for a brief post today and just wanted to say we had a ball at the Environment Day Expo on Sunday.

There were more stalls that last year and great music too! My daughter and I rode down on the cruiser bike, packed with all we needed for a day on the Museum lawns. The day was kicked off with a speech by the Environment Minister and continued on with a full program of key speakers on various environmental issues.

Ms Marion Scrymgour

Unfortunately I missed the key note speaker as my darling daughter refused to sit still in the Auditorium!
The Living Rivers talk was quite interesting though and highlighted the need for community action to help guard our rivers from destructive and un-sustainable developments.

There were heaps of evidence that the environmental awareness is growing in Darwin, the challenge now is to increase and improve the quality and quantity of activities that are stemming from that awareness! Meeting with a member from the Girraween Landcare group I was reminded that what is needed is real people spending real time working for and in their natural environment.

BicycleNT was another group I was hoping to catch up with at the Expo. The new bicycle advocacy group based in Darwin has only been formed in the past year and already has a great website and a fair number of members. I'd really like to have time to get involved with this mob, there's so much scope for activities in the Darwin area.

BicycleNT stall

So we arrived at 10:30 and stayed till stumps! Had a fantastic time and I met people I'd only ever communicated with by email. It was as close to a perfect day as I've experienced in quite a while. Thanks also to the Giant Panda who managed to turn up just in the nick of time when my daughter became restless and looking for something more to do. In the afternoon I had a lovely swim to cool off and we eventually headed home as Shellie Morris was wrapping up her final set!

Reptiles in our rivers

For the past couple of weeks I've been collecting my daughter in the early afternoon so we can go for a decent ride and have a little out door adventure instead of going straight home where she inevitably wants to watch videos!

I often take my camera just in case we see something really cool... So as we were skirting rapid creek looking at piles of scorched 'Long bums' (A mangrove shellfish), the remains of Aboriginal picnics, I noticed something in the water. "Look over there!" It's a.... err... It's.... Hey it's a crocodile! WOW! I quickly reached behind be and unzipped my bag as my daughter stood up in her chair trying to get a better look.
I whipped out the camera and turned it on just as the croc passed under some mangrove and out of view. I waited and edged my way slightly to the right until I could see him again. There he is, it was a little far away but I should get something in frame. I pressed my finger down on the button and waited for the synthesized click from my digital camera..... I waited some more.... I heard nothing. This was not so unusual I often miss the sound. I quickly turned the camera over so I could see the image. There was nothing! Some text flashed on the screen. "NO MEMORY CARD" No memory card!?!?!?! What!?
So many times I've lugged my camera along without taking a single shot but when there is something truly worthy of a photo I find that I've left the card in the card reader at home! Oh well it was a great thing to see anyway.
Today I reported the 1.5m (aprox) crocodile to the Parks and Wildlife department. As a matter of public safety they have to remove crocodiles from city beaches. I would have gladly sacrificed an afternoon of Data cleanup at work to go out with them and was tempted to ask but didn't. My adventure was over. I slumped back in my chair, opened another spreadsheet and continued my mindless assessment of data no one may ever want or look at again. Humpfff.... 1,375 lines down,9,438 lines to go!

The crocodile we saw resembled this skink...vaguely... kind of...
(species unknown)

Cleaning up our community
On the way home from work I saw Trevor picking up rubbish along Lee Point Rd, he'd managed to accumulate a couple of large rubbish bags full of junk in what seemed like a fairly short distance. It amazes me that people can just drop their rubbish on the ground like that.
When I got home I grabbed a bottle of water and headed back to catch up with Trev for a chat. After spending my days indoors surrounded by computers, and obnoxious, technology dependent teens whose values I can not comprehend it was a great relief to make a human connection. There are times when I am kind of envious of his lifestyle and I know I am taking the easier softer way.
It can't be easy being on the streets but it is one way to avoid certain kinds of corruption. In this age of human induced Global Warming, when interest in the growth of our shares continues to take precedence over the renewal of our forests. When we are ruled by economic prophecy; slaves to corporate propaganda and bound by the fear of rising interest rates or the price we pay for fuel, there are far less noble positions one could take in this world than to be unemployed and voluntarily cleaning up other peoples mess.

Peace....

May Day 2007

Yesterday afternoon we intended to go to the May Day march with friends but somehow managed to miss it totally.
After an extended afternoon nap we woke at about 6:00 pm 1 and a half hours after the march! We leaped out of bed, threw on some rags and jumped into the car. Well it was a bit slower than this but far quicker than our usual efforts. It was about 6:30 when we reached the Esplanade and there were plenty of car parks left for lazy latecomers who couldn't be bothered walking to far.
It was a great evening. The air was light and breezy as the sun set over a fairly relaxed crowd of unionists and revelers. People were loosely gathered around the main stage and food stalls. There were heaps of kids around and plenty of orange slogan clad balloons and T-shirts. When we arrived we found our place among the other families sprawled comfortably on picnic blankets listening to Lea Flanagan and band pumping out some great songs.

Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu of the Salt Water Band played guitar accompanied by double bass and sang beautifully in a mixture of English and his own language. One of his songs Bapak reminded me that the people who live on the northern coast of Australia have had a long history of connection to people from the Indonesian Islands.
An article about Salt Water Band
Check out the promo HERE.

