As the squalls cut in from the frigid wastes of the Southern Ocean, we huddled together in the pavilion at the Killarney Recreation Reserve. While we peered through the gap between hat and scarf a wit remarked; “This is good old Gunditjmara weather. It gets too hot for us after this.” A bloke from Queensland grimaced.
Last weekend [13-14 November] was the Tarerer Festival. Held each year, it brings people together in a process called Restorative Arts Practice. There’s a focus on culture, history, the environment and having a good time.
The area has long been a place where people gather to feast, celebrate and trade. It is a tradition established by the Tarerer Gunditj, the Koroit Gunditj and the Moonwer Gunditj, coastal clans of the Peek Wuurong people and the greater Gunditjmara Nation. Now blackfellas and whitefellas come together from around Australia to continue this tradition.
On Saturday there was heaps of music, dance and performances. A huge smoking ceremony still has me smelling like the coastal scrub two days later. For lunch there was bush tucker to munch - like roo burgers and wattle-seed scones. There were people from Coastcare, Landcare and the Wilderness Society to talk about native animals and plants - some of which we’d just eaten. Ted the Kite Man from Port Fairy was there, making lots of kites with the kids. There was no shortage of wind for these colourful creations to decorate the sky all afternoon.
Sunday was time for talks and walks. The highlight for me was Damien Bell’s presentation on the achievements of the Gunditj Mirring and their restoration of Lake Condah. His message about “returning the water to the stones and giving their spirits back” was very powerful. It tells me that we still have opportunities to reinvigorate this country and help it survive our wasteful and disrespectful ways.
Don’t miss out next year. Come along to the Tarerer Festival - it’s very user friendly.
  |
| Ted and the kids building flying machines |
No comments:
Post a Comment