An excellent way to spend the evening! So many kids were dancing and playing amongst the crowd. They were also the focus of speeches made by the union organizers who implored us to dethrone the leaders who has sold out the rights of future generations.

What we do

Last week the husband wive and child went into Darwin City to get a book or something and we ended up just hanging out in the mall for a while. There was some banging going on at the other end of the mall and we looked over to see a very colourful and impressive Lion blessing businesses who had left offerings at their entrances.


Chung Wah Lion Dance

Darwin's Chung Wah society are extremely active and attend a lot of local events. This week they were visiting the shop fronts in the mall. There was lots of drumming and the loud banging of crackers exploding in steel drums made sure every one knew there was something going on. It was quite entertaining watching the young people in the performing this ritual and also watching passers by taking a keen interest in what was going on. Our daughter must have seen this performance several times now and she loves it. The lion is sometimes very confronting and cheeky he come right up to people and demands their attention and possibly an offering. I am not too familiar with the purpose of this ritual but I think it is to bring prosperity and possibly to protect against misfortune. The energy of the performance certainly brings a rush of excitement and is a great way of bringing the crowd together (you tend to want to be in a big group when there's a lion prancing around unrestrained!)

I've been too preoccupied to post much lately but I have to confess that I've dropped back on my bicycle commuting. I've decided that riding from Palmerston at night is not worth the risk. No matter which way I try to do it the dangers are always far too evident. Drink driving in Darwin seems to be a right of passage and I am sure if I use the road at night it would only be a matter of time before I am skittled by an unlicensed driver in a blackout or a boy racer with a brand new Subaru and an attitude who thinks the emergency lane is for passing roadtrains!

After deciding I would ride on the bike path only I have now realized that although the potential to be hit by a car on the road was real the likelihood of encountering wildlife on the bike path is unavoidable! As it is dark my headlamp attracts all kinds of insects (some of them quite large) that smack me in the face and infiltrate my nostrils, mouth and stick me in the eyes. There are a growing number of Cane Toads on the track dead and live which present a sticky problem of their own and there is the real possibility of meeting up with a pack of feral dogs or pigs! When they constructed the extension to McMillans Rd I came across all kinds of roadkill, I'm sure the quolls an bandicoots would have scampered away but I doubt the 12 ft long python I saw one day would have been quick enough to get out of the way and who knows what a crock might make of a small cycle mounted light heading towards it?


Pink bike in the (very tall) Sorghum

So I now only ride to and from Palmerston once a week during the day, So far it has rained most days but it's quite a pleasant ride and I can see most of the obstacles in my way. So that's it really! I still have nothing inspiring to write about but felt I should fill the page and stick on a couple of pix from my commute.


Fungi on Pandanus spiralis

Circle of courage

Last week or some time a couple of weeks ago there was a documentary shown on the ABC called sticky bricks. It was the story of the people who live in a high rise apartment block in Sydney called Northcote. Just as the plan that created Northcote was a bit of a social experiment so was the plan to bring the disaffected residents together through the production of a stage show about their lives. Northcote was an example of how, although living in close proximity to one another, people can become isolated and alone and that human beings need more than four walls and a roof for shelter. The Sticky Bricks project gave many of the residents an opportunity to reach out to their neighbors and develop a sense of community which was apparently lacking.
There were many personal stories told and quotes read through the course of the performance but one that stood out to me was a speech about 'Indifference'. I don't know who first made the speech and I haven't been able to source it but it identifies indifference as the biggest threat to our society. Indifference is what changes communities into slums, indifference is the curse of an urban life.

Families are or should be made up of all age groups. Multi-generational families are a natural part of the fabric of most societies so surely a healthy society would encourage strong links between children and elders. Unfortunately in a society which favors the individual there appears to be quite a bit of apathy towards the nurturing of children and care and respect for our elders. This must create a negative feedback to our society as a whole and I'm sure this can easily be shown by the number of crimes committed by and against children today.

While reading some of my favorite blogs I came across a web site called 'Circle of Courage'. They are a New Zealand group who are cycling around New Zealand to raise awareness of young people in crisis.In their words:

The Circle of Courage is about encouraging every adult in New Zealand to build a relationship with the young people in their community; getting to know these young people by name and taking a real interest in their lives. Research has shown over and over again that it is adults taking an interest in young people that makes a difference in young lives.

The Circle of Courage model has been developed by the North American Indians. Each quadrant of the Circle of Courage invites young people, with encouragement from interested adults to:

• see themselves as belonging to a whole – "I am loved", use generosity to contribute their wisdom to their community – "I have a purpose for my life",
• draw on their inherent mastery of life to share their ideas and thoughts – "I can succeed",
• take the step forward as independent people – "I have the power to make decisions".

I thought this was a great idea and a caring way of countering indifference. The very act of acknowledging this problem must do something towards improving the situation. My wife has often commented on the importance of the adults who contributed to her learning and encouraged her as a teenager. She is now working as a tutor and truly values what her association with young people has brought to her life. I can also recall times during my own adolescence where without the attention of caring adults I would have easily become lost like so many of the kids I knew. Please check out their web site. The ride is just about over so there are plenty of interesting stories about the ride, who knows it might inspire some of us to be a little more thoughtful of the kids in our own neighborhoods.